Is The Bossert Being Converted Back To The ‘Waldorf Astoria of Brooklyn’?

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Is The Bossert Being Converted Back To The ‘Waldorf Astoria of Brooklyn’?

By Chuck Taylor on May 8, 2012 11:13 am in Architecture, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn History, Government, Real Estate, Watchtower

Consider this a potential game-changer for Brooklyn Heights: The magnificent Bossert at 98 Montague Street, owned & maintained by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, is apparently returning to its original domain as a hotel. Brownstoner reported Tuesday that according to a Public Hearing notice sent out by Community Board Two, a variance application has been filed to allow “reconversion of the existing community facility hotel back to its original, transient hotel use.”

What remains unclear is whether the flip is a maneuver on the part of Jehovah’s Witnesses to find an interested buyer for the building. Continue Reading →

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Sold! Watchtower’s Residential 183 Columbia Heights Moves For $6.6M

By Chuck Taylor on April 24, 2012 10:49 am in Brooklyn Heights, Real Estate, Watchtower

As expected, a fourth Brooklyn Heights residential property on the market by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society has sold. BHB reported in late March that 183 Columbia Heights, then asking $7.1 million, was close to contract after attracting 27 offers, according to the building’s listing agent Massey Knakal Realty Services.

The Real Deal reported Monday that an unidentified investor group has purchased the vacant 183 Columbia Heights between Clark and Pierrepoint streets for $6.6 million, 14% below the asking price. The group plans to turn the seven-story, 13-unit building, into luxury rentals. Continue Reading →

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161 Columbia: See Inside First On-The-Market Rental Unit

By Chuck Taylor on April 19, 2012 1:46 pm in Real Estate, Watchtower

The Watchtower residential property at 161 Columbia Heights that sold March 20 for $3 million and returned to the market 10 days later as a rental is now being marketed by Ideal Properties Group, with the first interior images online for a 1-bedroom unit for $2,895/month.

The descriptor: “This spacious 1-bedroom apartment is newly renovated with hardwood flooring, stainless appliances and granite countertops in the kitchen, new vanity in the bathroom and oversized windows to let in lots of light. Continue Reading →

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Happy Holiday Weekend: Passover & Easter

By Chuck Taylor on April 6, 2012 10:47 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Religion

With Passover and Easter aligning in 2012, BHB wishes a joyous holiday weekend to all. For anybody that would like a hasty tutorial on the two occasions, you are welcome to read the synopses below…

* For the Jewish religion, Passover celebrates God’s freeing of the Jews from bondage in Egypt through the leadership of Moses. It begins on the 15th day of Nissan, the first month of the Jewish calendar and typically takes place in April. In 2012, Passover begins at sundown on Friday April 6, Continue Reading →

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10 Days After Closing, 161 Columbia Heights Returns To Market As Rental

By Chuck Taylor on March 29, 2012 3:33 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Development, Real Estate, Watchtower

The Watchtower residential property at 161 Columbia Heights that closed March 20 after a $3 million sale to investment and management firm Sugar Hill Capital Partners, is back on the market less than two weeks later as a rental. According to Curbed, after a quick renovation, the newly named five-story walk-up “161 Heights” offers Continue Reading →

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Sold! Third Of Eight Watchtower Properties In Heights Grabs $3M

By Chuck Taylor on March 20, 2012 12:12 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Real Estate, Watchtower

The third of eight Brooklyn Heights residential properties on the market by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society has bid “Amen” to owners Jehovah’s Witnesses. A five-story walk-up apartment building at 161 Columbia Heights sold for $3 million to investment and management firm Sugar Hill Capital Partners.

The listing was managed by Massey Knakal Realty Services, which also sold a Witnesses-owned multi-family building at 50 Orange Street, to the same buyer in January for $7.1 million.

