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May 7, 2007

Clinton Hill House Tour Wrap

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The Society for Clinton Hill had what we're sure was a record turn-out yesterday for the 30th Anniversary House Tour. (The tour got so much buzz that a thief even robbed the ticket table in Fort Greene Park on Saturday; did anyone encounter any scalpers?) We got a kick out of seeing the two Pratt mansions on Clinton Avenue and found artist Kris Krohn's loft building at 281 Greene Avenue interesting; there was a neat display of Broken Angel renderings and concept drawings in Higgins Hall as well. By all accounts, 258 Hall Street, with its budget-conscious but very cool reno by the owner-architects, was the highlight of the private homes on the tour. While several of the other houses were charming and clearly reflected the personal styles of their owners, we couldn't help but wish there had been a few brownstones or mansions with the kind of "wow" factor you'd expect given the housing stock in the nabe; the mix was definitely less impressive than the Fort Greene tour last year, we thought. At least the weather provided a perfect back-drop to show off the area's architecture and charm. It also made for a great backdrop for the Brownstoner gathering at Ici, where we got a chance to chat with many readers. Thanks to everyone who made the effort to stop by. Lots of pics on the jump.
May 6: A Busy Day for House Tours! [Brownstoner]

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245 Clinton Avenue, George DuPont Pratt Mansion

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245 Clinton Avenue, George DuPont Pratt Mansion

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The line outside 238 Washington Avenue

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258 Hall Street, the highlight according to many

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The top-floor loft at 281 Greene Avenue

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Broken Angel drawings at Higgins Hall

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Brownstoner party in the garden at Ici

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Brownstoner party in the garden at Ici

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Brownstoner party in the garden at Ici

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Brownstoner party in the garden at Ici




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:00 AM | Comments (45)
Categories: House Tours

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Comments

The house tour was a disappointment compared to the Victorian Flatbush tour. Very few people in Clinton Hill opened their homes completely, and there weren't many buildings to see overall.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 9:16 AM

I haven't been for a couple years but last time I went the Clinton Hill house tour did seem better.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 9:21 AM

I thought 258 Hall was a waste of time, especially with the line to get in. Nice kitchen but what a warren of rooms upstairs and a tiny garden. I thought it was illegal to have all that exposed wood in the living room ceiling (maybe floor joists for above?) unless it's fire-rated, but maybe I'm wrong or maybe it is fire-rated. The houses in general slanted too much to the modern and not enough to the restored but that's just my taste, of course. I expected jaw-dropping detail like at the Pratt mansions. You can see some better houses just going to real estate open houses. Is the house tour just a showcase for architects to try to get more work by showing their houses? Kris Krohn did more stunning, original work on his house than all the architects, I thought.

Also, at 14A St. James Place, it was curious that the owner added a solarium with side windows looking out on her neighbors on either side and seems to have such a sense of entitlement about invading their privacy that she was outraged about the trouble they are giving her. I seem to remember reading here that side windows on an extension are illegal. Are they? How did her plan get passed and permitted?

Posted by: a-n-o-n at May 7, 2007 9:29 AM

I'm really sorry I couldn't go to the tour or the Brownstoner party--we had guests visiting from out of state.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 7, 2007 9:35 AM

I was asked to considering opening my apartment to the CH house tour this year, but having read endless snarky commentary on Brownstoner about the FG tour last year, I was too scared to...

Which is to say, I wonder if Brownstoner itself is somewhat to blame for this year's less-than-stunning lineup?

People willing to open their homes to hundreds of (judgmental) strangers deserve our sincere appreciation, even if we didn't love everything we saw.

Posted by: anon on clinton at May 7, 2007 9:41 AM

I thought 258 Hall was a good example of how to do a renovation on a reasonable budget. They used an IKEA kitchen, the original steam heating system, basic electrical upgrades and an open layout on the parlor floor. They made different decisions than I might have made, but their choices were smart and reasonable. Most importantly, the homeowner was kind enough to open their entire house to the tour, something most weren't.

I'm sorry I missed the after party at Ici. My crew was too tired by the end to go anywhere but home. Damn.

Posted by: Shahn Andersen at May 7, 2007 9:42 AM

Someone on our block with a beautiful house offered their house for the tour but the people in charge didn't even get back to her.

Posted by: ANON at May 7, 2007 9:43 AM

The tour was okay...more museum like for my taste...Not the "homey" feel of the Bed-Stuy tour. But, you couldn't ask for a better day weatherwise. Question: The house @ 302 Clinton with the "Gay Pride" flag was pretty interesting...Did McGreevey live there?! The pics of naked men and penises... in various artwork. :) Lovely garden w/the pond...though..

