When the famed West Village "hippie church" was sold to developers and marketed with Jesusy undertones (we like our new slogan better, though) as the luxurious Novare, we had no idea that a new trend was being launched. And wouldn't you know it, crazy little Brooklyn caught on. Reports an operative in the field:
Talk about church-condo branding -- check this out: I walked by it today in Fort Greene and couldn't believe my eyes -- a banner advertising "Enlightened Living," But the website is even better "Thirteen (just like Jesus and the Apostles) heavenly residences!"As we stated in our original Novare coverage, we're not sure if we should be offended by these things, but we are sure of something: it's time to give this micro-trend a name! We're going to combine these preachy church-condos that promise rebirth and enlightened living with all those new luxury buildings that offer "zen meditation rooms" and tranquil waterfalls and other pseudo-Buddhist bullshit features into their own category of development: Heal Estate. We can talk about their floorplans and amenities and all that, and then seperately, their sinner-redeeming Heal Estate amenities. Let us cast the first stone, right?
· Sanctuary [sanctuaryfortgreene.com]
· Novare [novarew4th.com]
· The Novare: Should We Be Offended? [Curbed]
· Development Du Jour: Novare [Curbed]