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September 18, 2006
Main Stream Media Get On Lefferts Bandwagon
The Fort Greene Courier and New York Times picked up the story of the eleventh-hour fight to landmark the yellow Victorian house on Lefferts Place before its developer receives demolition permits. While it wouldn't have been any skin off either of their asses to give a little credit to the publication that broke this story (ahem!), we're glad they both helped to get the word out. The developer, Christopher Morris, who lives in Ditmas Park argues that he's trying to do society a favor by putting up 22 condo units in the house's place: “People have to understand that there’s a grand need for new development.” Lefferts Place resident, David Conrad, who's been leading the preservation effort, begs to differ: "I haven’t spoken to anyone who sees a positive for the neighborhood in this.” Neither have we.
When the house came on the market last Spring, we went to take a look at it in the hopes of finding a backer to save it. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. So now, as the house's fate hangs in the balance, we offer up some photos of the interior.
Movement to Preserve Lefferts Place Gem [Brownstoner]
One Home Equals 22 Condos [FG Courier]
Storm Clouds Gather Over an Italianate Charmer [NY Times]
Rear eave.
View from the widow's walk
Bannister close-up.
Back stairs.
Comments
if people want to save the place. put money where their mouths are. just buy it off this guy.
Posted by: Armchair_warrior at September 18, 2006 10:15 AM
” If residents want to preserve the structure, he added, “All they have to do is buy the building for $4.5 million, and they can preserve it all day long. People can speak about these things because their money is not out there.”
Put up or shut up... I love it
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 10:26 AM
Who are you people and why do you automatically side with the forces of greed and banality? When a community unites to try to affect their future, they deserve better than "put up or shut up".
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 10:58 AM
If you call capitalism a force of greed and banality, then so be it.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 11:38 AM
This guy's comment about "just buy it for $4.5 million" revealed him to be a two-bit Trump wanna-be. I'm a cretinous greedy vulgarian with a big fat wallet and a wrecking ball; go ahead, save this crappy little shack and make my day. What novelist could do justice to this quintessential caricature of the Man of Our Times, now that Dickens (a contemporary of the yellow house) is dead? Tom Wolfe comes to mind. Bonfire of the Landmarks? The Streamlined, Candy-Colored Condo? Say amen, somebody!
Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at September 18, 2006 11:42 AM
Brenda, what about the lovely lady who pocketed $2 million herself selling this dump to the "Trump wanna-be". She could potentially profit more than the developer himself.
I think you'd have a much better novel focusing on the lady who hits paydirt selling a run down building to a developer.. Only to blow her wad on booze and plastic surgery..
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 11:56 AM
Lefferts Place resident, David Conrad, who's been leading the preservation effort, begs to differ: "I haven’t spoken to anyone who sees a positive for the neighborhood in this.”
And this is what the anti-development spirit is all about. The people who benefit from new construction are the rest of us chumps who live in the cramped neighborhoods of the rest of the city, who don't have a chance to move to be this guy's neighborhood BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH HOUSING!
When will the selfishness of these existing neighborhoodies end?
Posted by: Eryximachus at September 18, 2006 11:56 AM
Eryximachus, there are plenty of vacant lots that can be developed in this area, in fact, adjacent to this old mansion. No one at the Lefferts Place Civic Association meetings is against more housing, rather it is the destruction of a freestanding pre-Civil war house that is on the national register of historic places (in fact 99% of the other buildings on Lefferts Place and surrounding blocks are on the historic register too) that is causing concern. If you knew the make up of the street (diverse racially and economically) you would understand that this is about the character of the street that many residents love. One of the proposals is adaptive reuse of the building as apartments, so it is not that people are opposed to new neighbors etc.
By the way, if you can afford $550K for a condo aparment as the developer is proposing, you have no hurdle in buying an apartment in this neighborhood now, so your point is moot.
On top of it all, I have no problem with people who defend the character of their historic neighborhoods. Call it NIMBY if you'd like.
