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August 30, 2006

House of the Day: 242 Hancock Street

house
Go Jerry! The Minsk Man comes up with the most exciting listing we've seen in a long time. Architecture fans should be tripping over themselves to get ahold of this Montrose Morris gem. We braved a Springtime rain storm back in April to appreciate this stretch of Morris-designed houses. Number 242 is one of three Mansard-roofed houses in the five-house row. As for real estate stats, the 4,200-square-foot, 2-family house is asking $879,000. From the photos, it looks like it could certainly use a tune up but nothing dramatic. Despite the sagging market, we bet this place will go very quickly.
242 Hancock Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Hancock Street: How Sweet It Is [Brownstoner]

Comments

Knowing JM, this property is underpriced, and he wants a bidding war. The building looks nice, though

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 11:47 AM

As a Morris house, this is probably really nice, but the photos don't show that much. At the very least, it looks like a huge amount of paint stripping would be in order.

Posted by: tinarina at August 30, 2006 12:05 PM

looks nice, great block.

Posted by: lp at August 30, 2006 12:06 PM

The map link on the Corcoran listing indicates that it is located in the water, off the coast of Africa.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 12:22 PM

Hasn't this, or a very similar home, been on the market for months (at about $995k) -- I believe it was/is being brokered by Location Location Location.
see
http://www.3location3.com/open-realty/listingview.php?listingID=178

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 12:27 PM

sorry, I meant it was being offered at $975,000.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 12:30 PM

i also think that it was the location location location $975K listing. corcoran cutting $100K from a location location location listing? who woulda thunk it?

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 12:41 PM

Gorgeous - too bad it's not where I want it to be.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 1:00 PM

What nabe is this? Sorry to be naive.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 1:17 PM

Re Anon 1:17 - The nabe is clearly Madagascar according to Corcoran's map link.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 1:31 PM

@1:31 - I got a piece of ocean just off of Ghana.

Posted by: cobblestoner at August 30, 2006 1:42 PM

what do you mean that the house is not where you want it to be ?

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 1:57 PM

it's Bed Stuy! i think 1:00PM is upset it's not within walking distance of his ivory tower. :D

Posted by: Jimmy Legs at August 30, 2006 1:59 PM

This is indeed the location location listing. I saw it last year. From the Corcoran pix, they've done a bit of work since then. Apparently the owners had to relocate for employment reasons right after starting their reno, and when I saw the house, the kitchen cabinets were still in the boxes on the floor.

This is on one of the most beautiful blocks of non-landmarked Bed Stuy, a situation that I hope is changed in the next few years. The house has great bones, as well it should, due to the architect. At some point, some idiot tore out most of the walls and woodwork and detail out of the parlour floor, but one could replace, or re-do better than it is now. Would just take some imagination and money. I agree about the white paint. I'd have to have most of that stripped as soon as possible. It's high gloss Arctic White, and is too shiny, too bright, and I love natural wood. The house still needs plenty of work, but has some great features and architectural goodies, I especially love the room on the top floor in the front with the triple windows. It has an English basement which they were trying to palm off as a studio apartment, but it really is a one family house.

It's on Hancock, between Marcy and Thompkins, near Fulton and Nostrand A train, and close to banking and shopping at Restoration Plaza.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at August 30, 2006 2:08 PM

Why give 1pm a hard time? He doesn't want to live in Bed Stuy, so what.

I've seen places that I think are great in locations I wouldn't want to live in. Jeez.

Posted by: lp at August 30, 2006 2:37 PM

hey, i AM moving to bushwick, the part that's right near ENY. people do live there.

and anyway, my comment was just a joke. i even used the internationally-recognized emoticon for 'laughter.'

Posted by: Jimmy Legs at August 30, 2006 3:15 PM

I love the layout of the rooms. It's not the typical brownstone layout.

Posted by: anonymous at August 30, 2006 3:23 PM

Whatever. I'm sure plenty of people think where I live looks a bit ghetto and is not for them, but I'm not offended by it. To each his own. 1pm doesn't want to buy a house on Hancock in Bed Stuy. I can respect that.

