70 Washington St

Though not the somewhat superfluous bells-and-whistles suite of amenities found in nearby new developments, the full-service condo covers its bases with a full-time attended lobby, concierge, live-in super, fitness room, shared roof deck, laundry room and sizable on-site third party-operated garage. The main draw here, however, is 70 Washington St.’s immediate surroundings; an ever-changing area with top-ranked restaurants, parks, hip stores and yes, a few remaining artist studios peppered among a growing prevalence of creative and tech industry offices. “The neighborhood is very sticky in the respect that people want to stay living here,” says Karen Heyman Defontes, a Realtor with Douglas Elliman who has been selling in Dumbo since the early 2000s and who has also been integral to its metamorphosis.

A story of artist-spawned appeal and subsequent gentrification

''The artists were in Dumbo before we were,'' Two Trees Management’s CEO Jed Walentas is quoted saying in a 2004 New York Times article about 70 Washington St.’s somewhat controversial but fully transparent conversion from artist lofts into a luxury condo. ''The neighborhood obviously had an appeal to artists. Our intent was not to reinvent the neighborhood but to add to its obvious strengths.'' Fine artists, mostly sculptors in need of ample space to create their works, and dance companies with similar spatial requirements were kept in place here so as to spawn renewed interest in the neighborhood. Unlike in many other cases, existing tenants were made aware of these plans well in advance.

Expertly converted loft residences with grand scale

Beyer Blinder Belle’s transformation of 70 Washington St. was extensive. “A striking steel-and-glass canopy marks the new entrance of the building,” a project description on the firm’s website outlines. “Raised floors have been incorporated into the units to accommodate mechanical services and allow for views in the lofty spaces with exposed structural ceilings. A modern rooftop addition in floor-to-ceiling glass houses private terraces with amenities and cabanas for residents on the roof above.” Upon conversion, the capacious studio to four-bedroom units here were finished with bamboo floors and equipped with stainless steel Sub-Zero and Thermador appliances, as well as wine fridges. While kitchens feature?custom Shaker-style cabinetry and granite counters, bathrooms incorporate marble-topped double sink vanities, whirlpool soaking tubs, chrome fixtures and frameless glass shower enclosures. As with any condo (especially loft conversions where there are even less constraints when it comes to residents making their own mark), the state of renovation varies greatly across the residences. That said, the key attributes of solid industrial architecture have been maintained: 16-foot vaulted ceilings and oversized windows.

Like with most loft-conversion condos, pricing more closely reflects the amount of square-footage than the number of bedrooms within a unit. Often, these sprawling and particularly deep spaces have been reconfigured by previous owners with additional bedrooms or home offices. Most are still laid out with open-concept kitchens and great rooms. On the market in winter 2025 for $1.2 million, lower-level unit 3J is technically a studio but incorporates a whopping 1,215 square-feet of space. On the market at the same time for $1.7 million, penthouse Q is situated in the added 13th floor addition set back with private terraces that join the shared fully furnished roof deck to frame sweeping views of the Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn skylines. Units such as 2D — on the market in winter 2025 for $2 million — are combined and incorporate an impressive 2,451 square feet of space. Though there’s ample square-footage throughout the condo, clever space-saving interventions like fully concealable pocket doors and built-in closets are common. There’s a monthly assessment in place through 2026.

Bypassing the tourists to uncover what Dumbo really has to offer

Though the end of Washington Street is often overrun by tourists taking selfies in front of the Manhattan Bridge that emerges in the distance, this ‘trap’ can be easily avoided. Dumbo abounds with locally beloved haunts like semi-chain American restaurant Westville right next door, Front Street Pizza around the corner and Pan Asian eatery Lucky Rabit Noodles. On adjacent Front Street, Peas & Pickles is a 24/7 grocer and deli. The Wegmans in the close-by Navy Yard has a wide selection. Jay Street is lined with several owner-operated restaurants, bars and shops. Toward its end is the York Street subway station, served by the F line. Residents that park their cars in the garage or nearby streets can quickly get on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway from Sands Street. Residents living in units that face the south do have to contend with noise from this highway, but it tends to be a more constant hum than the jolting disruption of car horns that comes from regular street traffic.