14 Townhouses Update: Slow Going, At Best

I walk by them everyday - I think they're the most butt ugly things I've ever seen.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 10:37 AM

I think they are ugly too. The inside looks beautiful in the corcoran pictures but until you look at it in person there's no way to tell if it has quality workmanship & appliances etc. Good Luck to whoever can come up with 2+ million dollars to buy one.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 10:52 AM

I like these. They remind me of Legos.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 10:58 AM

i like them.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:19 AM

the floor plans are dull. Why not buy an old brownstone and save a million bucks. Same plan. And no elevator? They missed a whole market of people wanting to relocate back to brooklyn who want to spend their final days there. Can't do that without elevators.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:23 AM

The real problem is that the backyards, and double height back windows back onto a very public parking lot on Schermerhorn Street. It might be a nice effect if you had a greater sense of privacy….

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:26 AM

They seem crazy expensive for a sixteen-wide.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:43 AM

"Why not buy an old brownstone and save a million bucks."

i'm not saying i don't think these are overpriced, i really don't know, but considering the only renovation these would require is some paint, you don't "save" nearly as much as you think buying an old brownstone. these are probably vitually maintenance free for the next 10 years.

and you have to factor in the time, energy, sweat-equity, and headaches that inevitably comes with buying an old building.

i'm with you and dig the old stuff, but there is definitely something to be said for buying something in move-in condition with little to no maintenance/renovation required.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:54 AM

anon 11:38, they're totally in boerum hill. if you don't think state street is in the nabe, you don't know from bupkis.

i love the interiors. i agree, elevator might have enticed a few more folks.

yards are crummy. small without much privacy.

worth the price? i don't know. for me, if i had that $, i'd probably pick a more residential hood...

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 11:58 AM

On the contrary, the peeps already on this block of State Street (I know for a fact) are thrilled. Their block finally has a beautiful continuity.

The interiors are outstanding. The finishes are first rate. No expense spared.

The only problem I've heard is that the developer should have allowed for a garden rental.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 12:09 PM

You can literally move right into these beauties. And I'll tell you what, I am sick and tired off being in constant renovation on my brownstone. Looks pretty great if you ask me.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 12:14 PM

11:58 - The reason that are "thrilled" is because it's going to bring a circulation of millionaires to a scuzzy area. It's a lot nice to be followed by a guy in a suit than a one legged dude, who reeks of urine, that is followed you for a quarter. This side of Atlantic is full of creeps, hobos, and losers. It's like a freakin Tom Waits song.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 12:15 PM

12:15 - Bad spelling good point. I love state street - not this block per say but the next one over that runs to bond Street - but there are far too many shade balls who lurk here after dark. Also there are far far far better buildings in far better locations for in the 2.5 - 3 million dollar price range. I myself would not want to drop that sort of cash to live here. But you know what they say..."One is born every minute"

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 12:22 PM

This is Boerum Hill, for sure. I lived on this block and loved it for 11 years, It is a great location. No sleaze vibe at all. This is a block from the A/C which is a great train. Easy to Manhattan and great shopping. I live on Prospect Park West now, and totally miss State Street. These townhouses are fine for the block but cost WAY too much. They are narrow and the "decorative" metal on the outside is total cheese. The yards are small, and the big windows in back look north onto crap. I'm surprised the prices haven't dropped yet. I bet they will.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 1:09 PM

1:09 it's about 4-5 blocks to the A/C - which is still sort of close but not quite that close. I somewhat agree with you on the sleez factor. Though State street only gets the ocassional sleezeball a block over is scuzzville. BUT there's always a cop on the corner. BUT for 2.5 million it's just not that type of block / area. It's close to that type of neighborhood (which you can buy into this for less than this price) but this is the wrong side of tracks. In a few years it may be nicer and worth 2.5 but right now - I think way less - like almost a million less.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 1:14 PM

Anon 11:58am -- I'm not 11:38am poster, but I have to agree that while these are "technically" in Boerum Hill, this does not have the same neighborhood feel as the area of Boerum Hill across Atlantic. It feels much more like downtown than a small neighborhood. Geographically you are only a block or two from it all, but it just isn't the same, and shouldn't command the same high price. I'd rather be stuck with the crummy F train service and live on another block than have the speedy A-train and live on State St.. But different strokes for different folks, as they say.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 1:26 PM

Construction zone is temporary and area is quickly becoming more populated as all those parking lots are being built. (plus 110 Livingston)
A/C station is Hoyt/Schermerhorn and this is on state (Schermerhorn is one street north) between Smith and Hoyt - so definitely very close to station,
new YMCA, Court st movie and Barnes/Noble and Smith street restaurants. Very attractive block...
And I live on other side(south) of Atlantic which I'm sure would be critiqued but all the naysayers as too close to projects.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 1:32 PM

1:32 I wouldn't critique you for being on your side of Atlantic, because it's the right side of the tracks. I would critique you on your use of Barnes of Noble as a selling point. Chain stores make a neighborhood less interesting.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 1:41 PM

