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July 26, 2007

Condos of the Day: 480 Eastern Parkway

480_Eastern_Parkway.jpg
Henry Radusky has been doing his part to uglify Crown Heights with the recent completion of an eight-unit condo at 480 Eastern Parkway. (At least the facade lines up with its neighbor though.) Based upon a sign hanging on the building (there's nothing posted yet on the Developers Group website), the two- and three-bedroom apartments start at $525,000. That's about all we know. Has anyone been inside yet?
480 Eastern Parkway [Flickr] GMAP P*Shark DOB




Posted by Brownstoner at 12:36 PM | Comments (39)
Categories: Crown Heights, Development

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Comments

yes. lame...

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 12:51 PM

...indeed

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 12:58 PM

I know this isn't the best looking building on Eastern Parkway but it actually blends well with the others on road. You should take a wider angle picture and see how it fits. The buildings nearby are not all the same, and this fits contextually. It includes the stone base and brick upper portion. It also includes some design elements of the older surrounding buildings (detail over the windows and white stone rectangles running up the side). So I say, save your criticism for a worse offender. If I bought a condo here, I would launch a campaign to remove the criss crosses on the windows and add bronze capping to the outside of them. And it would have been nice to add some detail across the top or add a glass penthouse. But for the price, I think these are a good deal. You are soooo close the park, museum and botanical gardens. I live in the hood, I have nothing to do with the building.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 1:01 PM

I guess I don't get it. I am a fan of somewhat more assertive design than this place, but what's so awful about it? It seems pretty plain to neutral in looks. It's greatest flaw - from this photo at least - is that it's a little bland.

I get the feeling that certain developers are just vilified, no matter what they try.

What gives?

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 1:05 PM

yeah, I live in the nabe too and agree, it blends in well from the outside. but I've been inside, and trust me, they're lame. just felt like the cheapest renno job possible. very sterile, boring and suspect not well constructed either...

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 1:05 PM

Agreed, those windows are the worst

Posted by: Anon at July 26, 2007 1:11 PM

I have keys if anyone wants to see the apartments, better to be informed than to resort to conjecture

Posted by: jay at July 26, 2007 1:13 PM

These units are now being offered as rentals.

Posted by: BKBroker at July 26, 2007 1:16 PM

These are not so bad. Go twenty blocks or so east on eastern parkway though, and look at the 'affordable units' going up in East NY, and they look much prettier, and much more like the solidly build brownstones of the past.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 1:21 PM

Surely you jest -- these things have been on the market forever, and The Developers Grous has been plugging them as Prospect Lefferts Gardens, which they sure as heck ain't, but it goes well with their similarly hideous and overpriced "Lefferts South," again, not in PLG.

These apartments are crap inside -- the floors are already coming up and no-one has ever lived in them. And the front of the building, with its white metal fence, is a monument to poor taste.

These apartments are also being offered as rentals -- from $2800 for a 2 BR/convertible 3 to $3800 for a convertible 4 BR.

Same developer as 46 Lefferts Place, another cheap-o crap job not selling.

Posted by: babs at July 26, 2007 1:21 PM

I take that back about 46 Lefferts -- Corcoran now claims to have signed contracts on six of the eight units -- this is after The Developers Group lost the exclusive and several price cuts (and they had already priced them below The Developers Group's original asking prices when they took it over).

Posted by: babs at July 26, 2007 1:37 PM

It sounds like the market has spoken

Posted by: Brownstoner at July 26, 2007 1:44 PM

Eastern Parkway sucks.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 2:46 PM

I saw another building of this design and while it appears on the surface to be somewhat respectful of the past, a closer inspection will reveal the cheapness of the materials; brick veneer, prefab pieced moldings, and other cost cutting crap. It is all smoke and mirrors and will be falling apart in three years or less as 1:21 points out.

More seriously, what can be done? These buildings are popping up everywhere. It's frighteneing!

