Jehovah's Witness Watchtower Buildings Will Become 'DUMBO Heights' Tech Temple

The Gothamist/May 1, 2014

By Jen Carlson

The Watchtower buildings in the DUMBO area no longer belong to the Jehovah's Witnesses, who have been slowly uprooting from Brooklyn—and considering how much real estate they own(ed) in the DUMBO/Brooklyn Heights area, a big change is on the way. The first big wave of which will center around the cluster of buildings near the Manhattan Bridge—or right by RAMBO, if you prefer.

According to the Daily News, "the Kushner Companies-owned buildings traded hands for $375 million," and their new incarnation will "cater to creative-class tenants," with 50% office space. This plan currently includes the buildings at 175 Pearl Street, 77 Sands, 117 Adams, 81 and 55 Prospect, though it's unclear what will happen to the giant Watchtower complex situated on the steep hill overlooking Brooklyn Bridge Park (currently the Witnesses are still using it).

As for these five buildings, which are closer to the growing tech scene on the other side of DUMBO, they'll be transformed into a tech hub with new features including "a gourmet market, roof deck, pet-friendly spaces, daycare facilities and bicycle storage." The 1.2 million square feet will be a huge addition to the area's Tech Triangle, and Asher Abehsera of LIVWRK Holdings told the paper, "We do see this as a campus, not just a bunch of interconnected buildings."

Though it won't be occupant-ready until 2015, they'll be launching a website this week with more details, like how much it will cost to get in (rents will start around $60 per square foot).

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