Real estate investment firm RFR and Kushner Companies today announced that they have entered into a contract to acquire six properties in Brooklyn from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society for $375 million. According to the press release (July 8, 2013), Jared Kushner (of Kushner Companies), Aby Rosen (of RFR), and Asher Abehsera (a former Two Trees Management Company executive) teamed up to purchase the portfolio of buildings which total 1.2 million square feet of commercial space. The buildings include:

• 117 Adams Street
• 175 Pearl Street
• 55 Prospect Street
• 81 Prospect Street
• 77 Sands Street
• 90 Sands Street

These buildings are included as part of the Brooklyn Tech Triangle master plan and could be key buildings in the development of the plan for creating appropriate commercial space and connectors between Dumbo, Navy Yards, and Downtown Brooklyn.

90 Sands Street is a 30 story, 500+ room residential building will be turned over vacant at closing in September, according to a NY Post story.

According to the Post, the Jehovah’s Witnesses moved their headquarters to Brooklyn in 1909. As part of their plans to move to Warwick, NY, they have been selling off a 34-building portfolio, including lots in Dumbo at 173 and 177 Front Street as well as 200 Water Street in April 2013.

(175 Pearl Street)

(90 Sands Street, Photo by a.pitch)

Related:
{The Watchtower Moving Some Operations from Brooklyn, 26Mar2009}
{Watchtower Properties in Dumbo?, 29Sept2011}
{Jehovah’s Witness Buildings Could Offset Brooklyn Bridge Park Costs, 08Oct2010}

Source: Dumbo NYC
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DumboNyc/~3/zlCNVc-KU9I/

Hill Country Barbecue is slated to open this fall at 345 Adams Street, alongside the Downtown Brooklyn border’s other recently opened eateries: Shake Shack, Potbelly and Panera Bread. Muss Development is converting the former government offices into new retail and condo space. According to developer Joshua L. Muss: “Adding a restaurant of this caliber to our retail tenants will elevate our property here and blend perfectly with the continued evolution of the entire neighborhood.”

The 10,000-square-foot Texas-themed BBQ restaurant will offer dry-rub style meats, an in-house meat-smoke room, beer-braised cowboy pinto beans and boneless prime rib, along with “American Roots” live country music most every night. It already has two locations in Manhattan and one in Washington, D.C.

The arrival of Hill Country is a change of course from BHB’s September 2012 report that the locale would house American BBQ and Beer Co., which was originally scheduled to open in April 2013.

In addition, we reported then of an alleged signed lease in the building for Sugar and Plumm, a combination restaurant, ice cream parlor & chocolate retailer.

Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/56093