Williamsburg Bathhouse owners rile residents with expansion plans

The duo behind a trendy Brooklyn spa is not only looking to expand its footprint but now also wants to tear down an iconic water tower that sits atop the building next door to make room for a new rooftop pool—much to the chagrin of neighbors.

Business partners Jason Goodman and Travis Talmadge first launched Bathhouse—a spa, restaurant and wellness space—at 103 N. 10th St. in Williamsburg in 2019. They opened their second location earlier this year, at 14 W. 22nd St. in the Flatiron District. And now they're moving full steam ahead with plans to expand the Williamsburg location into an adjacent 3-story building at 56 Berry St.— the site of the old Brooklyn Brewery—after signing a lease for the 18,000-square-foot structure last year. The asking rent was $90 per square foot, but Apneet Kaur, a spokesperson for the firm, declined to comment on how much the owners paid or the other terms of the lease agreement.

Goodman has filed multiple applications with the city over the last two months to convert the first floor of 56 Berry St., built in 1935, into a health and fitness establishment that will complement Bathhouse and turn the roof of the building into a pool and restaurant terrace, according to information from the Department of Buildings.

But in order to make room for the pool, Goodman also filed an application this month to remove the water tower that currently sits on top of the Berry Street building—right next to the landmarked Hecla Iron Works building on North 11th Street, which was erected in the 1800s—infuriating locals, who neither want to lose the historic water tank nor have the roof turned into a buzzy nightclub. Both spots are currently open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until midnight.

"The water tower should be kept as is! It's part of our history," said Padraig Duna, who signed a petition locals are now circulating in an attempt to throw cold water on Goodman's plans.

Kaur told Crain's that its expanded 11,000 square feet of space on the roof "will not be a party spot" but is meant to "complement the overall bathhouse experience for guests who want to hang by the pool between sauna sessions."

Goodman and Talmadge have also applied for a permit to connect 56 Berry St. and the 5-story 103 N. 10th St. via a passageway on the first floor of each building, both of which are owned by Shie Lefkowitz of SLJ Management, according to city records. Lefkowitz did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

The city has yet to sign off on either of the applications—initially objecting to both because of several unresolved issues, including incomplete drawings that were submitted with the applications and a proposal to build out more floor area than currently allowed, according to the DOB.