Gruzen Samton was the architect for a 267-condominium unit residential building at 100 Jay Street for The Hudson Companies, Inc. and Cara Construction, in Brooklyn. The project consists of 410,000 sf in a 31-story tower and base with ground floor retail and parking spaces. In order to take advantage of the spectacular views to the south and the north, the building is oriented with its long axis in the east-west direction. The top four floors are set back, providing terraces for the adjacent apartments and a graceful terminus to the building. The serrated plan provides corner window views for apartments on the north and south facades, maximizing the exterior exposure from all apartments. Living rooms are typically located in a corner, with floor-to-ceiling windows; bedrooms have punched windows. The most striking architectural feature of the building is the sail-like win- dow wall on the southern façade above the Manhattan Bridge: from the twelth floor, the building`s footprint projects out in a series of stepped, gently curved forms. The more solid masonry and punched window façade is enlivened with this large expanse of window wall. The larger- scale feature is visible and an iconic element on the Brooklyn skyline, catching the sparkle of sunlight. Its proximity to the Manhattan Bridge make it an exciting kinetic sculptural form and a gateway to Dumbo. At the corner of Jay and York Streets, immediately visible upon exit from the subway station, the third floor health club is a distinctive pavilion with a sloped metal roof, providing a pedestrian scale to the development. Ground floor retail and a landscaped entry court to the residential lobby at the corner of Jay and Front Streets bring light and activity to the street.
