14 Townhouses Update: Slow Going, At Best
We were pleased to get an email over the transom giving us an update at the much-praised but evidently slow-selling 14 Townhouses. According to the Corcoran brokers, our source tells us, only 4 of the 14 have sold, with the larger versions proving more popular so far. Also, the purchases have skewed toward the middle…
We were pleased to get an email over the transom giving us an update at the much-praised but evidently slow-selling 14 Townhouses. According to the Corcoran brokers, our source tells us, only 4 of the 14 have sold, with the larger versions proving more popular so far. Also, the purchases have skewed toward the middle of the block because of the large building that is slated to be built on the end of the block (on Boerum Place). List prices haven’t budged — $2.75M for the larger “penthouse” version and $2.56M for the smaller “terrace” version (or about $740 per square foot) — but we’re thinking there must be some flexibility at this point.
269 State Street [Corcoran] GMAP
273 State Street [Corcoran] GMAP
Open Season on 14 Townhouses [Brownstoner]
A high-rise was probably not an option on this site because across the street is a row of Brownstones that are all on the National Register of Historic Places. Then again, I don’t know if that could have been used to control what went here or not. Regardless, I think building these beautiful, modern interpretations of the rowhouse is a fabulous idea. (Can you imagine how hideous it would be if today’s builders attempted to replicate 1879 Neo-Grecians? I shudder to imagine.) But I wouldn’t buy one of these bad boys–even if the price were low. We had once planned to go to an open house at one of the old ones across the street, and we didn’t even bother to go inside after we saw the neighborhood for all the reasons cited above (loud, commercial, prison, skeevy downtown). Buyers are probably (and justifiably) especially concerned about what’s going to be built behind them. An office building? Bad. A McDonald’s? Suicide time.
I think this modern take on the brownstone is a tough niche. Given the prices and designs, these buildings are trying to reach an extremely wealthy buyer who could live anywhere but really wants a private house in Brooklyn, has modern tastes and doesn’t want to renovate.
Would it surprise anyone to find this group is small? If this site is any measure, people drawn to brownstone brooklyn really value period charm and the solidity of older buildings – even it they update it/combine it with modern design.
Without that unique period detail or a great location, I think many modern design fans in this price range would be more drawn to a penthouse condo, which would offer more open floorplans, a terrace with a nicer view and building amenities such as a concierge, gym, etc.
Attractive townhouses that riff off 19th century brownstone vernacular without stupidly trying to replicate an actual old building. I haven’t heard of any construction problems with these. My guess is sales are slow due to fear of living next to high-rise construciton for a few years.
Seems like a better use of this land, which is too into Downtown Brooklyn tobe single-family-comfortable anymore, would have been a highrise. The scale is too quaint for what’s around. I know the block was originally small but now it’s all parking lots and too close to big stuff — what’s done is done. A big ass building would be more comfortable to live in at this spot, and frankly, a more efficient use of scarce land. They should be building townhouses for small infill and farther out in BK, not downtown.
It’s nice to see something finally being built on State St. I lived on Bridge St. (continuation of Hoyt) for 6 years, and all that was over there on Schermerhorn was empty lots and government/state offices. It was so desolate, esp. on weekends and at night. I used to walk down State St. and admire the beautiful 1840s brick houses (almost like Boston’s Beacon Hill), and wonder who was the criminal who razed the whole row on the north side of the street.
I think the problem with these very nice houses is that the glass wall will face a huge nasty cheap rental or office building which will no doubt be built to the lot line behind them. Check out the buildings being built on Schemerhorn one block west of the townhouses and you will see what’s in store: a brick wall seven stories tall 20 feet from the glass wall of the two-story kitchen.
What other ‘modern’ townhouses do we have? There is one for sale (featured on this site few weeks back) on Butler off Hoyt – for $2.25 that is smaller with a rental and garage. I remember oen on Sackett off Smith last year that although old exterior – was expanded with very modern interior which was approx. these prices.
New construction IS NOT maintenance free! A couple of years ago (on a rainy day) I went with an architect and engineer relative of mine to look at a few properties. One was a brand new townhouse with all high-end finishes. I thought it looked great but my archi relatives immediately noticed design flaws and shoddy contruction. When we got to the roof deck, there was a pool of water about 1 foot high–no where to drain–way bad he said. Than we went to the garden level, which also looked nicely finished until we walked into the bedroom. There was a WATERFALL from the ceiling all over the brand new wood floors. Never seen anything like it–really, like Niagra Falls in Brooklyn..the realtor shut the door and said “oh, its not problem, we can fix it” and literally pushed us onto the sidewalk so we could’nt see anymore bad contstruction, sugar-coated to look nice. We bought an old brownstone and yes, there’s a lot of upkeep, but I know the things solid and won’t fall over with a stiff wind.
Oops – 8:24 poster, meant to say they are priced 10-15% too high, not 15-20%.