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April 27, 2007
Good Lord! Watchtower Divesting Six Heights Props
Taking advantage of a booming market to reorganize its holdings, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is selling six Brooklyn Heights properties, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported this week. Three of the buildings — 169 (old news), 283 and 161 Columbia Heights (top row, left to right) — are being marketed as a package; the other three — 165 Columbia Heights, 105 Willow Street and 34 Orange Street (bottom row, left to right) — are available individually. There will be no asking prices. This announcement follows the sale last year of 89 Hicks Street to Brooklyn Law School and 67 Livingston to a private investor; the Witnesses also used to own 360 Furman Street, now destined for condos.
Watchtower to Sell 6 Brooklyn Heights Properties [Brooklyn Eagle]
Witnesses To Sell Standish Arms [Brownstoner]
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Comments
good for BH and good for tax base. that "no asking price" strategy always works well for them; nobody gets better prices than these guys
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 9:08 AM
I love 165 Columbia Heights - what would market price be for that?
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 9:31 AM
$3.5MM
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 9:39 AM
I have also heard that the Witnesses have abandoned their plans to build housing at their Jay Street plot in DUMBO. I wonder if they will continue using it as a parking lot or sell it to developers? I can only imagine the price they could get for that plot.
Posted by: Dan at April 27, 2007 9:57 AM
oh to be a witness ...
Posted by: holyroller at April 27, 2007 10:26 AM
Dan who did you hear that from? I have asked them directly and they replied that there are just delays based on some changes within the "church".
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 10:37 AM
What does no asking price mean? How or who is doing the marketing for them?
Posted by: anonymous at April 27, 2007 10:38 AM
god does their marketing. actually, they do handle it all internally and really do always get great prices for their places. amen indeed
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 10:48 AM
No asking prices and only one opportunity to submit your best offer. You really have to know what you are doing if you plan on winning such an auction. So many different users out there with completely different strategies. I think law school paid some where around $700 psf for 89 Hicks. Tough to compete with that if your strategy is either redevelopment or rental investment. Most of their housing stock is studios and 1 bdrms.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 10:58 AM
Halelujah and Hosana!!
Posted by: Anon at April 27, 2007 11:21 AM
I've always coveted that parking garage/cottage house on Columbia St.
I wonder if these buildings have generators. When we had the blackout only the JW had lights and air conditioning running.
Posted by: joe at April 27, 2007 12:01 PM
The generators are connected through the secret tunnels under Brooklyn Heights.
It would be great to have your own grotto.
Posted by: houseboy at April 27, 2007 1:54 PM
Anon 10:37 - check out the last comment on this site: http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=28289
The JW's have supposedly abandoned their plan for the DUMBO plot in conjunction with their move upstate.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 27, 2007 2:14 PM
That's my block! I didn't realize the JW owned 'em all!
Posted by: GHB at April 27, 2007 4:33 PM
You better let them in the next time the ring your bell.LOL
Posted by: OMB at April 28, 2007 5:26 PM
all that door to door pays off. finding the sick left alone, the elderly days from death abandoned in some expensive condo, town house etc, witnesses befriend them turn them over to watchtower and get to inherit, apartments, cars, farmland etc. they work their way through these buildings for years buying apartments or swindling trusting members out of them until they own the whole thing. Thats my Opinion.
They have commercial and residential agents buying and selling like everyone else. the info is online.
Posted by: ben at May 4, 2007 9:00 PM
I wonder if they are selling the properties to help pay off all of the child abuse lawsuits against them?
Posted by: CJ at May 8, 2007 3:09 AM
they are selling the buildings to get out of the city hello... 9/11. why not...
Posted by: guest at January 6, 2008 12:28 AM
I heard they settled millions in child sexual abuse lawsuits in California. And lots more in the works. It's called liquidate FAST!
Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 2:02 PM
From where did you hear that they had to settled child sexual abuse lawsuits? Are you confusing them with the Catholic Priest lawsuits around the world? I READ that they use this money for buildings and printing in all the lands on earth.
Posted by: guest at February 1, 2008 7:30 AM
you are totally confusing them with Catholics when you talk about child abuse lawsuits. Where have you been??
Posted by: guest at February 1, 2008 8:06 AM
NBC news just did a special on the secret lives of the Witness Elders and all the money paid out as a result of their lust for kids.
Also check out www.silentlambs.com to see a list of Witness churches with registered sex offenders.
Sick stuff guys, they are selling out and stashing the cash overseas I bet.
Posted by: guest at February 1, 2008 8:01 PM
Geesh. There are hate groups for everyone. You can have your pick on the net. It's become an epidemic. I don't believe any of them.
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 11:44 AM
It's true about the child abuse settlements. Brian Williams did the story, but I guess the WTS decided not to print it in "Watching the World.'
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 12:52 PM
Fair is fair, here is the media release by the witnesses:
"For the sake of the victims in these cases, we are pleased that a settlement has been reached.Our hearts go out to all those who suffer as a result of child abuse. Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide are united in their abhorrence of this sin and crime.
We do not condone or protect child molesters.Our elders expel unrepentant sinners who commit this crime. In the US over 80,000 elders currently serve in over 12,300 congregations. During the last 100 years, only nine elders have been sued for child abuse in eleven lawsuits filed in the US. In seven of these lawsuits against the elders, accusations against the Watchtower Society itself were dismissed by the courts. Of course one victim is one victim too many. However the incidence of this crime among Jehovah's Witnesses is rare. Congregation elders comply with child abuse reporting laws. We do not silence victims. Our members have an absolute right to report this horrible crime to the authorities."
Posted by: guest at February 4, 2008 4:49 PM
Very cleverly worded statement by the WTS. "During the last 100 years, only nine elders have been sued for child abuse in eleven lawsuits filed in the US. "
Uh-huh. And how many NON-elders? Like I said, where is "Watching the World" on this one, so the average JW can actually educate themselves about their religion?
Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 1:31 PM
The Jehovah's Witnesses have settled lawsuits alleging church policies protected pedophile men who sexually abused children for many years.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
The victims were required to sign gag orders to prevent them from saying anything about the money or more importantly about their abusers. Yet more importantly the court documents that were part of the five year legal battle shows exactly what despicable sinks of debauchery that supposed leaders and elders of Jehovah's Witnesses will go to in order to protect pedophiles.
The written record is incriminating and shows the cover up, protection and enabling of Jehovah's Witness child molesters around the world.
Posted by: guest at April 29, 2008 4:44 PM
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