1 Prospect Park W

One Prospect Park West

Upon walking through the front doors of One Prospect Park West, one is reminded of the vivid compositions of form and color typically found in Milanese entryways. Envisioned by Brooklyn-based interior design studio Workstead, monolithic panels of Giao Sienna, an Italian canary-yellow-veined marble, frame the lobby like proscenium arches. Honoring the building’s 1920s heritage, an interplay of moldings and fine woodwork set the stage for lavish common spaces with decorative objects by Maison Gerard, collectible vintage furniture and bespoke design elements, including a reception desk clad in golden burel wood with a mother-of-pearl quartz slab. Custom-made reclaimed pine wood sculptures that resemble Frank Stella paintings adorn foyers on each floor. “What sets One Prospect Park West apart from other luxury condos in the neighborhood is its location and pre-war bones,” says Aeen Avini, native New Yorker and broker at Compass. “Being located on the corner of Grand Army Plaza and the entrance to Prospect Park is amazing.” The building adjacent to Grand Army Plaza was completed in 1925 as the clubhouse for the Knights of Columbus Catholic fraternity. The Beaux-Arts structure functioned as a venue for members for nearly four decades until the Carmelite Order purchased the property, intending to convert the building into a nursing home. Then, in 1994, the space was again repurposed — this time into a senior assisted-living complex — until it was sold to the developer, Sugar Hill Capital Partners, in 2016 for $84 million. It took nearly four years to finish a comprehensive facade restoration and a gut renovation by New York-based facade consultancy and historic preservation expert Surface Design Group and Brooklyn-based interior design studio Workstead. Referencing the building’s pre-war architecture, each residence is outfitted with open partition archways ornamented with simple crown molding, emphasizing the dramatic 16-foot ceilings. “The building’s pre-war bones with modernized interiors are not seen much anymore. Most new builds offer typical cookie-cutter residences. This building captures the spirit of 1920s architecture while providing every contemporary luxury,” says Avini. Workstead designed a collection of bespoke light fixtures – a chandelier, two sconces and a table lamp – to adjoin private and public spaces with the same design vocabulary. Kitchens feature countertops and backsplashes swathed in Bianco Estremoz marble, fully integrated Miele and Sub-Zero appliances, a Calacatta Vagli marble island, a cast iron sink and Dornbracht fixtures. Every closet, from the bedroom walk-in to the pantry, is customized with shelving and fine finishes by California Closets. For convenience, windows are equipped with electronic palladium shades by Lutron. In addition to the private gardens and terraces of penthouse suites, there is a common green space with an apple orchard with mature trees and a grass meadow on the rooftop of One Prospect Park West. The lush-landscaped roof deck, designed by the New York-based architecture practice ODA, is outfitted with Wolf barbeque grill stations and plenty of plush lounge chairs, sofas and chaises. A wellness suite includes a fitness studio with a sauna, steam room, weight and cardio equipment, a basketball court and multiple movement studios for dance, yoga and Pilates. On the same floor, residents can find a children’s playroom decked out with toys, games and kid-sized furniture. As one might expect from a full-service building, amenities include a 24-hour door attendant, a live-in super, and a bike storage room. When residents exit the building, they are greeted by the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, a historic Civil War memorial with a crowning bas-relief sculpture of a winged goddess. Lining the perimeters of the Grand Army Plaza, four granite and bronze columns topped with copper-cast eagles lead to the Central Library housed inside the 1889 Beaux-Arts building. Park Slope’s contemporary comforts are plentiful, too, including the YMCA housed in the former National Guard 14th Regiment Armory and cocktail-service cinema Nitehawk outfitted with retro arcade games. Nights out could entail stirred gin martinis at Saint Eve's Cocktail Bar, followed by black squid ink pasta and a glass of Chianti at mainstay Al di la Trattoria. For groceries, denizens can walk a few blocks to Key Food supermarket or specialty grocer Union Market. However, Prospect Park itself is the leading attraction, with its 526 acres of green space comprising The Grecian Shelter, Dog Beach, The Picnic House, and The Boathouse. Residents can easily walk just under a quarter mile from One Prospect Park West to Grand Army Plaza station, which services 2, 3 and 4 trains. Just a bit further down Flatbush Avenue, about half a mile, the 7th Avenue Station offers the B and Q trains.