Located in South Williamsburg, just off of the Williamsburg Bridge when one crosses from Manhattan, The Dime is a new, 23-story terracotta and glass building architecturally linked to the landmarked 1908 Dime Savings Bank and designed by Fogarty Finger. With its cohesive design language across its architecture and interiors of its multi-use areas—encompassing offices, retail and rental apartments—the building is an exciting debut, elevating the standards for buildings of similar use in the city. The 345,000 square foot mixed-use building encompasses 177 residential units, 105,000 square feet of office space, as well as 50,000 square feet of retail space.
The façade is composed of terracotta panels that reference the historic bank structure’s regal columns alongside glass with black mullions. The building’s rounded corners, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and striking height distinguish it from the surrounding neighborhood and present unobstructed views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn. The structure’s curved corners provide a visual link connecting the different facades of the building, as well as providing aesthetic interest. The lower floors pinwheel off the central tower, each connecting to the four streets of the block. Bordering South 5thStreet, the residential lobby and commercial lobby sit next to each other.
Inside the commercial lobby, a concrete wall is outfitted with a stained-glass and metal work by the artist Tom Fruin that has its starting point in found detritus of New York City. Fruin is well known for his stained-glass works throughout the borough including his iconic stained-glass New York water towers.
Opposite this wall is a dark scalloped wood wall that leads you to the elevator lobby; that wood is repeated at the reception desk. Similar to the new building’s façade, the scalloping references the columns of the historic bank structure in form and texture. The air-conditioning units and sprinklers are hidden in grills along the side wall, allowing the ceiling to have a clean, uncomplicated look. Under- foot is a polished concrete floor. The offices, which are housed on floors two through five, each feature massive outdoor terraces.
The residential lobby honors the exterior through its extension of the terracotta curvature seen in its scalloped walls which feature carved-out bookshelves. Minimalist, elegant furnishings, soft lighting, and a work by the artist Swoon—who also completed a mural on the building’s façade—combine to create a welcoming, fresh, and warm environment. The mail room on the first floor features a playful nod to the original bank with its coin crest pattern wall covering.
The building’s fifth floor houses an array of amenities, including an expansive terrace, a community garden, yoga studio, fitness center, two lounge areas, and a half basketball court featuring a graphic guilloche-patterned wall covering that borrows from currency—another bank reference. The south lounge is a co-working space and looks out onto lush gardens framing a great lawn. Apartments are comprised of studio through three-bedroom units, crowned by two striking penthouses. Curved, picture- height windows afford incredible views of the surrounding ciiy and fill the apartments with light.
