We feel a little bad about being hard on this listing, as it’s obvious someone put a lot of work into trying to make it special. Unfortunately, we think they missed the mark, in some places by a lot. First, the good news: This lower duplex in a brownstone on Clinton Avenue between Myrtle and Park has some great bones, most notably the stunning front parlor room complete with incredible woodwork and original pocket doors. The developer’s attempt to make the kitchen contextual with custom mahogany looks pretty successful. But then there are the missteps: The fireplaces, bathrooms, the exposed brick (especially above the mantel in the parlor) and the new wood floors (blindingly blond) don’t jibe. It’s not easy to do a renovation that respects a house’s history while adding modern look and convenience, which is why it’s generally safer to pick one aesthetic and stick with it. None of these problems are irreversible, of course, but when you’re asking $1.1 million for a duplex north of Myrtle, there’s not much margin for error. Has anyone been inside?
129 Clinton Avenue [Urban View Realty] GMAP P*Shark
Photo by Nicholas Strini for Property Shark