50 Bridge St

Sprawling lofts with solid bone architectural features and varying degrees of renovation

Because lay outs vary so much in this type of building, units are priced according to square footage rather than the number of bedrooms or bathrooms. “Unlike in other buildings, the units here are especially wide,” Lai notes. Depending on the shape of the residence — some here have perimeter walls coming in at an angle — residents can introduce new walls, partitioning off additional bedrooms, home offices or media rooms all while adhering to code. Owing to the height of these units, some have been updated with mezzanine levels delimiting bathrooms or kitchens below and sleeping areas above. Several penthouses with at least 1,700 square feet of space and selling for $2.5 million on average are essentially triplexes. One or two even have a fourth level roof terrace. All come with ample private outdoor space.

On the market in winter 2025 for $1.8 million, unit 411 is a single story two-bedroom with 1,259 square feet of space. Exposed brick walls climbing 10 feet and radiant heating floors anchor updated Wolf and Sub-Zero kitchen appliances and a relatively new soaking tub in the bathroom. Though it does not have any external exposures, the en-suite principal bedroom is enclosed in steel-and-glass sliding walls, crafted by renowned local artist and fabricator Mark Jupiter. This feature helps filter in the natural light that comes in from the large south-facing windows in the living room and adjoining bedroom. The key architectural feature is preserved installation of exposed wood beam ceiling trusses that imbue the space with a touch of old-world charm. There’s also state-of-the-art acoustic buffering throughout this loft. While a 1,186 square-foot studio sold for $1 million in 2021, a 1,243 square-foot ‘one-bedroom went for $1.4 million in 2023. Some units might require a full gut renovation but are priced accordingly.

A quieter side of highly sought-after Dumbo with quick road and transit links

“Dumbo is very sticky in the respect that people want to stay living here,” says Karen Heyman, a Realtor with Douglas Elliman integral to the neighborhood’s transformation over the past three decades. While pockets of this already compact waterfront area flood with tourists and their selfie sticks during the day, others are quieter with only a peppering of long-established eateries and bars. Visitors tend to congregate along Jay Street — owing to the fact that the F subway line serves the York Street station at the end of this commercial stretch — and Washington Street because it frames the best view of the historic Manhattan Bridge rising up above. According to Lai, there’s a lot of quality pizza places within 50 Bridge St’s immediate vicinity such as Love & Dough. Devoción and Bridge Coffee Shop, right around the corner from the co-op, are distinctive haunts frequented by locals. Further east in the quainter Vinegar Hill neighborhood, Cafe Gitane is a hidden gem of a French bistro. Next door is new American fare hot spot Vinegar Hill House. While independent grocer Bridge Fresh is a block west, there’s a premium Wegmans in the nearby Navy Yard.

For residents that keep their cars in the 50 Bridge St’s garage or street park, there are ramps on to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway from close by Sands Street and Flatbush Avenue Extension. Commencing right below the Manhattan Bridge, Main Street Park and Pebble Beach are revitalized waterfront green spaces with meandering walkways leading into the extensive Brooklyn Bridge Park. Here, repurposed postindustrial piers play host to undulating hillscapes, playgrounds, different types of sports facilities, perched picnic lawns and some of the best views in all of New York City.