In an ever-changing downtown Brooklyn, apartment buildings nearing completion are a familiar sight. But there’s something a little different about it at 505 State Street.
This 440-story, 440-unit rental building is set to be the first all-electric residential tower in New York City, a claim confirmed by the Department of Buildings. Functions that would normally use gas will instead be electric – meaning no gas stoves. Heating and hot water will also be electric.
Jared Della Valle, Alloy Development’s chief executive, said the company reviewed its sustainability goals and consulted with its engineers before committing to going electric. But there was probably another factor: Starting in 2026, most new buildings in New York will be required by law to use electric heating and devices to combat climate change.
In the end, the transition “wasn’t that complicated,” Mr. Della Valle said.
He and Alloy president AJ Pires said the building was set to open in April and, in another change for the neighborhood, wasn’t focused on luxury.
“When you take a look at our website, you’ll see that we’re not exaggerating,” said Mr. Della Valle. “We focus on the value set and the community — things like composting and how we come together as a community can make an impact and make a difference.”
Studios at 505 State Street start at nearly $3,500 a month, two bedrooms at nearly $8,000 and three bedrooms at $11,200.
The building held a housing lottery for 45 of its units and received more than 107,000 applications for units ranging from $763 to $2,155 a month.
“If you literally win the lottery and you get a three-bedroom apartment that the market tells us is worth $11,500 a month and you get it for $1,600 a month, you don’t necessarily know who has money in the lobby and who doesn’t,” said Mr. Della Valle. “This should be invisible, as design can be democratizing and polarizing.”
At 505 State Street, the finishes are the same in the market rate and affordable units.
Inside the building, its Rebecca Robertson RR Interiors organized the model units and sales office using sources that might be familiar to a recent college graduate or a newlywed couple looking to decorate a new home. Ms. Robertson bought coffee tables and rugs from places like Craigslist, Target and the used furniture company Kaiyo.
But 505 State Street has a full menu of amenities. The building features a rooftop pool and terrace that offers residents views of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank and the Manhattan skyline. There’s also a 3,000-square-foot gym and a “growth room” — similar to a greenhouse or garden — full of plants. Several retail shops will occupy the ground floor of the building, including a cafe.
In an agreement with the city, Alloy constructed a building next door at 505 State Street that will house two public schools, Khalil Gibran International Academy High School, which serves a large Arabic-speaking population, and Public School 456, which will begin with four kindergarten and pre-K classrooms and expand to serve more students as needed. Both schools will open in the fall.
These interviews have been edited for clarity.
Jared Della Valle, CEO and founder of Alloy
We were establishing our sustainability goals and were in the early stages of planning. We asked our engineers, “Do we really need gas? Why do we need natural gas?’ Obviously, we could produce hot water with electricity through a resistance boiler. And we’re already designing high-performance building envelopes. What would it take? And the answer is that it’s honestly not that complicated. It’s a conceptual leap, but it’s not a technological leap.
AJ Pires, Alloy president
For me, the drive behind the schools initially was from a place of warmth and support and to help create a physical space that reflects the kind of civic pride we have. To make a stand-alone building that really has an urban presence, where people have a place of pride — “That’s my school over there” — is wonderful. And there is another school. Downtown Brooklyn has grown so much in population that it needs more elementary school seats.
Rebecca Robertson, founder of RR Interiors
Thinking about these apartments, you try to imagine the kind of person who lives here. There is the economy of furniture and space. Being an all-electric building sets the tone for what you’re going to fill it with, how people are going to live. So what we wanted to do was combine vintage furniture with used or used furniture to have a clean, welcoming, warm aesthetic.
Sequain Fletcher-Thompson, hoist operator
This is my first construction job, my first time as a lift operator. I got here when it reached the 34th or 35th floor. It was a little scary at first because—I won’t lie—I was afraid of heights, but the money is great. I loved watching all the different trades go about their business and being able to help them get to their project or the next level of their project.