Building: The Griffin at 101 Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene

101 Lafayette Ave. aka The Griffin is not only Fort Greene’s grandest pre-war coop, it has become the most popular as well. Built in 1931 as a hotel, the building has 16 floors and four penthouses. Some of the units have terraces. The building has three one-bedroom layouts per floor, with the rest of the floor comprised of studios in five different layouts, and of various but similar sizes. The building recently received a variance to convert what were once zoned as professional and medical units on the first floor into several loft-like coop units of varying sizes. Profit from the sale of the new apartments will be used by the board to increase its reserves.

Shareholders tend to like the building so much, many combine units when possible rather than moving elsewhere. There is a growing number of large two and three bedroom apartments in the building.

The Griffin has a 24-hr doorman, a live-in super, 24-hr laundry room, private storage and two recently renovated elevators. The building has been planning a complete renovation of its lobby to restore its grand, classic art-deco design.

It is located in the center of Fort Greene, a block from Fort Greene Park, a block from the Brooklyn Academy of Music and a block from the C and G trains and express busses to the city. The second largest transportation hub is three blocks away and the 2/3/4/5/N/R/D/Q trains and the LIRR stop there. Each of the subway lines are from one to three stops from Manhattan. Surrounding the building, and a very short stroll away, are some very good restaurants opened by up and coming chefs, clothing boutiques featuring fashion from up and coming young designers, shopping, gourmet supermarkets and wine stores, and is littered with friendly neighborhood pubs where the local demographic—long-time patrons, hipsters, students and older people, artists and accountants, blacks, whites, gays and straights, mix and interact as if they all enjoy the same lifestyle and income level. The Griffin is managed by Tudor Realty Services, requires no formal board approval, has a liberal sublet policy, is pet-friendly and permits 90% financing.

Description by resident broker Chris Benefante