Urban Hut in Brooklyn

Photo from Restlus

We've seen some unusual housing lately, from a houseboat in the Bronx to a trailer in Brooklyn. The latest comes from Restlus and shows an unusual little urban hut on Grand and Driggs in Williamsburg.

What is this little inhabited fixture? It has a light glowing through the window, so someone has definitely set up shop in there. We asked an architect about the structure, and she said, "looks like a small room, some sort of extension off the building. It could be most anything, but judging from the small size, I would hazard a guess it could be an added bathroom, or it could be providing access to the roof space."

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on January 23, 2008 3:46 PM

Comments [rss]

thebkk

I know about both of those.

The "hut" pictured is actually not housing at all.

I used to live in the first floor of that building and that "hut" is the staircase to the second floor.

Not sure where it came from or when it was added, but at some point that became part of the entrance so that you didn't have to go through the first floor.

The story on the building at 1st and 1st in Manhattan above Boca Chica is one of those great NY legends. A friend of mine grew up there and her dad (or step-dad I forget) bought the building for a pittance (like $10) in the 60s. it was decrepit and crappy and he rehabbed it over the years. That house was built on the roof in the 80s I believe and they call it "Up upon it" at least that's what the bell used to say.

bradedward

1st and 1st? Isn't that the nexis of the universe?

Dave Hogarty

No, I think the one I'm thinking of is a little further north, right across from where that little playground on Houston and 1st Ave. is, where the F train stops at 2nd Ave., but there's an entrance near the playground. It sounds like John Del Signore knows what I'm talking about. This one is memorable because it's at the Nexus of the Universe, i.e. 1st and 1st.

maevemealone

That's Gerbrich's place?! He's a nutty nice guy and interesting fun artist. The Gerb-O-Matic is down right now, but he does some fun window displays with the Folk Art Museum.

bscanga

i think it is the bathroom of an artist that has his studio up on the second floor. check out the grand st. side of the building . its a great old cast iron building like the ones in soho. if you look up into the windows you can see all his crazy art stuff. Steve Gerbrich, i think he has a web site.

John Del Signore

Yeah, I know that place you're talking about Dave. I love that house - it's like a Cape Cod cottage absurdly built on a roof in the East Village. I like to imagine James Taylor up in there, noodling on his guitar and sipping Chardonnay barefoot...

And that's as far as it goes.

Dave Hogarty

There's a structure on top of the building on the NW corner of 1st St. and 1st Ave. that I've always wondered about. It's kind of set off at an angle to the rest of the building and looks like a seaside cottage or a lighthouse.