Posted by: Anon at May 7, 2007 9:49 AM

I think ANON hit on a big part of the problem. The Clinton Hill Society or the Society for Clinton Hill has been run by the same small group of old-timers for years, and that's the way they want it. They simply don't know a lot of folks in the neighborhood, and their meetings don't attract many people--so they don't have much to draw on when it comes to houses for a tour. I think they're pretty disorganized as well.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 9:53 AM

Brownstoner, how was your home received in this years tour?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 9:57 AM

Yes, it's true...the Clinton Hill Society do not attract a lot of people who would like to "become a part." There almost seems to be a specific "code/criteria" or status. Clinton Hill almost functions as some sort of "corporate/ole boys club" community...opposed to a community that is "welcoming"...Some of them (members) seem to be robotic and standoffish...The owner of 313 Clinton was not on the tour, but opened her home for a garage sale! Had great stuff! And, the home was lovely too!

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 10:53 AM

I enjoyed myself, and the day was gorgeous, but I was a bit disappointed. I agree that for the housing stock that CH has, I expected more. Not just mansions, because that's eye candy, but I would have loved to see more of the everyday homes that grace the nabe. What I did see was fun and interesting, but there should have been more.

I couldn't believe the lines! I didn't see the Hall St. house, which I regret now, because the line literally streched halfway down the block.

Biggest peeve - the total takeover of the program, signage and sponsorship by the big realtors. I'm sure their money made the glossy program possible, and put money in the Society's coffers, but it totally took away from the neighborhood grass roots feel that most other tours have, and made CH seem like a theme park.

Had a great time at Ici, however. It was great to meet the Brownstoner Family, and talk to Mr. and Mrs. B, and other readers. You should do something similar more often. Wish we could have stayed longer, but even on Sunday, the work of the self employed never ends.

Posted by: Brower Park at May 7, 2007 11:12 AM

While I enjoy going on the tour, I would never open my home for people to tromp through. I'm not entirely sure what the motivation is to do so, but enjoy having a look at other's places for ideas and just for enjoyment/appreciation.

I think that there will always be many places that people would love to view, but few people willing to let strangers wander through their house for a day.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 11:17 AM

Anon 9:16... FYI: the 2007 Victorian Flatbush House Tour is coming up on June 10. More information and advance tickets are available at www.fdconline.org ($15/advance, $20/day of tour).

Posted by: FDC at May 7, 2007 11:32 AM

Yeah, seemed a lot of you house-tourers ended up at the Grand and Gates open house that was basically swarmed. I was there waiting for a friend who was interested in buying and I couldn't understand where all these people were coming from!

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 11:40 AM

The reality is that it's getting harder and harder to persuade homeowners to put their houses on these tours. I speak from experience, being an organizer of one of them. 20-30 years ago, a major focus was to encourage apt dwellers and Manhattanites to move to the brownstone neighborhoods of Brooklyn and be part of the movement to revive and restore these grand old buildings. But these days, gentrification means that many new owners no longer share that spirit of community involvement or simply feel they've spent too much money on their cribs to let a bunch of strangers look around. I agree, also, that the bitching on sites like this is very discouraging for anyone who's on the fence. I mean, that off-the-wall McGreevey comment (9:49am)? Please. You're shocked that gay men live in Clinton Hill and, furthermore, have erotic art in their home? Get a life!

Posted by: back-in-the-day at May 7, 2007 1:17 PM

Hey, "Back-in-the-Day" Not shocked...just concerned that young children on the tour would notice and turn a "house tour" into a coversation with parents about the naked men/penises in the house althrough the house tour all day...

Not gaybashing at all

Posted by: anon at May 7, 2007 1:35 PM

Hey, "Back-in-the-Day" Not shocked...just concerned that young children on the tour would notice and turn a "house tour" into a coversation with parents about the naked men/penises in the house althrough the house tour all day...

Not gaybashing at all...relax

Posted by: mimi at May 7, 2007 1:37 PM

I'll be sure to throw doilies over my vagina art when it's time to flash my, um, interiors.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 1:40 PM

back-in-the-day--

I'm sure there is truth to what you are saying. However, I've been asked to be on the Clinton Hill House Tour and declined, mainly because I don't want to fundraise for the Clinton Hill Society. Unfortunately they're not a good example of "the spirit of community involvement."

