Two Versions of Brooklyn in One Building
Ravi Dhar quoted in the New York Times
Step into the lobby of AVA DoBro, a rental building at 100 Willoughby Street, and you are transported from the uninspired streetscape of Downtown Brooklyn to the epitome of the Brooklyn hipster brand — with its requisite mural on a brick wall, reclaimed wood and polished concrete floors. The adjoining cafe, AVA Brew, with mismatched furniture and Pushcart Coffee, doubles down on the vibe.
But wait. Maybe you bristle at the idea of a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf stacked with volumes in various shades of yellow; it’s not for everyone. We can’t all have man buns and tattoo sleeves. Maybe that other new Brooklyn speaks to you instead. You know the one. It’s urbane and shiny and has sprouted like tall weeds of glass and steel overtaking Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Prospect Heights. If that aesthetic is more your speed, step outside, walk around the corner and meetAvalon Willoughby Square, AVA DoBro’s taller (and richer) sister. Or maybe she’s AVA’s mother.
Avalon Willoughby Square, a rental with its own lobby and address at 214 Duffield Street that opened in June, is actually part of the same building as AVA DoBro, which opened a year ago. Avalon occupies the top 27 floors of the 58-story tower. AVA sits below it. They meet on the 30th floor, where they share a fitness center and a landscaped terrace. Where AVA is edgy art and mood lighting, Avalon is airy elegance and sweeping views. The two brands have separate names, separate lobbies and separate price points. You guessed it: AVA is cheaper.
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“Done right, it could make those who buy in the lower half feel like a smart shopper,” said Ravi Dhar, the director of the Center for Customer Insights at the Yale School of Management. “Done poorly, it could make you feel like a second-class citizen.”
Read the entire story from in the New York Times.