Posted by: lp at August 30, 2006 3:33 PM

Anon 1pm here. I wouldn't move to Bed Stuy for a lot of reasons - chief among them, the school question. But it is a beautiful, beautiful house.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 4:01 PM

Anon 1PM, I live in Bed Stuy and my children go to public school in Manhattan. If there is a will there is a way.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 4:28 PM

So So Sensitive. There are some great houses in Park Slope.. and guess what, it ain't where I wanna be.

I'd rather live in Bed-Stuy. Right smack dab in between the Crappy G train and the increasingly slow C train.

:-)
Can someone every have a preference without setting off a riot?

Geesh!

Posted by: NewStoner at August 30, 2006 5:29 PM

Anon 4:28pm - you're making it sound easy. Either you've obtained a variance which is getting increasingly difficult to get these days or your children have tested in to Hunter/Anderson or are of high school age and in one of the selective schools. I cannot chance living somewhere like Bed Stuy with failing zoned schools and hoping against hope that each one of them will get into a school in a good school district. That would make me a very irresponsible parent.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 5:33 PM

this is a really bad area dare i say Ghetto.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 5:48 PM

I live right around the corner from this house and I love the neighborhood. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else in NYC. Bushwick is fine. Very hip these days. 5:33, don't worry...nobody is asking you to chance living in Bed Stuy. Heaven forbid!

Posted by: Yente at August 30, 2006 6:58 PM

Bed Stuy Do or Die!

Shout out to Bushwick Bill and old school rap~~~~~!!!!!

Posted by: G Money at August 30, 2006 6:59 PM

I agree with NewStoner, can't someone have an opinion without causing a riot. So 1pm doesn't want to live in Bed Stuy. New Stoner doesn't want to live in Park Slope. Fine. For those of you with chips on your shoulder who need everyone to want to live in your neighborhood, give it a rest. You're probably the same people who'd bitch and moan about new people changing the neighborhood.

Back to the topic. This is a really nice house from the pictures I've seen and my knowledge of the particular block. I'd love to see what it goes for.

Posted by: lp at August 30, 2006 7:44 PM

Anyone calling Hancock between Marcy and Thompkins "ghetto" has obviously never been over there. Architectually it is one of the best blocks in brooklyn and the people who live on the block reflect that. Ghetto - jeez, I'm so so tired of hearing crap like that.

I saw this posting on the Corcoran site last night and was shocked at the low price. Whoever gets this house will be very lucky indeed. I agree with anon 11:47 - this is bound to get a good old fashioned 2004 style bidding war going. Kudos to Jerry for bringing some fun back into this!

Posted by: amybnyc at August 30, 2006 7:55 PM

It's obviously true that people are entitled to have their opinions where they want to live, but what is the point of posting it here? Why not just keep it to yourself? Is it a cry for attention? A warning to others? Who cares if you don't want to live there? Keep it to yourself.

Posted by: west at August 30, 2006 9:21 PM

Hey - we live next door to this place! I was betting that Mr B would make it the HOTD sooner or later. We bought here in '04 and moved in a year ago, and we love it here. Neighbors are incredibly friendly and helpful. The block association threw a great block party this year, complete with games for kids and a "block beautification contest". There's also been a lot of talk about getting this block and adjoining Hancock blocks landmarked. If you come look at this place, be sure to check out the strip of small businesses around the corner on Tompkins.

Posted by: anonymous at August 30, 2006 10:04 PM

I went to see this house while it was listed with Location x3. It is a nice building but it needs a LOT of work. Also, the seller has a offer that went to contract but did not close - something wrong with the building perhaps?

Posted by: Anonymous at August 30, 2006 10:09 PM

Anon 10:04 is correct on all points. What a great block. I used to live right behing it on Jefferson, and as nice as Jeff is, I always wanted to live on Hancock, and used to walk down it every day just to look. I've been in about 8 of the homes on that block for meetings, house tours and real estate open houses over the years, and all of them have been different, interesting and chock full of great architectural beauty. Ghetto? No way.

The commercial strip around the corner is amazing, as it has sprung up in only the last 5 years. There is quite a variety of cool shops, including antique stores, clothing stores and Ibo Landing, a very cool home furnishings shop with a global Asian/African look, at reasonable prices. Well worth checking out. I also hear there will be a new cafe/restaurant opening where the rib joint was on the corner of Halsey.

