BROOKLYN - Taking up a full city block, a mega-housing development located at 10 Montieth Street in Bushwick, sits on the former home of the once-popular brew Rheingold Beer.

“When we did the name for the building we wanted to keep the history of the neighborhood and the history of the site. That’s why we decided on Rheingold," said David Korn, president of Fiddler Realty.

Called “The Rheingold”, the building opened in November with 500 rental apartments. There are plenty of amenities marketed towards to the creative crowd from music rooms and painting studios to an outdoor rooftop theater.

“That’s the amphitheater. So it’s connecting the eighth floor down to the floor below and that give us an opportunity to do step landscaping. And also if they want to do performance they can do an impromptu stage performance," said Christian Bailey, founding principal of ODA Architecture.

Rheingold beer debuted in 1883 and was highly popular in the 1950’s and 60s, but the brand faded due to the rise of national beers like Miller. The brewery ceased operations in the 1970s, part of a wave of factory closings across the city. The development does feature some echoes of the past. Rheingold's memorable ad campaigns line some hallways and signs are shaped like bottle caps. Window frames recall Rheingold's iconic red label.

“Those frames kind of like relate to the spirit," said Bailey.

The property was rezoned more than five years ago to allow luxury housing. Advocates were disappointed only 20 percent of the units were designated as affordable. But as a result of their objections, a lot across the street, also a former Rheingold property, will become affordable senior housing. The non profit group Southside United is developing it.

“All these new apartments that are going up, all of these new developments, they don’t really have seniors in mind. So a project like ours that focuses specifically on seniors is really something that we’re proud of that we’re going to bring to the area," said Juan Ramos, Executive Director of Southside United HDFC.

The Rheingold senior housing is expected to break ground next year. But it won’t be named for the brewery but rather for its longtime board members including Ray Narvaez Bou.

“I’m very proud," said Ray Narvaez Bou.

Southside United is also making its mark in Brooklyn for the past 46 years. 

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