111 Hicks St

The St. George Tower

In New York City, paying $500,000 to occupy a piece of local history is a fair deal. That’s the starting price for studios at 111 Hicks Street, a co-op converted from the Hotel St. George, which opened in the late 1920s and had a roaring history hosting high-society gatherings for the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, John F. Kennedy and Frank Sinatra. Two of the complex’s structures became the St. George Tower co-op in 1984, and today they’re part of a national historic landmark neighborhood full of brick rowhouses and brownstones. “Most of the buildings in Brooklyn Heights are smaller,” says Amy Mendizabal, an agent at Compass, “so it has this grandeur that people look for.” That sensibility shows up most clearly in the Art Deco lobby, refreshed in 2015, and on the roof deck, which has sweet views of Manhattan’s skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge. Plus, the co-op board proactively maintains a website for the St. George Tower, with updated sales applications and operating budgets, so buyers have clear info about their investment. “It’s a tool that not a lot of buildings have,” Mendizabal says, “and I think that’s a differentiator as well.” While the majority of the building’s offerings were originally studios and one bedrooms, the stock of two and three bedrooms has increased as owners combined units, leading to a lot of options in size and layout. “People expand into neighbors’ homes, and then as life changes, they might downsize. So even the unit I’m selling right now is a combo of three units, which isn’t uncommon in this building,” Mendizabal says. Studios vary from about 500 to 600 square feet and have layouts that can include a breakfast bar and a sleeping alcove. Some also have a private balcony. Most one bedrooms are between 600 and 800 square feet, but they can go up to 1,000 square feet in a rare duplex unit. A few share semi-private terraces with neighboring units, too. Two bedrooms, sized from 1,100 to 1,700 square feet, often have their second bathroom connected directly to the primary bedroom. Three bedrooms vary from 1,400 to 2,000 square feet, and especially large units can have private patios or a duplex layout. Despite being nearly 100 years old, the units look relatively new with hardwood floors and dishwashers. “The cycle of renovation is every seven to ten years,” Mendizabal says. “And that includes the building itself. The lobby was redone,” getting an Art Deco facelift in 2015, “and the hallways were recently renovated. The board is looking into new HVAC systems that are more energy efficient, so they do a good job of keeping the building modern but still respecting the history.” In-unit washer-dryers are allowed pending board approval, but residents also have shared laundry rooms every three floors. Most recently, studios have sold for between $500,000 and $600,000, and one bedrooms have sold for between $600,000 and $900,000. Prices for two bedrooms have ranged from $1 million to almost $1.7 million, while for three bedrooms, prices have ranged from $1.6 million to $2.8 million. Monthly common charges can be as high as $2.6 per square foot, which Mendizabal says is in line with the level of service provided. “You have all these services. So, I think it looks high, but you’re getting a lot for what you’re paying.” Subletting is allowed for a maximum of two consecutive years in any five-year period, and according to the building’s website, “the number of sublets in [the] building is very small. Almost all of the apartments are occupied by resident shareholders.” The roof deck’s views of the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade might be St. George Tower’s most impressive features, “but what I think people really love is the full service,” Mendizabal says. “You have a doorman who knows everyone, and the managing agent has an office behind the lobby. So if you have any issues you can literally walk down and talk with him.” Residents also have a communal herb garden on the roof, which people are free to use to freshen up their home cooking. Beyond that, amenities are rounded out with a video-conferencing-enabled meeting room and shared laundry rooms on every third floor. As a historic landmark neighborhood, Brooklyn Heights is largely occupied by 19th- and mid-century residential architecture. Restaurants, clustered on Henry and Montague streets, serve cuisines from around the world, and the Books Are Magic shop hosts buzzy literary events. Just west, Brooklyn Heights Promenade is the spot for sunset walks with Manhattan skyline views, and nearby, Brooklyn Bridge Park has multiple green spaces and sports facilities on the piers. Commutes to and from Manhattan are convenient thanks to the subway entrance directly under the St. George building complex, which has 2 and 3 express trains. A CitiBike station is also adjacent on the Clark Street side. Driving-wise, the building is located between ramps for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Brooklyn Bride and Manhattan Bridge.