Recently the people at Toren approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing a write up on the family friendly aspects of the building. Honestly, I had never really considered Toren in a family friendly light (I didn’t really know anything about it at all) and I was intrigued. So, last Thursday I went to go check it out. In a word, I was impressed! It is truly a gorgeous building inside and out, and it has some great offerings for the family set. In this first post I’ll focus on the amenities and kid / child friendly programs they’ve got on tap, and in my second post I’ll finish with the absolutely incredible apartment they showed me (jaw droppingly beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it….) as well as highlight the green aspects of the building.
Toren has a Yoga studio in house with class offered by Yoga Local. There are a few classes for babies and toddlers on the books for this fall:
Mommy (or Daddy) & Me, Fridays, 9:30-10:15
Creative movement for all babies, 6 to 12 months, with caregiver.
Tiny Toes, Fridays, 10:30-11:15
Creative movement for normally-developing toddlers, 12-36 months.
Special Tiny Toes, Fridays, 11:30-12:15
Creative movement for identified special needs toddlers, 12-36 months.
All of these classes are paid on a monthly basis, $80 per head per month. They are taught by Amalia Rose and Carmen Rosario, a mother-daughter duo with over 50 years of experience under their collective belts. For residents of Toren, these classes are free. Check out the Yoga Local website to learn more about them. Also, keep checking for info about prenatal yoga classes!
Toren has a large bi-level outdoor space. It’s a great place to take in some fresh air, have a playgroup get together, and enjoy a view of Brooklyn and beyond. This fall Toren, in conjunction with Big Movies for Little Kids, will be hosting 4 screenings (every other Friday) on the outdoor terrace starting in late September. These screenings are open to residents and the public. The outdoor space has a huge set of stairs which will offer great stadium like seating for the event. Toren will offer stroller parking and free concessions. Doors Open 6:30- Movies to start at 7pm. RSVP to Marco@torencondo.com. Here’s the schedule:
Sept 24th – Spirited Away
October 8th – The Muppet Movie
October 22nd- Pinocchio
November 5th- TBD
The pool at Toren is so beautiful, when I was emailed pictures of it I thought they were computer renderings (see the gallery). Well, I swear – it actually looks like that in person. The pool is essentially a lap pool – only 4 feet deep. It has a wide set of entry stairs that would be a nice toddler splash and play area. In it’s shape and depth it reminds me of my beloved Clermont pool – a perfect place for a little one to learn to swim. And of course, this pool is open year round. Toren is going to offer Children’s swim classes free to residents. Non residents can also sign up to participate. This would be a great winter activity! Although Cameron and I went swimming often last summer, over the winter his love of water seemed to dwindle. The Toren pool is a great way to keep this from happening, and is a lot closer to most of Fort Greene than the neighboring YMCA’s. Check the Toren website later this fall to find the class schedule for Children’s swim classes.
Toren has a lovely little library, a nice place to sit and quietly read a book – or have story time with the kids! Residents who are looking for a place to take their little ones who have a case of cabin fever in the winter time should take advantage of this great space. It would be a wonderful spot to organize a weekly story time, playgroup, or movie screening (they have perhaps the biggest TV I’ve ever seen).
Finally I wanted to note that there is an “upscale eco-friendly” Supermarket coming to Toren (according to Brownstoner, and confirmed by the Toren rep I spoke to). As a long time resident of Fort Greene, I can’t say how excited I am about this. It’s something I think a lot of folks in the neighborhood are really looking forward to – and I can’t imagine having it just an elevator ride away. This will be a major convenience for residents and is icing on the cake!
Check back in for my write up of the amazing family sized apartment I was able to preview, as well as to learn more about the Green aspects of the building which make Toren quite unique, and both eco and family friendly.
Toren is located at 150 Myrtle Avenue, at the intersection of Myrtle and Flatbush. Nearby are a huge array of train lines (B, Q, M, R, 2, 3, A, C) and of course Fort Greene Park. Your closest playground is one of my favorites, the huge and rarely crowded New Fort Greene, which I profiled in my A Gem of A Playground series. Also, in the summer time, directly across the street you can find the Myrtle Avenue Farm Stand. To learn more about Toren you can check out their websites – torencondo.com and mylifeattoren.com (for more of an inside scoop on what it’s like to live there).
In the spirit of full disclosure, Toren has compensated me for this post – which means I was paid to go and check out their building and do a write up. I want to assure you that the opinions expressed here are my own, and I was in no way told what I was to write. Those of you who read my blog regularly and know me, know that I wouldn’t speak positively about something I don’t believe in. If this write up as made you curious about Toren, please contact them and check it out for yourself. I would be surprised if you were anything less than impressed!
Posted from New York, New York, United States.