REAL ESTATE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LIC BUILDING BREAKS GROUND BY LIAM LA GUERRE lguerre@queenscourier.com @LiamLaGuerre Earth Day is a time for refl ection on how to be more environmentally conscious. It was also the best day for Brause Realty and Gotham Organization to break ground on its 35-story rental building in Long Island City, which will be one of the most eco-friendly structures in the neighborhood. The building at 44-28 Purves St. was designed by FXFowle Architects, the same group behind the massive green roof on the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It will have 272 market-rate rental apartments with a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, and various green features, such as generating energy from wind turbines and solar panels. “We are creating a lot of our own energy, which is going to power a lot of the common areas in the building,” said David Brause, president of Brause Realty, at the groundbreaking ceremony on April 22. “There is a lot of green in this building.” Additionally, a three-fl oor “amenities building” will be built in conjunction with the tower on the lot, and that smaller structure will have a green roof with grass and plants. The project is designed with LEED Silver certifi cation standards, which is the third-highest green level a building can obtain by the U.S. Green Building Council. The amenities building will have space for a fi tness center, yoga studio and a 2,000-square-foot commercial space on the ground fl oor, which Brause said could be home to a restaurant. Between the amenities building and the 35-story tower will be a courtyard with seating, a pool with a 50-foot lap lane, a grilling and bar area, and a large weather-resistant movie screen. In the main 35-fl oor tower, the ground level will contain the lobby and a mail room, laundry room and a space for a small coffee shop or convenience store. There will be additional common space on the second fl oor, including a kitchen, fi replace, social areas, a children’s playroom, and a private lounge and conference room with an attached outdoor patio. Also, on the 35th fl oor there will be a residents’ lounge with a billiards room, wet bar and an outdoor terrace with views of the Manhattan skyline. There will be a 75-spot parking garage under the building. Brause Realty acquired the land for 44-28 Purves St. in 2013. The site, which was home to manufacturing fi rms, is in the state Brownfi eld Cleanup Program because of contaminated soil. Currently, the toxic soil is being trucked from the site. Brause said he plans to complete construction on the project in two years. The new eco-friendly building at 44-28 Purves St. will feature various green features, such as wind turbines and solar panels to generate energy. Rendering courtesy of Brause Realty See it: Renovated Forest Hills Gardens brick home sells for $2M BY LIAM LA GUERRE lguerre@queenscourier.com @LiamLaGuerre The recently revitalized brick home in Forest Hills Gardens at 70 Exeter St. is suited to accommodate guests. The more than a century-old residence comes with a visitor’s suite in its fi nished basement, complete with a second kitchen, living room, dining area and an entrance to a private rear garden. The fi ve-bedroom, fi vebathroom house was sold for $2.02 million on Friday, according to broker Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty. High ceilings and hardwood fl oors can be found throughout the house, and the recent renovation includes a new roof, new outdoor lighting, underground sprinkler system and central air conditioning. With more than 3,100 square feet of living space, the home has a sizeable foyer that leads to a massive living room. The redesigned kitchen includes a large center island and three dishwashers. And as for where the new owner will sleep, the master bedroom on the second fl oor has a fi replace, an en-suite bathroom and a spiral staircase that leads to a walk-in closet on the third level. Photo courtesy of Terrace Sotheby’s International Realty
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