51 Jay

With some of the costliest sales in Brooklyn, Dumbo is a highly sought-after waterfront neighborhood with a wide variety of post-industrial lofts on offer. Less flashy than some of the area’s marquee properties but perhaps more methodically designed, 51 Jay Street is a seven-story low-rise condo with 74 carefully finished units. A 1910 landmark-protected structure, the formerly industrial building was once affectionately known as the Daylight Factory, hinting at its previous function. Developer Slate Property Group tapped top New York firm ODA for its meticulous, multi-year gut renovation that began in the mid-2010s. Though a lawsuit was filed citing several construction defects in early 2020, the issues have since been rectified. “It’s always harder to do an industrial conversion than to build from the ground up,” says Karen Heyman, head realtor of the Heyman team at Sotheby's International Realty. “It took them a very long time to do the renovation, but the result is phenomenal.” In its extensive intervention, ODA only maintained 51 Jay Street's historic brick facade and introduced an entirely new program of interior floors and modular structures. This allowed the firm to “carve out” a courtyard that filters in much-needed daylight to internal-facing units. ODA also added a discrete glass-enclosed penthouse level set back on the roof, which makes for large private terraces with unbeatable views of Lower Manhattan. Coherently proportioned, industrial-style casement windows carry across from these premium residences to lower floor units. With most units selling out for a total of $192 million at the end of 2018, certain residents began noticing problematic defects in 2019. According to a The Real Deal report, the building’s condo board filed a lawsuit with the Kings County Supreme Court against the developer and the sponsor, Adam America Real Estate, in January 2020. Despite ODA’s considered and comprehensive outfit, the case cited numerous problems mostly attributed to shoddy construction. These included strong sewer smells emanating from toilets, water leaks stemming from poorly installed HVAC systems, and badly insulated windows. Claiming damages to the tune of $6.5 million, the board also noted that carpeting in common areas was installed in an “amateurish” fashion. Suffice it to say, many New York City building codes were violated but residents were caught in the crossfire of the developer pointing fingers at the contractors, Danya Cebus Construction and Hudson Meridian Construction Group, and vice versa. With the lawsuit eventually being settled, an overhaul renovation was conducted in late 2023. With construction defects in both residences and common amenity spaces fully rectified, 51 Jay Street is now, assuredly, ship shape. All units that go on the market are resale and so reflect alterations made by previous owners. That said, most still feature the original suite of quality finishes. Herringbone-patten oak floors run from open-plan living rooms to oversized kitchens outfitted with slightly classical Aster Cucine cabinetry, La Rochelle Gris marble slab countertops and Gaggenau appliances. Lacquered dark brown vanities with copper detailing can be found in bedrooms. Bathrooms feature walk-in showers and separate soaking tubs. While a 664-square-foot studio tends to hover around the $1 million mark, an 866-square-foot one-bedroom ranges from $1.2 million to $1.6 million. Two and three bedrooms fetch $1.8 million to $3.2 million. Four-bedroom penthouses have sold for upwards of $7 million. The building is pet-friendly and offers a tax abatement through 2032. 51 Jay Street is a full-service luxury condo building. With that comes a 24-hour concierge and a fully equipped fitness center replete with a separate yoga room. The building also features a children’s playroom, a resident’s lounge and a shared rooftop terrace with integrated grills and fireplaces. There are even outdoor showers. “51 Jay Street has great outdoor spaces,” Heyman notes. All units have some degree of access to well-furnished balconies or patios. Occupants of first-floor units have exclusive access to an internal courtyard masterfully designed by award-winning landscape architect Steven Yavanian. 51 Jay Street is smack dab in the middle of prime Dumbo and near necessities like a large parking garage, an expansive Wegman’s grocery store, and the York Street subway stop served by the reliable F train that runs up the middle of Manhattan. The neighborhood is chock full of trendy restaurants and popular watering holes.