Tracy Collins on the block: a curious new condo at 499 Dean and a topping-out moment at 80 DeKalb

Photographer Tracy Collins has had a busy couple of days. First he's documented the emergence of condos at 499 Dean Street, a building, as he noted, with a bit of past, given that in 2006 most tenants were given buyouts and one who didn't saw the building walled up with brick.

And if AY is built as approved, the building on the left, 497 Dean, would be next to a 272-foot tower, some five times taller than the row next to it, known as Building 15. Will the real estate brokers alert potential customers?



Then Collins went today to the topping out ceremony for 80 DeKalb Avenue, Forest City Ratner's rental building financed with state Housing Finance Agency bonds.



FCR head Bruce Ratner is at left in the photo below, trailing Bruce Bender, the executive VP for government and public affairs.