'Farm-to-Condo' Urban Agriculture Finds Roots in Brooklyn

"It was only a matter of time before the farm-to-table movement merged with the Brooklyn condominium boom," writes Josh Barbanel.

To validate the point, Barbanel examines the example set by the 18-story building at 550 Vanderbilt Ave., and the restaurant Olmsted, located a few blocks away. The building is installing three large metal boxes for condo owners in the building to use for gardening. The owner of Olmsted has also been "promised a large subdivision of the plots, and is planning an initial crop of hot peppers for the restaurant’s home-made aji dulce sauce served with oysters," writes Barbanel. 

Barbanel calls the system an example of farm-to-condo urban agriculture, and there are more examples to found around the city of New York—with roots in similar rooftop gardening arrangements in public housing and commercial areas around the city.

Barbanel also gives credit where credit is due on the article's showcase example of the farm-to-condo movement:

The idea for the 550 Vanderbilt Ave. vegetable garden came from COOKFOX Architects, which designed the building. The firm follows a principle it calls 'biophilic design,' or the creation of spaces that promote human well being by enhancing the connection between people and nature, said architect Brandon Specketer, who worked on the building.

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