Nightingale Properties has unveiled plans for the reimagined Sunset Park property known as The Whale.
The 500,000 s/f property at 14 53rd St in Brooklyn was once home to a torpedo factory and the Whale Oil Company headquarters.
Ownership enlisted STUDIOS Architects to bring a refined vision to the waterfront asset and has hired Newmark as the exclusive leasing agent. Newmark’s Bernard Weitzman and Jordan Gosin, Ryan Gessin and Christopher Ventura will serve as the leasing agents for the property.
“The Whale will be perfect for companies looking to elevate their space. The property is attractive to both employees and clients as it offers a members-only feel in a community-based environment,” said Gosin. “Today, workers are looking for space and amenities that can accommodate other aspects of their lives, and this new space with access to both indoor and outdoor communal spaces and areas for meetings will do just that.”
The redeveloped Whale will offer new tenants flexible workspace options that range from 1,500-70,000 square feet. The property will feature more than 30,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor amenity areas with panoramic views of New York harbor and the Manhattan skyline from every floor. The firm is planning for a renovated lobby, an indoor/outdoor tenant lounge with a curated food and coffee bar, an indoor/outdoor conference center, an indoor/outdoor fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, an interactive climbing wall, a yoga area, bike storage and dedicated locker rooms.
The Whale will feature a building-wide curated art program from the NYC-based artist Elizabeth Sutton. The exclusive art programming will span stairwells, lobby walls, and the shuttle bus’s exterior, which will transport building occupants to nearby subway stations and the ferry. The Brooklyn-born, NYC-based artist is drawing inspiration for her exclusive works from 1940’s Brooklyn imagery that include iconic aspects such as fire escapes, brownstones, bridges, ships and industrial piping elements. Neoscape will handle the marketing and branding of the revamped asset.
“We acquired The Whale following the onset of the pandemic when businesses were forced to rethink how to utilize office space. This timing allowed us to formulate our repositioning of The Whale to suit the changing needs of businesses by crafting spaces that will help employers keep their employees engaged and wanting to come back into work,” said Alex Roth, Director of Acquisitions and Asset Management at Nightingale.
“We enlisted STUDIOS to help us envision a tailored and customized experience creating an oasis home-like environment, where workers can feel safe and embrace in-person interactions that foster creativity and a sense of community.”
Internationally known design practice STUDIOS brought its expertise in the creative built environment to re-envision The Whale. The firm embraced the raw, natural and executive elements of the property. It translated those characteristics into the use of warm woods, large green walls, high-touch elements and an amenity space that offers a connection to nature.
“From the start, we envisioned the Whale as a unique property with a character unlike the other industrial commercial assets in Brooklyn,” said Graham Clegg of STUDIOS. “An exclusive, club-like feel carries through the building and amenity spaces–each with a distinctive outdoor experience. The Whale offers spaces that tenants are craving as they emerge from working remotely; all within a hospitality-inspired design unmatched in the locale.”
The Whale’s Sunset Park location offers tenants access to area amenities, including Ba Xuygen, Five Boroughs Brewing Co, Pacificana, Café Grumpy, Laurentino’s Pasticceria, Bush Terminal Piers Park, Liberty Plaza and Brooklyn Army Terminal. The asset will also offer tenants complimentary shuttle service to the 36th, 45th and 53rd Street R line subway stops, the Sunset Park Ferry Stop, on-site bike and electric scooter parking and a new indoor 150 spot parking garage.
