THE AIR UP THERE: LUXURY DOWNTOWN HIGH-RISE SPORTS ROOFTOP BASKETBALL COURT
The developer of a new luxury Downtown apartment complex has opened a basketball court on its 18th-floor roof, where residents can get some serious air while up in the air, and tenants say the prospect of dribbling 200 feet above Brooklyn has all their friends drooling.
“I have friends that come over when they want to play,” said Sal Contractor, who moved into City Tower on Flatbush Avenue earlier this year. “I have a whole bunch of people who want to get in.”
The half-court is enclosed by floor-to-ceiling windows that show off views of Downtown and the Manhattan skyline — and give tenants on nearby floors a peek at what’s going on inside, often inspiring them to come in and shoot some hoops, Contractor said.
“I’ll go down there and play during the day and sometimes people will see my playing so they’ll come down to shoot around too,” He said.
Around a dozen residents in the swanky 48-story building — where studio apartments cost around $2,500 a month to rent — now face off several times a week, and the hoopsters say the amenity is a great way to score friends in the recently opened high-rise.
“The building is new and a lot of people want to meet each other,” said Doug Bello, who moved in last month. “The court helps because it gives a way for everyone to meet up.”
The amenity — which comes with a rack of basketballs — is free for now, though the building’s management has not yet decided if it will remain so forever, according to a building rep.
He said developer the Brodsky Organization built the sky-high hoops hall to set the building apart from other high-end buildings nearby — some of which offerrooftop dog runs and swimming pools.
“We were looking to do something a little extra, not just be a typical gym,” said leasing agent David Hazlewood.
City Tower is part of the sprawling City Point complex at Fulton Mall and Gold Street, which also includes a separate 19-story apartment building, a soon-to-open shopping center and cinema, and a yet-to-be-built 57-story condominium high-rise.
Reach reporter Lauren Gill at lgill@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260–2511. Follow her on Twitter @laurenk_gill
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