The Plan: Brooklyn’s New Maxwell Is Good to the Last Drop

New York City apartment buildings have a reputation for being too small, filled with cantankerous neighbors who never speak to one another, and run by landlords who don’t give a hoot when something in the unit needs to be fixed. 

Those stereotypes crumble before the new Maxwell in Brooklyn.

Developers Triangle Equites and The Michaels Organization kept a combination of luxury and community in mind when developing the 40-story, Class A building at 111 Willoughby Street. As part of that vision, the developers created spaces where residents of the 227 units — 69 of which have been designated as affordable — can gather to work, socialize or both. 

Spanning about 4,000 square feet is the rooftop lounge, which is outfitted with a small dog run, grills, and seating where residents and their guests can enjoy spectacular views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. 

“We have areas for people to sit and eat, enjoy some water views, and get some great views of the harbor,” said Tom Freeland, development associate at Triangle Equities. “You want it to be inviting, you want people to actually use them, so having the features that people are looking for … just builds that sense of community.” 

Adding to that sense of community is the 40th-floor lounging and coworking space that features a kitchen area, a shuffleboard table, floor-to-ceiling windows with eye-catching city views, comfortable seating and desk areas. 

The building’s other amenities include a 24-hour attended lobby painted a shade of blue that is both vibrant and inviting. The Maxwell also features a gym plus a yoga and movement studio. And, in addition to the features offered within the building, the area where the Maxwell is located offers residents a plethora of experiences. 

“The neighborhood itself is an amenity,” Freeland said. “There is the interconnectivity of all the subway lines, you have a newly opened park right across the street, and you are in a neighborhood that is encapsulated by other historic neighborhoods — Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Bridge Park — so you are in the epicenter of everything.”

The Maxwell features units ranging from studios to two-bedrooms that come equipped with custom flooring in a warm color that resembles vanilla ice cream. Units also feature deep soaking bathtubs with showers in the bathrooms, washers and dryers, custom kitchen cabinetry, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The building is pet-friendly and the units are soundproof, so no need to worry about the neighbors getting upset about the dog barking. 

Market-rate rents start at $3,300 per month for a studio, $3,600 for a one-bedroom, and around $5,000 for the two-bedrooms. The affordable units have been set aside for New Yorkers earning less than 130 percent of the area median income. 

The developers broke ground on the Maxwell in January 2022, and received the temporary certificate of occupancy in June of this year. The building began welcoming residents in July, and is currently 70 percent leased on the market-rate side, with two affordable units occupied so far.

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.