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March 1, 2007

Co-op of the Day: University Towers 2 Bedroom

utowers030107.jpg
University Towers is a three-building, 549-unit cooperative housing complex on the Fort Greene-Downtown Brooklyn border. Built as rental housing in the late '50s for Long Island University faculty and staff, the group of buildings was converted to a moderate-income cooperative in 1989. At the time, prices ranged from $41,000 to $46,000 for studios; $67,000 to $92,000 for one-bedrooms; $94,000 to $125,000 for two-bedrooms and $127,000 to $141,000 for three-bedrooms. Now there's a, 1,100-square-foot two-bedroom for sale for $530,000. The apartment has been recently renovated, with a surprisingly decent job done on the kitchen and bathroom. As for comps, there were two apartments of undetermined size that sold in the high $500's at the end of last year. What do people think of UT as a place to live in general, especially now that several luxury condos are springing up in the immediate vicinity?
University Towers 2 Bedroom [Craigslist] GMAP P*Shark
PERSPECTIVES: Downtown Brooklyn [NY Times]
Homepage [University Towers]




Posted by Brownstoner at 11:29 AM | Comments (36)
Categories: Brooklyn, Co-ops, Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Real Estate

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Comments

Mr. B- The UT Homepage link is directed to the Craigslist posting

Posted by: e10 at March 1, 2007 11:55 AM

My Ex-boyfriend lives here. There are some great apts and great people. However, it still can get a bit ghetto sometimes..but if you can get a good deal I say go for it as the nabe has made a big change in the last 10 yrs and will continue to move on up..

Posted by: Anon at March 1, 2007 12:06 PM

this unit looks really nice; I believe the building doesn't allow pets though

Posted by: Ms. Brooklyn at March 1, 2007 12:10 PM

"get a bit ghetto"

how?

Posted by: luke at March 1, 2007 12:34 PM

How high are the ceilings?

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 12:36 PM

when i was looking a couple years back, i checked out a few of these apartments. the buildings are well maintained and the grounds are nice, but what i didn't like was the windows. they seemed small to me and bizarre layouts on the apartments. although a friend looked at them and didn't notice the windows. i'm now in the clinton hill co-ops and prefer all the light that comes pouring in!

Posted by: g at March 1, 2007 1:14 PM

my wife and i looked an a couple apts. there a few years back. low ceilings, tiny windows, pretty good prices. so, what's that add up to? we didn't buy there, but i can see why other would.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 1:23 PM

a heads-up for people looking at north-facing UT apartments on lower floors: the entire south side of Myrtle will probably be built on in the next couple years

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 1:37 PM

g I also live in the Clinton Hill Co-Ops. A friend who just bought a nice place in University towers came to visit and his first comment was that he loved our windows.

From what I've seen and heard University Towers is a nice option for people like myself who don't have 7 figures to spend.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 1:50 PM

I agree that University Towers is a great option for people whose incomes are more modest. My wife and I looked there in 2001. While the sales manager was rude and unpolished, the buildings and apartments were clean and attractive. With all of the development slated for the surrounding area, I think UT will only increase in value.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 2:02 PM

Not a bad location if you dont mind occassional gunfire.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 2:28 PM

My friend got 25,000 dollars to move out of a 2 b, 2bath apartment 7 years ago. He should have bought it. I didn't realize that it was coop'd in '89. I thought it was when he moved, but I guess it was coop'd and there were remaining rentals. True, it is a white box apartment with low ceilings and small windows but layout was OK and price was very good then. I never heard gunfire, but was sure to get "Black Pearl" car service home when I visited. It is a little desolate over there in terms of services; you are close to that little mall on Flatbush and there is a supermarket on Myrtle. One really good thing is that you get a parking lot there. Also, the complex is gated with security outside which seemed pretty good. I think it must be much nicer now.

Posted by: donatella at March 1, 2007 3:06 PM

My husband and I have lived in UT for 8 years and have been very happy with our choice. We bought a two-bedroom and parking spot (as shown in the listing) for $110,000 and you see how much values have increased. What's the big deal with the windows?

