We’ve seen developments that were disappointing (270 Greene), eh … better values to be had (Belltel), and underwhelming (Be@Schermerhorn), but none have been a true disaster until 96 Rockwell. I’d been curious about 96 Rockwell since our Belltel days. I’d read on some streeteasy posts that the finishes were nicer than the Belltel, and it was located in a better neighborhood. Also, it wasn’t a giant condo so it offered a kind of intimacy that we just weren’t going to be getting at the Toren. So after being floored by the units in One Hanson we proceeded to 96 Rockwell. I got the foreboding feeling from the onset, outside there was a signage about an open house but no way to actually get into the open house.
A friendly resident opened the door for us. In our quick elevator chat, it turned out he was also selling, “I was one of the first residents here.” He offered. “Really?” we asked our interest piqued, “it’s not even all sold out yet .. .why would you move?.” Now there could be a million perfectly reasonable explanations for him moving, needs more room, child on the way, new job out of town etc,.. But none of these were it. Shockingly, he revealed, “management … there’ve been lots of promises…” and at that point I noticed the cracked elevator floor, “I see.”
The listing said some units on the 7th floor and the penthouse were having the open house, so we decided to start off at the penthouse. The elevator doors opened directly to the unit. Our jaws dropped in shock, it was nowhere near ready to be viewed. Wires (maybe live?) hung listlessly from the ceiling, walls not finished, air units all over the floor, generally a construction site, and without an agent to show us around it was hazardous. So we took pictures around the elevator and craned our necks to see the general layout, which when it IS complete could be impressive but really there’s no way to tell. So we got back in and went to the 7th floor where we hoped an agent would finally appear. The 7th floor was no better, in fact it was worse. Heavy equipment was peppered about, and this time we weren’t the only open-house visitors a few other guests wandered aimlessly, staring at toilets that were conspicuously in the living room, and gaping open walls. No finishes to view, no sales pitch, just imagination, heavy equipment and (possibly) live wires. So we left.
As we went out the door we saw a few more guests milling about in confused circles ringing units and asking, “open house?“. Nice.
The Queen Bee. She rules over the Flatbush Riviera. All of Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene is her domain. 
