Oro Condominiums

Completed in 2008, The Oro has the distinction of being one of the first high-rise condominiums in Downtown Brooklyn, a neighborhood now flush with towering luxury condos. But that longevity comes with a price: Buyers searching for the trendiest interiors and amenities will not find them in this 40-story, Ismael Leyva-designed building. However, according to Compass associate broker Max Moondoc, who has done business in the 302-unit building, The Oro has a lot to offer prospective owners looking to live in what is now a vibrant and bustling neighborhood. For one, the vibes at The Oro are good. “The staff is really nice, very friendly,” he says. “There’s good energy when you walk in.” While some of the more recently constructed condos in the neighborhood might be fancier, The Oro offers the chance to buy in Downtown Brooklyn at a comparatively lower cost. Some of the units here are quite large, and the views, which include the Manhattan skyline, One World Trade Center, the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and Fort Greene, are “beautiful,” according to Moondoc. Homes include studios to four-bedroom units. Studios measure a maximum of 718 square feet and list for $620,000 and up, and one-bedrooms as large as 1,176 square feet ask $750,000 to $1.5 million. Two-bedrooms list for up to $1.7 million and measure up to 1,544 square feet. Three-bedrooms are a maximum of 1,926 and sell for about $1.2 million to $2.8 million. Residences feature floors made with wood from sustainable forests, nine-foot ceilings and double-paned windows. Some units have dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor spaces. Bedrooms are spacious and include large closets. Kitchens are equipped with stainless steel appliances and glass tile backsplashes. Streamlined bathrooms feature large mirrors with integrated medicine cabinets. Amenities include a two-story gym, with cardio equipment on one floor and weights on the other, as well as a basketball half-court. “You actually see people using it,” says Moondoc. Additional fitness spaces include a lap pool and a sauna; the building has a billiard room and a screening room. Staff includes a resident manager, super and door attendants on duty at all times. A wine store, Japanese restaurant and Peruvian restaurant occupy the ground floor, and a parking garage is in the building. The Oro is in prime Downtown Brooklyn, which means lots of convenience and urban activity. Grocery shopping options, including Trader Joe’s, upscale NYC Fresh Market and Whole Foods, are close by. The City Point complex, with an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Target, McNally Jackson and DeKalb Market Hall, is less than three blocks away. Fort Greene Park is a short walk west, as are the Brooklyn Academy of Music and an Apple store. NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering is a few blocks away. “There are a million trains nearby. You can get anywhere,” Moondoc says. Virtually every subway line is near The Oro. The B, Q and R trains at DeKalb Avenue, the 2 and 3 at Hoyt Street, the 4 and 5 at Nevins Street and the A, C and G can be reached in less than 10 minutes on foot. For travel by car, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges are five minutes away, as is the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Laguardia Airport can be reached in about 45 minutes. The Long Island Railroad departs from Atlantic Terminal, which can be reached by public transit in 10 minutes.