[Photo courtesy of Blue Jake]
The red brick Beach Russ Building at 544 Union Ave. in Williamsburg, whose demolition we have followed a bit, and whose replacement we posted about over at Curbed, is gone. As in, nothing left but a pile of bricks. The photo above is from Blue Jake‘s Jake Dobkin. He writes in part:
For the last few weeks, a crew has been demolishing the Beach Russ Building on Union Avenue in Williamsburg. I tried to get in a couple of times, but it was locked up pretty tight, and when I got back to the neighborhood yesterday, the entire thing had vanished…It’s hard to believe such a large building could just disappear so quickly– and contemplating the “luxury” glass condo that’s going up in its place just makes me want to puke. Is this really the New York that anyone wants to live in?
If you haven’t seen the replacement building, it’s underneath the photo of the original building below in all it’s glory. It’s different than what came before it. In an odd way, it reminds us of buildings that we’ve seen in Stuttgart and Berlin.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Hefner Shouldwait // Aug 4, 2007 at 11:25 am
The new building is a ultra-modern version for sure, but for such an absorbent price quite stingy with the terraces. Those people on there dont have much room, especially in al frezco B-B-Q season like now. Why did you like the old building so much, was it somewhere you worked at one time or another. Or could it be that what you get used to seeing, you always want to see the same thing. I can understand, and I can see your point then.
2 Hefner Shouldwait // Aug 4, 2007 at 11:34 am
That new building is ultra-modern, I cant see why you dont like it. Was it because you worked there, at one time or another for nostalgia. Or is it because you dont like the changes for familiarity breeds content, but I can see your point. Perhaps maybe its because they are giving such small terraces, for such an absorbent price. Those people you see on there need more room, especially now in the mist of al frezco B-B-Q season. Lets see what develops next, Im with you all the way.
3 judy // Aug 4, 2007 at 11:55 am
I can’t believe how fast it came down either. The new building is fairly fug and I wonder how they’re going to keep all that glass from rattling with the BQE only a block or two away and the G train rumbling along underneath.