Franklin Lofts

In 2005 the non-profit developer Artopolis, in partnership with Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), purchased this site containing five interconnected industrial buildings with two single homes from the 1800’s.  The buildings, which were used most recently as warehousing and manufacturing facilities, are originally thought to have been part of the circa-1900 Nassau Brewery complex, and later during WWII the site of a Tank and/or armored car assembly complex.  The existing buildings vary from two to six stories in height.  The design was to increase a number of the smaller buildings to four stories in height, with an interior courtyard.  The expanded building of 96,024 SF would house 80 live/work artist units, with ownership in an affordable co-operative structure.  While the site faces Franklin Avenue between Bergen and Dean Streets in the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn, NY, the primary entrance is at 945 Bergen Street.  Glenn Erikson was one of three Board Members of Artopolis responsible for acquisition, design and financing the project