Posted by: lp at September 18, 2006 12:21 PM
What about the fact that this guy himself lives in an historic neighborhood of wood frame houses (Ditmas Park) himself? Is his house landmarked? Is he a total hypocrite or what? Who is this guy?
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 2:28 PM
What is sad is that the former owner priced the property for sale precisely so it would only appeal to a developer. Due to the immense lot size and buildable FAR, the selling broker advised the owner to offer the property at maximum price; a price that only a developer could afford to entertain. At $1.6-$1.7m the property would have easily fell into the hands of a real enthusiasts who could have continued the home's preservation. With that being said, I fully support this community's efforts to save this historic home. I hope they prevail.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 4:02 PM
LP
We could level all of Clinton Hill and construct 50-story buildings, but it still would do little to solve the housing crisis in this city. Once again, the rich benefit.
As for your quip about the National Register of Historic Places, you're simply wrong. In general, domiciles are not considered worth saving unless someone very famous lived there (like George Washington or something). THere isn't a single house in Brooklyn that is on the National Register of Historic Places.
As for this house, it is nothing special and there thousands of them all around New England. Big deal!
Why do I bother responding. People like you would have supported the farmers who owned land north of 14th Street just because you like the serene country life!
Posted by: Eryximachus at September 18, 2006 4:10 PM
Actually, Eryximachus, you are the one who is incorrect. This house, and most of the houses on Lefferts Place, Brevoort Place, St. James Place between Atlantic and Fulton and Washinton between Atlantic and Fulton are "contributing buildings" to the "Clinton Hill South Historic District" on the National Register of Historic Places. I have the paperwork with the details regarding each house, when it was built, by whom etc., as do many on the block. It is unfortunate that is was left out of the NYC Landmarked Clinton Hill district one block North. The link to the National Register of Historic places listing is below.
http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/NY/Kings/districts.html
Again, if this is a crusade for you to ensure there is affordable housing, you are fighting the wrong battle. $550K condo units are not going to make this block any more affordable, and you could find yourself an apartment for that in the neighborhood now, or for less depending on what you want.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 4:33 PM
that was me at 4.33
Posted by: lp at September 18, 2006 4:34 PM
is there any way to raise 5mill. in a short time and call his bluff? that would be cool...could turn it into a cultural center or ake it into condos...what about it? enough people want it preserved...if you had 100 people who could put in 50k each, you'd have it...then you'd need to work out who develops it for how much...
Posted by: miss priss at September 18, 2006 4:44 PM
I wish, but the residents of Lefferts Place and the surrounding blocks in Clinton Hill are not as rich as Eryximachus makes us out to be...
Posted by: lp at September 18, 2006 4:48 PM
Why $5M? He only paid $2.4M for it and hasn't done any work to the property. Plus the market is cooling off. He should take $2.4M and call it a day.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 5:09 PM
It's not fair to the developer to change the house's historic registration status AFTER he bought the house. Anyone who says otherwise is a seriously disgruntled individual.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 5:12 PM
Here's his math. Developer buys 16,000 buildable sf for $2.4M or $150 a buildable sf. He plans to sell units for $500 sf. Acquistion plus build cost puts total cost so far at $350 sf. The profit potential is $150 sf for the developer. Works out to $2.4M... Whats so unreasonable about that??
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 5:22 PM
Anon. 5:12: Is it fair to buy an architecturally and culturally significant property with the intention of destroying it, without alerting the community to your intentions or finding out how they feel about it? Maybe not (maybe not so smart either), but the system allows it. However, the system also allows for the property to receive landmark protection after the sale. What's fair all depends on your point of view. In this case both sides have some rights, and it's up to city officials to make the call. Seems pretty balanced to me.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 6:52 PM
This is insane. Why would Mr. Morris pay so much for a historic home just to knock it down? Did he think that this would not be controversial? Surely there were less sensitive investment opportunities at the time. Why this property? Something is wrong here. 86 Lefferts goes into litigation and suddenly adjacent properties at 70 and 96 Lefferts are purchased by developers. Hhhhmmmm?
Posted by: Anonymous at September 18, 2006 6:56 PM
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