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September 14, 2006
Luxury Condos Come to Windsor Terrace
For better or for worse, modern "luxury" has finally found its way to Windsor Terrace, a neighborhood better known for its understatedness and cops-and-firemen residents than slick marketing campaigns. The development, the work of Bricolage Designs, got some ink earler in the week from blog IMBY (and Curbed, which linked to it) which focused on the marketing effort's purposeful ommission of the fact that the development overlooks Green-wood Cemetery. Personally, we think views of the beautiful, historic and very lush public space would be a pig positive, but evidently some people are "creeped out" by the idea. The bigger question, in our mind, is whether there are enough people willing to pay between $550 and $600 a foot to live in this location. The interiors look nice enough for this type of project and the high window quotient should be received positively. Has anyone visited yet?
The Simone Condos [Corcoran] GMAP
Marketing Fun: Ignore the Cemetery Next Door [Curbed]
Five People Living or Dead [IMBY]
Comments
Residents were initially happy to see the mostly vacant land be developed until they learned the oh- so-lovely Simone was actually above the grade of their back yards and would rise 5+ stories. While I also am partial to all the terraces, especially their view of Green-Wood (and not Ft. Hamilton truck route), Bricolage often looks "good on paper" but "bad in person." Bad in person from this man's viewpoint...
Local residents came out in opposition, but since this is mostly an "as of right" development, there was not much the residents, nor the Community Board, could do. The crappy thing is how it looms over their back yards to the point of the 1st story windows looking into your garden. Privacy will be a huge issue.
Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at September 14, 2006 11:50 AM
Already Windsor Terrace suffers from an extreme lack of amenities. It is just a residential, car reliant neighborhood that happens to be part of Brooklyn. I've lived there for years and saw little improvement. That said, the downsides could be overlooked, I suppose, if you live near Prospect Park - but this apartment complex is at the very other of the neighborhood on a deserted street besides fast moving traffic. It's a hike to transportation - and then you've got a long commute on the crappy F train. No thanks! I'd sooner move to New Jersey.
Posted by: Jenny at September 14, 2006 11:51 AM
Ooops, Mc Donald Avenue truck route, my bad...
Agreeing w/ Jenny as well. This is in the middle of nowhere as far as transportation and shopping, unless you are a walker (which is fine and encouraged), but then look out for the trucks!
Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at September 14, 2006 11:54 AM
Doesn't it look like the building is in the cemetary? I'd take a pass for that reason alone. Any kids in the building are liable to get freaked out.
Posted by: sammie at September 14, 2006 11:56 AM
what's a "pig positive"?
Posted by: Anonymous at September 14, 2006 11:57 AM
I think he meant "big" unless I am amiss in my colloquialisms.
Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at September 14, 2006 12:08 PM
Is that really Windsor Terrace or marketing speak? I always think of Windsor Terrace as the other side of the Prospect Expressway.
Posted by: SeamusMacD at September 14, 2006 12:21 PM
Why would I spend all that money to live in a no mans land next to a cemetary. There is nothing luxurious about that view..I'd really be creeped out thinking about every zombie movie I ever saw LOL. We will all end up there eventually I'd rather wait
Posted by: Anonymous at September 14, 2006 12:34 PM
Seamus, yes, it's Windsor Terrace proper. Anything between the (height, length, whatever of the) cemetery and Prospect Park qualifies as Windsor Terrace. The good news is that "Windsor Terrace" is now starting to be considered marketing speak!
We live in Windsor Terrace near the park, and while it's no Park Slope I don't think it's as bad as Jenny says above. Having said that, the Simone IS in the most desolate corner of Windsor Terrace. We walked over to the Simone over the weekend and it's a VERY imposing structure. Pretty massive. At least more massive than Windsor Terrace has ever seen. We walked around the block and I can see why residents would be freaked out, it almost feels like that first scene in Independence Day when the Will Smith sees the first UFO.
And they set up a sales office on Prospect Park W (or 9th avenue) next to the funeral home where you can check out the details. Haven't stopped by, but it's there. And it's shiny.
Posted by: Armin at September 14, 2006 12:36 PM
It's Windsor Terrace but boy is it in a crappy spot. Totally incongruent to the aluminum siding working class homes around there.
To say it is a walk to ammenities is being nice. It's a hike. The short-lived hoagie joint up the street didn't even last long.
The marketing on this is kinda silly. A little heavy handed. Check the Simone website...
