I was very disappointed to learn that last year’s Building Brooklyn Awards did not include a single North Brooklyn project. Given the sheer volume of new construction in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, you would think that there was at least one decent new building. But alas, no – North Brooklyn was shut out in 2007 (as we were in 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001 – remarkable, eh?1).

But its a new year, and hope springs eternal. So imagine my excitement when I read that the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2008 Building Brooklyn Awards. Surely this will be our year.

The contest regulations require that a project have a temporary or final CO issued in calendar 2007. So such favorites as 20 Bayard, North8 Condos, 207-211 South First Street and the Lucent are eligible. Others, in that grand Brooklyn tradition, will have to wait until next year. Oh, and I suspect someone will be submitting a nomination for a lifetime achievement award to a certain local developer.

The deadline for submissions is 15 February 2008; I’ll be accepting nominations in comments.

Remember – vote early and vote often.

1. To be fair, a number of North Brooklyn rehabilitation projects won awards, including 37 Greenpoint Avenue, a GMDC project and the Smith Gray Building, Kay Development/Scarano Architects (both in 2003); the Doe Fund project, Santoriello & Groom Architects (2004); and the Williamsburgh Branch Library renovation, Vincent Benic Architect/Westerman Construction (2005).↩