HOTD: Don't Worry, You Can't Afford It Anyway

It's actually broken up into many Apts inside.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 12:24 PM

Remsen and the Promenade. That part of Remsen is lovely because there is a cul-de-sac. Prime, prime, prime location. The price isn't bad for something so big. Anyone purchasing it will have to spend another $2M to renovate, but heh, what's another $2M when you are paying that amount?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 1:19 PM

Hey, Bkborn- because the majority of Manhattanites still won't consider Brooklyn. And 5m and up is an enormous price to pay for a borough that means you either drive or take a subway across the river. I used to live on Remsen- beautiful street. Convenient, lots of great shops and restaurants- do I think Manhattanites are crazy not to want to live in Brooklyn? You bet. I left Manhattan because I hated living there.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 2:22 PM

I saw this place on a recent stroll and thought it was not entirely attractive. It's a taste issue to be sure, but it seems to me that those who love The Brooklyn Brownstone, and have the money to acquire the best of breed in this aesthetic, might be put off by this structure's facade. I don't know enough about architectural styles (better-informed out there please advise) to say whether it's French or Italianate or what, but the almost fortress-like facade is both over-the-top and slightly off-putting. There's a buyer out there for this, no doubt, but one with decidedly different tastes than others in the Heights.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 2:45 PM

Hey Ed 3:14, stroll over to curbed.com and read some of the message board comments whenever Brooklyn comes up. The issue of "brooklyn vs. manhattan" is raised pretty often and you would be suprised, and perhaps saddened, by the number of people who still are of the mentality that manhattan is just better...always. I grew up in Brooklyn, and I live there now and love it. But many people, some who are from Brooklyn originally, still consider it a "step up" to be living in "the city", meaning Manhattan.

Again, you may not agree, but that mentality certainly exists, sadly.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 4:23 PM

"This site seems to do more than bring a critical eye to how properties are priced in Brooklyn. It seems to encourage price controls which obviously suits another agenda."

It's pretty funny you say this Ed - from reading this blog over the past year it seems to me that there are plenty of folks who cared very little about price control and bid up crappy places to prices over a million dollars just for the honor of renovating them to the tune of 200-400K. It hardly seems to me that the people 'round here are interested in price control.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 4:30 PM

Ed- you just disagreed with your earlier post at 3:14 about Manhattanites. You pretty much just agreed with Parksloper now after calling him on it.

Now you're confusing me too.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 5:06 PM

Seems like many Brooklynites on this board have a chip on their shoulder about not living in Manhattan. Get over it.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 5:15 PM

anon 5:15- Nothing could be further from the truth. Maybe that's your problem

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 5:22 PM

Ed- Great! I need his phone number. :-)

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 7:25 PM

7million dollars for a home in brooklyn...that's alot of crazy pills

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 7:46 PM

Ed please just crawl back under your rock.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 9:21 PM

Stephanie- you're kidding, right? Jeesh. I guess that some people have such rarefied tastes nothing pleases them (and Starbucks is not a cafe. It's a glorified coffee shop). There are independent bookstores- if you bothered to look, and one or two boutiques. When was the last time you were in Bklyn Hgts? During the Devonian?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 1:08 AM

Ed, i have read this entire thread and for the life of me cannot figure out WTF is your point.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 9:01 AM

This never ending comparison between Brooklyn and Manhattan is insipid. Some people like the scale of Brooklyn and accept the geography trade-off, others prefer the ease of Manhattan and can live with the density. Everyone has to make some trade-offs when figuring out where they live and they choose accordingly. Those who seem to be complaining the most are often people who haven't figured out you can't have everything at once.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 10:43 AM

I'm not going to deny Stephanie's claim that there's room for improvement in Brooklyn. But she clearly has little experience with the borough, based on her perceptions.

Here are a few pointers, Stephanie: if Montague Street doesn't appeal to you, you could walk, oh, A FEW BLOCKS to Restaurant Row on Smith Street, where you'll find maybe 30 restaurants within a few blocks.

And if you really needs to get to the West Village, we Brooklyners aren't afraid to TAKE A TEN MINUTE RIDE ON THE SUBWAY.

Some people are better left behind in Manhattan...

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 11:09 AM

A few facts for your consideration. The property is still owned by a cooperative. One entity currently owns all of the shares of the coop. The purchase of the shares occured just over a year ago. Transactions involving coops do not show up on sites such as Property Shark because they are not real property transfers. The offering plan was never completed and only three shareholders made up the coop. Each one owning their own unit and also some percentage of the remaining six. At the time I purchased all of the shares there was only one shareholder left living in the building.

Current asking price, which was establised upon its listing for sale as of last July, is based on a value that would make me indifferent to redeveloping the property. The current plan is to reduce the number of units to four and sell as condominiums. That process is well underway. The strategy to list a property for sale "as is" while pursuing a redevelopment is a typical one.

Anne - Contrary to what Mr. Grossman might have told you there is no parking on the property and the roof terrace is quite large and faces the street providing spectacular views of the city and harbor.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 11:33 AM

Bkborn- The Heights hasn't changed much in the sense of its demographics. And it has alweays been a desirable neighborhood- maybe that's the reason we don't see huge exciting changes like we see in Cobble Hill, Dumbo etc. But the West village is a different animal altogether and I don't think they can be compared. Plus there has always been a great deal more retail in the village, especially within the residential streets themselves.

There's nothing wrong with the Heights staying as it is, until the desire or need for change comes from within the community. I don't see anyone demanding Yorkville change to keep up with the times, or any of the other east side enclaves of wealth. What the rich have already, they keep.

But as far as Stephanie goes, simple snobbery and ignorance do not a good post make.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 11:46 AM

I lived in the Heights for over 20 years- I don't know how long you've lived there but I still disagree with you. And statements like "everybody in the Heights complains" implies either you know a hell of a lot of people or you are inclined to exaggerate. But the real point is if you think Manhattan is so much better, you're welcome to move there. With all of th restaurants in the area, I have a very hard time believing that you can't find one single decent place to eat. I'd say the problem is you.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 23, 2006 5:25 PM