I hear Trader Joes is going in under the BHD and that's just right around the corner - win, win.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:03 PM

You're right a win for the neighborhood but come on - no matter what you say these buildings are overpirced and thats the point. Someone before said they were overpriced by a million. I agre.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:12 PM

clearly most of you don't know this particular block; we're talkin' historically registered brownstones. Beautiful

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:15 PM

Yeah beautiful except for these overpriced eyesores!!!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:17 PM

I know the block and know that these don;t fit in anywhere. Not to mention some of them are gray with gold steel trimmings that look almost brass. I also know there is a prison on the corner, a police station across from that, a halfway 2 blocks away and a back window that if you can manage to look past the parking lot - you might a beautiful view of a TGI Fridays or Mandee...All for the low price of 3 million dollars.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:26 PM

1:14, It really is only around a block to the hoytt-schemerhorn a/c stop. I'm not anon 1:09, but I used to live right around there.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:39 PM

2:39 you're right I was thinking Jay Street - my bad - still overpriced though.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:42 PM

"gold steel trimmings that look almost brass"

That's copper. DOH! It will oxidize to a beautiful urban green, seen all over the place. What in the Sam Hill is "gold steel".

I guess I am a little too "art school" for you Hallmark Card Victorian tastemakers, but I think these are some of the most beautiful buildings - bar none - that I have seen in NYC in years.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:50 PM

Dude your so art school

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:56 PM

If you think are so beautiful I'd hate to see your art

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 2:58 PM

These look amazing in the photos but seen in real life - with real brownstones across the street, a prison on the corner and a parking lot behind them. Their not that great, and the copper is sort of hideous. But a nice angle with the right light and little photoshop you turn Rosie O'donnel into babe. Maybe not.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 3:27 PM

The people supporting the look of these buildings must be looking at the website which is out of context. In the photos they look great. I especially like the couple who live in them (on the website) the hot asian woman with the young multi millionaire husband who apparently wears jeans and cook. The also leave fish out on the counter. Whole fish which to my estimation probably runs about 100 bucks. But what 100 bucks when you're living in 3 million dollar house. But back to the point, these houses may look great on the website but in real life they don't fit in. They're on the ugly side and frankly overpriced. They have top of the line everything but is on a nice block in a grimey area. For 2.5 there's a lot better.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 3:42 PM

Apart from the price, there are a few problems with the layouts:
1) Very few people have single-family four or five-storey brownstones. Walking up and down the stairs is too much of a PITA
2) You don't put the master bedroom on the top floor and the kitchen on the bottom floor -- it makes too much of a walk
3) There aren't enough bedrooms -- the traditional brownstone had some small servant's rooms that were used for servants.
4) Very few families with children can afford these houses, and if you've got small kids, you'll be hauling them all over
5) 2 bathrooms on one floor is a monster waste of space

I think that the problem is that these houses are too big to be easily salable without the garden rental, and the layout makes you move all over the house. I also am not fond of the double-height dining room at the expense of losing an extra room -- I would jave just put kitchen, living, and dining rooms on one floor.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 7:38 PM

I saw these recently. Commenters above are right - these really are great spaces inside, it is once you get outside (construction, jail, etc.) that you begin to wonder if the price is right. I don't believe that these are overpriced by $1MM, it is something less than that. my guess is 15-20% too high, which would put these at around $2.3MM or so. i wonder what the 4 who are already there paid relative to ask? my guess is that these "early adopters" are people who cherish the unique design so much that they are willing to pay what it takes, so i would bet they paid ask or close to.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 8:24 PM

Oops - 8:24 poster, meant to say they are priced 10-15% too high, not 15-20%.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 17, 2007 8:26 PM

New construction IS NOT maintenance free! A couple of years ago (on a rainy day) I went with an architect and engineer relative of mine to look at a few properties. One was a brand new townhouse with all high-end finishes. I thought it looked great but my archi relatives immediately noticed design flaws and shoddy contruction. When we got to the roof deck, there was a pool of water about 1 foot high--no where to drain--way bad he said. Than we went to the garden level, which also looked nicely finished until we walked into the bedroom. There was a WATERFALL from the ceiling all over the brand new wood floors. Never seen anything like it--really, like Niagra Falls in Brooklyn..the realtor shut the door and said "oh, its not problem, we can fix it" and literally pushed us onto the sidewalk so we could'nt see anymore bad contstruction, sugar-coated to look nice. We bought an old brownstone and yes, there's a lot of upkeep, but I know the things solid and won't fall over with a stiff wind.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 18, 2007 6:25 AM

What other 'modern' townhouses do we have? There is one for sale (featured on this site few weeks back) on Butler off Hoyt - for $2.25 that is smaller with a rental and garage. I remember oen on Sackett off Smith last year that although old exterior - was expanded with very modern interior which was approx. these prices.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 18, 2007 9:18 AM