Posted by: Crown Heights Proud at August 31, 2006 12:17 AM

The cafe/restaurant has been opened for three weeks. the name is Brook's Valley, named after an area of Jamaica. They serve a mix of Caribbean/Soul and vegetarian dishes. It is absolutely beautifully decorated and the food is aweful. Check it out the next time you're over there. My good friend owns the building. And, my friend and husband owns the place.

Please support the neighborhood.

Posted by: Anon at August 31, 2006 1:01 PM

Did you mean "awesome" as opposed to "aweful?" One's good and the other is very bad. Still, if I can I'll definitely try it out. Hope more great places to eat open there. (And also head over to Crown Hgts North where we really need some great restaurants.

Posted by: jennyanne at August 31, 2006 3:18 PM

FYI people: there is a reason that this house has been discounted from 975 TO 870. . It has *major* structural problems which were not mentioned on the previous posting and are not mentioned on the corcoran one either. There have been multiple offers but problems have been discovered along the way and that is why none of them closed on this place. Proceed at your own risk.

Posted by: greenegirl at August 31, 2006 4:54 PM

BTW, the finished basement is not a legal habitation, it's a cellar with a bathroom and treacherous stairs to the parlor floor.

Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 5:00 PM

hey greenegirl, i saw 242 a couple of months ago and suspected potential problems -- it appeared that some bearing walls were removed on the parlor floor and replaced with a strangely framed wooden column construction. is this what you are refering to or do you knoa wany more particulars? also, none of the alterations seemed to be filed with DOB. the stairs out the rear of the parlor floor to the garden are incredibly dangerous and i can't imagine built to code (though pretty easily remedied). but the list of nonstructural issues with the place seemed long for the inside. oh, but the beautiful outside....

Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 6:10 PM

i saw it too--the renovations are not well done and seem to be done on the cheap with bargain basement cabinets and cheap bathroom hardware. it's one thing to start from scratch but its another to redo someone else's recent (and misguided) renovation. There are a few open walls with wiring everywhere--it's like someone stopped mid-job

Posted by: abilene at August 31, 2006 8:03 PM

Hi jennyanne - How do you know there are major structural problems which affected the previous sales?
We saw the house and were amazed, but are curious how you got your info before we make inquiries to this house.

Posted by: Anon at August 31, 2006 11:17 PM

I think it was greenegirl, not jennyanne, who posted what you're referring too. But I'd like to know too!!

Posted by: Anonymous at September 1, 2006 6:58 AM

friends of mine put an offer in on this house last year which was accepted. when they had the property inspected, they were informed as above, that a lot of the reno work was done without permits and would require $200k worth of work to correct. i don't know who these sellers & brokers think they can fool these days, except for people not saavy enough to have the property inspected, or to check out curbed and brownstoner, etc. the owners are a couple who split up and have to sell the property, fyi.

Posted by: in the know at September 3, 2006 3:22 PM

As beautiful as this house is, be warned- we fell in love with house a few months ago, and placed an offer, which was accepted. Until the engineer's inspection, that is. Improper heat.Major water damage. Shoddy roof job.Questionable electrics, not up to grade. Horribly steep staircases, none of which are to code. Stressed structure due to removal of load bearing walls & a heavily cemented bathroom floor. Very few outlets. Unfinished floors. On top of this, the owners and/or broker grossly represented the property. And there is still plenty of cosmetic work, too. The white paint is terrible & everywhere on the parlour floor & stairs.
Very disappointing as the house is fab, but needs far more than the "light cosmetic work" alluded to on the Corcoran`s website.

Posted by: househunter at September 5, 2006 11:26 PM

gotta love how location location location listed it is 3800 sq feet and corcoran have got it at 4200. Which is it, people??

Posted by: Anonymous at September 6, 2006 4:44 PM

Property shark says this property is 3840 sq feet. Why do brokers lie like this???

Posted by: Anonymous at September 7, 2006 11:06 AM

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August 30, 2006

House of the Day: 242 Hancock Street

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