Posted by: Sarah at March 1, 2007 4:09 PM

If you are used to brownstone proportions the apts feel very cramped. I have noticed over the years that 8 foot ceilings and modern apt proportions seem small as I got used to older, higher ceilings and large windows but that may just be me. The grounds are nice but the apartments have a very modest feeling - floors, kitchens, etc are very ordinary

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 5:11 PM

My ex lives there, too. I would agree with the cumulative perspective here. A few items that haven't been mentioned: The staff tend to be agreeable but clueless (not a great attribute for door people); there is a broad mix of residents (i.e. lots of diversity); the views can be quite spectacular. My ex is in a nicely laid-out studio on the 14th floor with a rather magnificent southeastern view.

Posted by: Rascal at March 1, 2007 5:13 PM

oops I meant southwestern

Posted by: Rascal at March 1, 2007 5:15 PM

looks like a project

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 5:18 PM

it is a project

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 5:58 PM

For 6 months, I lived at Kingsview -- another postwar coop development right across the street. OK, this was 1999, but the gunfire was frequent! Also, it's just kinda bleak there with that crappy quasi-strip mall on Myrtle. FWIW, the Kingsview apts are better designed (much better windows/light) and the community there is very solid -- if sometimes a little oppressive (there's a very high "church lady" quotient). If I was looking for something similar now, I'd be more attracted to the Time Equities buildings on Clinton Ave. You get more of a mellow neighborhood vibe there. University Towers is right on the edge of downtown Brooklyn, so it's hardly Fort Greene.

Posted by: NeoGrec at March 1, 2007 6:06 PM

this is not a project. also, all comments about the streets outside the door are moot because within the next few years it will become drasticaly different and upscale.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 6:31 PM

isn't this one of those "odd" little areas? a bit out of the way and not much in the way of services.

Posted by: adriennui at March 1, 2007 7:04 PM

Most of the comments regarding what the building/neighborhood was like 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago are irrelevant. I've been in the building for 8 years and (i) the building amenities have increased 10 fold (new laundry, BBQ Grills, Gym and a Roof Deck on the way) and (ii) the demographics have changed from mostly older and African American to largely younger, more young families (with children) and extremely diverse. In terms of the neighborhood, the projects across the street are down to about 20% occupancy (with wide spread rumours that they are about to be closed down) and no "gunshots". Folks, this is 2007, not 1997.

Posted by: anonymous at March 1, 2007 8:02 PM

anon at 8:02pm. Widespread rumors that they are about to be closed down. Really? Lower occupancy for ongoing renovations I had heard, but had not heard that comment.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 8:12 PM

I'm not the poster at 8:02..but that rumours been in place for years albeit stronger than ever now

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 8:22 PM

I have lived here for 4 years. Gun shots? Wrong place, wrong time. As with all of Fort Green, the area has gone through a massive transformation over the past 15 years. It is an incredible place to live for professionals with families.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 8:54 PM

8.54:

seeing as you can't spell the name of your own neighborhood your veracity is questionable.

"Incredible" place. Are you really that easily impressed. You sound like a cheerlader.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 2, 2007 9:07 AM

older and african americans are gone--great! automatically means better for young "diverse" professionals with families!

well, i knew two of those older african americans. she was a beloved professor and he an md who did international relief work.

glad they are gone! things can only get better!

Posted by: michael at March 2, 2007 10:24 AM

My fiance and I looked here during our current and ongoing search for our first apt, and I crossed this place off the list. It felt like a bad dorm building, and when I was leaving, someone had spit on the floor of the elevator. Good thing it's not carpeted anywhere inside the building. For a similar price, I'd much rather live in the high rise coops over by pratt.

Posted by: cali transplant at March 2, 2007 12:42 PM

I lived there for several years ending in nov. the building is well maintained and people are very nice but there is little in way of shopping.