If someone asked me to open my home to raise money for Friends of PS 11, I'd do it in a heartbeat--they're working well and working effectively, and I know where the money is going.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 1:49 PM

Mimi, please. If you take your child out into the world, more specifically, into someone else's PRIVATE HOME, brace yourself for a "conversation" on any multitude of potentially awkward life topics. If actually talking to your children about how the world works is too much for you, stay home.

Christ.

Posted by: Wm. at May 7, 2007 2:39 PM

"I think that there will always be many places that people would love to view, but few people willing to let strangers wander through their house for a day."

As another long-term HT worker (albeit someone who never worked on "house selection"), I agree with "back-in-the-day" about the increasing difficulty of getting people to show their homes. However, having had my house on tour four times (six or seven if you include between-HT 'minitours') I can also state, to anyone contemplating putting their home on a tour, that it's fun, people who go on HTs are remarkably well-behaved, and it gives you an incentive to get off your a** and get stuff done!

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 7, 2007 2:58 PM

In looking at the website for Soc. for Clinton Hill, I notice a number of requests for people to join committees or the board. I see that major projects are the expansion of the historic district and the change in zoning from R6 to R6b. They also do the Children's Halloween Walk, the Newcomer's Party. At the recent meetings I attended, I noticed over 300 people at Loughlin, over 200 at Robeson Theater, and there must have been close to 2000 at the House Tour. Those snarky comments are pretty funny and tell something about the snark who wrote them. God bless those people who open their homes. Imagine how they feel when they read those snarky comments from the snarks. I wonder if anyone will open their homes in the future? Well, we can all go on those interesting broker open houses!

Posted by: anon at May 7, 2007 3:02 PM

Speaking of penises--sweetie, you don't *know* from penises just based on that one small picture in that very nice house on Clinton! When we were house-hunting, my (gay) partner and I looked at a nice B-stone in Harlem owned by a guy who had festooned every single wall with photos, drawings, and paintings of hunky naked men--many of them up-and-rarin' to go! Fertility figures everywhere, too. It was, shall we say, quite a look. What made this especially delightful was the fact that my partner's parents from Columbus, Ohio, had joined us for that day of house hunting... I thought it was hysterical, and lingered as long as I could without getting myself glared to death, ha ha. And nobody brought it up (you'll pardon the expression) the rest of the afternoon. For the record, not all gay men display erotic art, much of which is reallllllly bad. Takes all kinds!

Posted by: bob999 at May 7, 2007 3:06 PM

Wm @2.39 you are right. Soon enough they will ask museums to cover up the private parts of artwork with the fig leaf or a sarong. Come on people grow up.
Bob I agree with you it is fun to be a part of HT as well as garden tour. Been on both and always had a good time. The critics should be brave enough to show their homes to 1400 people.
This year we had a lot of Pratt related
buildings and there is nothing wrong with it since Pratt Institute is a big part of Clinton Hill and many graduates still live in the nabe. Clinton Hill has developed because of Pratt (the founder) and survived because of school being here.

Posted by: mg at May 7, 2007 3:23 PM

The funniest was going to a Marlene Dumas show at the New School a couple years back and the kiddies' reaction as they raced ahead of their parents, into rooms full of watercolors of gentalia. The parents were cute, just kinda rolled their eyes and shooed their kids out.
Sometimes it is too early for THAT conversation. But it's true -- grow up, and expect it to come up!!!!

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 3:36 PM

Oh, guys...I didn't mean to sound like such a prude...doesn't anyone have a sense of humor?! It is, what is, "Art"...GEEZ...Had I said, "No, Im not going in b/c of the gay pride flag.." Then we wouldn't be having this conversation...now would we?? My friend and I were cracking up...Just like you, "Bob@999" Okay, I'll stop being an "Erotic Art Basher"... Lighten up guys.. I thought the house was great! The art work...so many penises just made it a bit tacky..that's all!

Posted by: Mimi at May 7, 2007 5:53 PM

This was my first tour as I just moved to Fort Greene a year ago. One of my favorite things to do is to go walking in the evening trying to get a glimpse at the interiors of the many beautiful brownstones in the area. I was really excited to see some of the renovations that maintain the tradition of the classic brownstone and the newer modern twists. I was really expecting to see more privately owned homes for purely selfish reasons.

It was really nice learning so much about Pratt and viewing the mansions at St. Joseph's.

I can't wait for the next HT!! I am very grateful to all the owners who did open their homes to me and others for the day.