Posted by: Anonymous at September 14, 2006 12:39 PM
I live in Windsor Terrace on McDonald Avenue a few blocks down from The Simone Condos. My bedroom faces the cemetary and it is a beautiful view in every season. While this may creep out some to me I only see the positives - a great view, plenty of parking and I don't have to worry about the neighbors across the street seeing into my house. Windsor Terrace is a great, quiet neighborhood where kids still play football in the street and neighbors sit outside and say hello to people passing by. If you want a deli on every corner then this is not the place for you. As for the Simone Condos, yes they are expensive but Corcoran is running them so what do you expect?
Posted by: wtresident at September 14, 2006 12:49 PM
Just FYI, one of the safest places to be in the event of a zombie outbreak is a cemetery. Contrary to popular opinion, it is only the recently deceased and unburied that can become the undead. Given that these undead may visit places that they recall during their life, a cemetery would be on the bottom of the list. So....
BTW, I also recently from Park Slope to the Terrace, and after 10 years on 7th Avenue, I'm loving the peace, quiet, and lack of pretension.
Posted by: Rocknrope at September 14, 2006 1:28 PM
First, construction of the Simone used to go on seven days a week,
and they have caused serious damage to some adjacent properties.
Currently, there is a stop work order issued on the site, but they're
still doing some work:
http://tinyurl.com/g5vzy
Second, all of the advertisements show the front of the building
facing the cemetery, but the back of the building runs practically to
the edge of the property line. The view from our backyard will now
be a scene directly out of "Rear Window".
The brochure looks nice, but if you have an apartment in the back,
then who would pay that kind of money for this view?
Posted by: Anonymous at September 14, 2006 2:17 PM
I have to stand up in support of Windsor Terrace, specifically the vicinity around the simone condo's. I recently went to check out the condo's and found an open house a block or so away for a townhouse and and fell in love... Yes, there's parking and few amenities..but the people were so nice, I can definately see myself raising a family there.
I also found this link to the property i viewed..see for yourself..http://www.elliman.com/Listings.aspx?ListingID=806190&rentalperiod=&SearchType=quick
Posted by: Veronica at September 14, 2006 6:41 PM
whats up with the bashing of WT - I love it here - walk down 16th btw 10/11 ave - Fuller st etc... great houses and great feel to the area!
Posted by: will at September 14, 2006 9:25 PM
I LOVE WT and I didn't really take any of these comments as bashing--it is a beautiful, quiet, friendly neighborhood. But, you know what? It's Brooklyn through and through--a good thing, believe me, but not really congruent with "luxury" (as in, so-called luxury) development. The area around the Simone has nice houses, but along the cemetery there's bus parking and truck traffic and no fancy delis or dry cleaners or whatever. This is a crappy development for fools with more money than taste or common sense.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 15, 2006 2:53 AM
The building is entirely too large and modern for the area so I have to object on that point. And it seems to be taking for.ever to get finished.
That said, where else are people finding completely new mulitple "large" condos, with in building amenities and a park like view in a extremely safe nabe with good schools for less than $1M?
If they can reach the right buyers is yet to be seen (i think their marketing is all wrong) but I think there are enough people out there that will pay a premium to live in such an neighborhood that is wonderful for families, a few minutes from the park & slope and a short commute to NYC.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 15, 2006 7:18 AM
Will, I'm a fan of WT, but the neighborhood under discussion here is not Fuller, 16th St between 10th and 11th, e.g. It's the opposite end of the neighborhood, and aside from the opening of the occasional cafe and laundromat the comments about amenities and public transportation are pretty valid. I say this as someone who loves WT on both sides of the expressway and almost bought a house near the cemetery. It's a good place to live, but nothing wrong with saying things are what they are.
Posted by: linusvanpelt at September 15, 2006 10:51 AM
siting aside, it's probably the most interesting bricolage design ever, though that isn't saying much...
Posted by: gc at September 15, 2006 4:02 PM
UDATE
Heard from the owner of the store front the Simone is renting that he was told 21 of the 33 units have been pre-sold...someone must be liking the views.
Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at September 18, 2006 10:29 AM
TO WTRESIDENT wow someone posting on the wonders of ZOMBIEDOM...GET A LIFE...thats pathetic...STOP BEING SO sensitive its an opinion
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 3:15 PM
I'm coming into this conversation really late. I live by the cemetary and find it offers a beautiful view in all seasons. As for the lack of amenities, well, there was nothing much happening on Smith Street or on 5th Avenue a mere 10 years ago. Things change. A smart entrepreneur could make a killing over here. There's a huge group just waiting for some decent restaurants, shops, etc.
Posted by: Anonymous at November 2, 2006 5:14 PM
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