As for the gun fire . . . it is still there. A man killed and policeman shot across the street on myrtle and ashland just before we left, a man shot up the street on willoughby and flatbush, a policeman shot again on myrtle and ashland, a woman shot down the street on navy, along with pop pop pop on certain holidays and weekends. So yes it is 2007 and yes it is still a concern.

Posted by: former renter at March 3, 2007 11:11 PM

I've lived here with my spouse and 3 kids for 7 years. We LOVE it. We're glad we didn't pay tons for a place that you have to drive around for hours looking for parking. That's because we paid only 150,000 for a three bedroom, two bath and have a parking spot. We love our very diverse neighbors on our floor and throughout the building - from new professionals to people who have been here for 20 years. Not at all concerned about gunshots. They are drug related and in the middle of the night. And since we're not into drugs or walking around in the middle of the night... The dreary strip mall on Myrtle is being torn down and luxury apts will be going up. We love Fort Greene Park, we love that we're near almost every train line, we love Fulton Mall because there's everything from Macy's to dollar stores galore. We are 4 blocks from Target. And mostly we're very glad that people who consider it "ghetto" do not live here.

Posted by: UT Resident at March 5, 2007 9:32 PM

I think the comments are interesting. My husband and I are both 38, been married for 11 years, have lived here for 5 1/2 years, have a 5 year old and have missed all the shootings that seemed to have occurred throughout 2007. With the regentrication that continues, the zip code (11201) is shared with Brooklyn Heights but the location is definitely Fort Greene. I think I should know considering I have lived in Brooklyn for 38 years, my Mom still owns a brownstone in Bed-Stuy where I grew up and my Godfather still owns a brownstone in Fort Greene. We love living here, loved the $210K purchase price we paid for this great 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom unit with parking space. It's clean, safe, quiet, has an excellent maintenance staff, the security staff is great and everyone who has seen it LOVES IT! Additionally, it's wonderful to get the specs on our place and find out it's worth almost three times as much as we paid for it! I think when the "building up" is completed, there will be quite a few people wishing they were here!

Posted by: guest at September 30, 2007 10:52 PM

The neighborhood has gotten better. "Michael" (see posting dated: michael at March 2, 2007 10:24 AM) who appears to be racist and narrow minded should leave if he cannot assimilate with people who are culturally/ethnically different (e.g African-American, Hispanic-American, Italian-American etc.,). I recommend he enters therapy to resolve his personal gripes. It's people like him who gives UT,Fort Greene, and America a bad name.

UT is an excellent place to live given its acceptance and progressive vision.

Posted by: guest at November 20, 2007 2:51 PM

Does anyone know about rental prices (as a sub-leaser) in UT? A 1-bedroom on the lower floors is fine?

Posted by: guest at November 26, 2007 7:23 PM

Yeas,there are some gunshots.As at any projects neighborhoods-Lower Manhattan,East Side,East Harlem,etc.As in whole Fort Greene.Bed Stuwesant.I worked for Housing Authority for a year in a crime-stop related unit.You may live in manhattan in 3-6 million coop on same block with drug dealer infested project.It is New York.Getting much better-people got mugged more often elsewhere in FG than around UT.Ahd i am sure prices will go up with all dewelopment around.
Now,ceiling-8'2".Seen less.Windows in living room-wall wide,4' high(could be higher,tough).In bedroom two 3 by 4'.I may see Verrazano bridge,water and whole SW Brooklyn.VERY LIGHT.Proportions?I got five closets.You may demolish them :)
Hallways.Floors ALWAYS shiny,elevators cleen.Residents.Diverse as in whole FG.Old professionally looking(may be teachers,musicians,museum curators etc).New-gays(wh),young people with kids(wh),nurses and doctors from Brooklyn Hospital.
Fot these money I could get 2 times smaler "one bedroom"(400sq feet???) in Park Slope or Brooklyn Hights.If You may afford these places-good for you.I like UT and going to stay here for 5-7 years.Then move to Manhattan.I like noise and diverse communities.Really.

Posted by: guest at December 24, 2007 6:26 PM

Real home page: http://www.universitytowersapts.com/

Posted by: guest at December 24, 2007 6:28 PM

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