Posted by: Crystal at May 7, 2007 6:31 PM

I thought the house on Clinton was divine in every way...and the art was simply wonderful. I heard so many comments about people wanting to contact the artists! I must have missed something. I didn't see any penises...are you people talking about all the Williamsburg Savings Bank paintings? Geez! The lines were constantly clear around the block on to DeKalb. Someone said they tried 3 times to get in there and finally gave up because the lines were just too daunting. I don't think some of you people could be positive if your lives depended on it. Why do you even go on the House Tour? Save your money and go to a sales open house. The brokers expect you to be nasty and critical.

Posted by: anon at May 7, 2007 8:18 PM

The party at ICI was lovely! The tour was OK -- guess it might have been better for me if I had the patience to wait on long lines, but enjoyed what I saw. It was nice to see inside of St. Joseph's - I always wondered what it was like in there....

Posted by: donatella at May 7, 2007 10:17 PM

It appears the Society for Clinton Hill mainly orgainized by very old, usually childless couples who compete against the more successful Real Estate companies purposely solicit owners who like them see the neighborhood as theirs. Well if this years house tour is any indication there you go. The nieghborhood no longer reflects them, their interests or their pocket books. If open houses did better that day its because that is the reality of OUR new vibrant neighborhood of parents, parents parents. Gay, straught, it really doesnt matter. Sounds like its time to put the genitalia in your mouth and move on.

Posted by: anon at May 8, 2007 7:27 AM

anon 7:27 are you a moron? Great you're a parent. Get over it.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 8:31 AM

I noticed some house tours ban children under 12 unless in carrypacks, so I guess that removes the children and and revealing art problem. Also the kids misbehaving problem

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 8:36 AM

RE:7.27am
Great...another critic moved to the hood.
Why don't you get involved and be a real part of YOUR neighborhood. And I can't wait for you & your kids to come to garden tour and later complain about it as well.

Posted by: mg at May 8, 2007 8:57 AM

Keep in mind that there exists a certain element within society that benefits from sowing the seeds of strife and discord.

Not every post written from the perspective of the poor and disenfranchised is written by someone who gives a damn.

Sometimes it's written with an ulterior, destructive motive in mind. People impersonate, assume various identities and role-play on blogs all the time. Learn what you can if it applies, otherwise take it all with a grain of salt.

Don't fall for the bait.
Keep on keeping on, brownstoner.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 10:49 AM

Oh, my goodness..10:31 and 10:33! I sent in a comment yesterday about how I (a person of color) arrived there and no one bothered to say, "hello" or give any sort of "eye contact" . It was most definitely rude and racist overtone I've felt in a quite a while... I agree...And you saw that in the pics... I was there! I politely drank their wine w/a smile on a face and left. There are Brownstoner readers of "color" and I suggest that we take advantage of the affairs...It is an open invitation, as well.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 10:57 AM

This is infantile...
Some people are never happy or satisfied.
Complaining about gay, art, kids, race...
What's next? Can you just for a second enjoy yourself and put on pink eyeglasses?
I love it CH and wish people would get more involved in community instead of being judgmental. Smile :) it's a nice day.

Posted by: mg at May 8, 2007 11:13 AM

"What's next? Can you just for a second enjoy yourself and put on pink eyeglasses?"

Right on! You know, this is what I said to Sean Bell's widow and that ungrateful bitch still didn't cheeer up. What's the world coming to?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 11:15 AM

LOL...10:59am...No "separate"...we just need to attend. No need to complain if we do not take "partake"...They didn't indicate that "people of color" weren't invited...

Posted by: anon at May 8, 2007 11:18 AM

Right Brownstoner...er, 11:18. I mean, it's not as though there could be white people reading this blog who prefer to avoid the company of black people.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 11:25 AM

Comments like 11:15am is why "people of color" do not like to attend galas like the one at Ici. Ignorance...you poor soul...

Posted by: anon at May 8, 2007 11:28 AM

What are you smoking 11:18? When racism or discrimination is being acted upon in this world, do you think it usually takes place just underneath a sign that reads "Blacks not welcome"? Do you think it usually announces itself in this way for the whole world to see?

You can't possibly be that naive--not if you're really a person of color, anyway.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 11:29 AM

Ummm, I'm pretty sure the poster at 11:15 was poking fun at the poster at 11:13.

Posted by: F.L. at May 8, 2007 11:33 AM

I read a lot of blogs, a LOT of blogs. Perhaps it's because I'm a blogger myself, but I read them obsessively. Some blogs are funny, some serious, some boring and some quirky. But no blog...no blog...can depress me as quickly and as deeply as this one. Everytime I read brownstoner, I walk away feeling like a need a bath.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 11:39 AM

I feel the same way, 11:30AM. I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 8, 2007 12:01 PM

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