The architecture firm FXFOWLE will be moving its offices to the new building it designed for JEMB Realty at One Willoughby Sq. in Brooklyn.
Currently located in Chelsea, the architects will be housed in 40,000 square feet on the seventh through ninth floors of the 36-story project on Duffield Street.
When completed in 2021, the base of the building will house a new 300-seat school in 87,000 square feet on the second through sixth floors that will have its own entrance on Albee Square West.
To construct the school, the NYC School Construction Authority sold a site to JEMB, which then bought adjacent parcels to accommodate the side-core tower.
The setback on top of the school also enables FXFOWLE to have a sprawling 20-foot-by-150-foot terrace on its seventh floor. It will use this for gatherings and relaxation, but it will also provide a spot to test out plants for green roofs and mock-ups for designs as well as allow the firm to check out materials in natural light.
Now located in an old Garment District-like loft space at 22 W. 19th St., the architects are known for their environmentally friendly designs. Projects include 3 Hudson Blvd., 11 Times Sq. and the green roof at the Javits Convention Center.
The new One Willoughby Sq. will be the first newly built Class A office tower in the borough in many years.
“The more we thought about it, the more it dawned on us that we are the tenants,” said Dan Kaplan of FXFOWLE. “At first, it was a creative enterprise — for instance, if we were occupying the space, what would we want? Then, if we were occupying it, transitioned into, this could be a great home for us.”
Every other floor will have balconies while four “superfloors” have 18-foot-high ceilings and either terraces or loggias — outdoor spaces carved into the building — that will overlook the Willoughby Square Park.
“We wanted to create something with shadow and texture but had a reference to the grit of historical Brooklyn,” explained Kaplan, who didn’t think that the area called for a glass, curtain-wall tower.
The tower’s wavy, navy-blue brick façade is also an homage to architect Ralph Walker, Kaplan said, and echoes the bricks at the nearby Belltel Lofts.
Andrew Weiss of Signature Partners represented FXFOWLE in the 15-year deal.
Although a JLL team is handling leasing, this transaction was arranged by the building’s developer, Morris Bailey, chairman and founder of JEMB.
“We’re very happy at the signing of our lease with FXFOWLE,” said Bailey.
Asking rents for the remaining floors start at $65 per square foot. The building is targeted for a 2021 delivery.