The property at 161 Columbia “has been immaculately maintained since the prior owner purchased the property in 1988,” Knakal told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The 6,273-square-foot residential building, which has a cellar level providing an additional 1,240 square feet, contains seven fair-market, one rent-stabilized and two rent-controlled units. Continue Reading →

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Jehovah’s Witnesses Unload Columbia Heights Carriage House—$3M Under Asking

By Chuck Taylor on February 14, 2012 2:54 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Real Estate, Watchtower

A second building in the Jehovah’s Witnesses Brooklyn Heights real estate collective has sold for $3 million less than its original asking price. Curbed reports that a 4,172-square-foot carriage house at 165 Columbia Heights Street (between Clark and Pierrepont streets), was asking $7.2 million in 2008, and sold for $4.1 million, according to city records. It comprises two apartments with a four-car garage. Continue Reading →

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Watchtower Sells Orange Street Building for $7.1 Million

By Homer Fink on January 3, 2012 7:11 pm in Real Estate, Watchtower

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the Jehovah’s Witnesses to its friends, has sold 50 Orange Street for $7.1 million. It and two Columbia Heights properties were put on the block in August: Continue Reading →

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Brooklyn Heights’ Rabbi Simcha Says No Gelt, No Glory

By Homer Fink on December 20, 2011 8:48 pm in Celebrity Residents, Religion

Sometimes it just feels like life is all nun and shin but no gimel. This is especially true during heated games of dreidel during Chanukah. Rabbi Simcha Weinstein (@rabbisimcha) of Congregation B’nai Avraham in Brooklyn Heights shares his double secret super dreidel powers: Continue Reading →

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Kingdom Come: NYT on Bossert Hotel in Brooklyn Heights

By Homer Fink on November 5, 2011 2:18 pm in Real Estate, Watchtower

The New York Times reports on the Bossert Hotel, currently owned by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. The piece discusses how members of the religion, known as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, become eligible for a stay in Brooklyn’s “Waldorf”. It also covers the fact that the Watchtower plans to move out of Brooklyn Heights over the next few years and how the sale of the Bossert plays into that.

The Brooklyn Heights Association’s executive director Judy Stanton cautions that Watchtower property sales may cause a major issue in the area. “Right now, we don’t have the schools capacity to support an influx of residents with children,” she says.

But most interestingly is this passage about some “regular” folk who still live there: Continue Reading →

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Veteran of Anti-Apartheid Struggle to Preach at St. Ann’s Church Sunday

By Claude Scales on October 27, 2011 3:54 pm in Events, History, Religion

Father Michael Lapsley, who lost an eye and both hands during the struggle against apatheid in South Africa, and who founded the Institute for the Healing of Memories, will preach at the 11:00 a.m. service this Sunday, October 30, at the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity, corner of Clinton and Montague Streets (enter from Clinton). The Rev. Nell Archer, of St. Ann’s, gives us these details: Continue Reading →

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To Serve Man: The Eagle on the Watchtower’s Slow Move Out

By Homer Fink on October 24, 2011 7:36 pm in Watchtower

The Brooklyn Eagle sheds some light on the realities of the Watchtower’s planned move out of Brooklyn Heights to upstate Warwick, N.Y. A spokesperson for the group says the move won’t happen “anytime soon” as they’re still waiting for approval to construct more buildings.

One interesting passage closes the piece by Linda Collins regarding the group’s involvement in their rural community: Continue Reading →

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Reasons to Get Excited About Watchtower Property Sale

By Homer Fink on October 16, 2011 10:09 am in Real Estate, Watchtower

Crain’s NY Business writes about how our local electeds and others are already licking their chops over the potential buyers, uses and tax revenue resulting from the sale of the Watchtower properties in Brooklyn Heights. Continue Reading →

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Blessing of the Animals at Grace Church

By Claude Scales on October 2, 2011 11:00 pm in Pets, Religion

Today was the Feast of St. Francis, and Grace Church celebrated with a blessing of the animals at the 5:00 p.m. service. Here the Rector, the Rev. Stephen Muncie, administers a blessing–holy water delivered via a dogwood sprig–to Wellington, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, held by proud owner Stacey Mankoff. More photos and text after the jump. Continue Reading →

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Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Open House Sunday

By Claude Scales on September 15, 2011 11:23 pm in Events, Food, Fun, Religion

This Sunday, September 18, the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, 131 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Henry) will hold an open house and learning workshops in preparation for the High Holy Days. A study session with the Rabbi will start at 10:00 a.m., followed by High Holy Days workshops (“fun for the whole family”) from 11:15 to 12:30 p.m. Immediately after, lunch, featuring delicacies from Shelsky’s Smoked Fish, will be served (I’m tempted to show up for this, and I’m not Jewish). All day, you may explore membership, the religious school, the Judaica shop, the women’s homeless shelter, and events and committees. All free and open to the public. For more information, call 718-522-2070.

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