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 3:24 PM

so instead of using cheaper materials (oh, the horror!) you would have preferred them to use more expensive ones so the units would have been priced at a million??!!

some of you are the biggest hypocrites in the world.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 3:44 PM

Not at all. Taste does not require money. Cost effective and inexpensive are not the same as cheap. There are many options to this. These are built by greedy people who don't care about taking advantage of the "under a million" crowd, even if it is their life savings. You are naive to see these builders as benevolent.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 3:53 PM

Compared to the cheapness and the crappiness of the construction these units are overpriced. Anyone buying here at these prices is being ripped off, and the developer knows it and doesn't care, because in three years (or less) when the place starts falling apart, he'll be long gone.

And woe to the people who may have stretched themselves a but too thin to buy this crap - how will they then be able to afford to install new floors in their apartment?

I would have preferred him to do a better job on the construction, use slightly better materials (especially the floors) and price the units realistically, instead of being greedy for profits - they would have sold faster and he'd be out counting his money by now, instead of incurring carrying costs for the months these things have been sitting (and eventual renovation costs, because I am sure those floors will need to be replaced before anyone buys -- either that or there will be a huge price cut.

That's why he's turned to trying to rent them out. Renters may not be as picky about these things (although I think the rental prices are not cheap, given the location).

Posted by: babs at July 26, 2007 4:02 PM

To see what real visionary people are doing to create affordable housing, google fabprefab. I am not promoting the building of these homes in the city for obvious reasons but there are certainly lessons to be learned by people like this who have a real commitment to producing housing for everyone and do not look snobbily down their noses at people with average earnings and declare that all they are worth is some shit like the building above. Who's the hypocrite now?

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:04 PM

these units are way overpriced and the location is TERRIBLE. eastern parkway is loud and the closest subway is nostrand ave 4 and 5 - and you still have to walk EAST to get there. also, there are so many people that just hang outside on the sideways and outside of the buildings.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 4:09 PM

you have to admit that the people who regularly read this board have far higher standards when it comes to new developments.

you do realize that new construction of this nature is the NORM in the rest of the country. uhhh. ever seen a new home in anytown, usa folks? they are pretty crappy.

i'm not saying that it's right, but to suggest that anything but a brownstone is crap is just ridiculous. and whether you like it or not, that is definitely the vibe most of you all give off.

i hear it from people i've tried to get to read brownstoner.

their most common complaint is that the people think that brownstones are the be all end all and that everything else sucks.

i love them to, but calm down a little.

suggesting that someone is "worth" what they live in???? are you nuts?

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:13 PM

I should have said deserve not worth. Maybe that's not even right. Someone must know what I mean. Thanks.

As for all the readers thinking that brownstones are "the be all end all", you may be more likely to find an attitude like that on a site with the name Brownstoner. I am sure that wherever the website is for painted-lady Victorians you will find people as passionate and vociferous about their homes as the folks here.

I would also bet that most people here are as bent out of shape by the substandard building that goes on everywhere, not just here.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:31 PM

well they don't build brownstones anymore and most of the conversations on here seem to be about other developments. the ones about the brownstones have but a few comments and the ones about strollers and what was it yesterday...the suburbs garner the most comments.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:36 PM

The reason that people have such high standards is because the price of housing is huge and once you have bought something you feel the pressure of, am I going to lose all my money because I bought in the wrong place, at the wrong time or because some jerk put up a piece of shit building next to me and now the character of my house or neighborhood has changed?
And, yes, some people love architecture (shame on them) and love Brooklyn and know that it is the housing stock that has made and remade the neighborhoods here. This inferior building will not stand the test of time. It is a nail in the coffin. People will not move to, return to, be charmed by a Brooklyn that looks like the above builder's vision of this Borough.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:41 PM

i disagree, 4:41. you are extremely naive.

i would much rather see buildings like this than the vacant lots that 90% of these type places replace.

and in case you didn't realize it, nyc is a very expensive place to build, period. just the land and permits are a hassle, before you even get to the finishes.

not everyone needs bamboo floors and miele dishwashers to be happy.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:49 PM

God...I really...really...hate you people...seriously...all of you...hate you so much...can't stand it...

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 4:53 PM

likewise, i'm sure....

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 4:55 PM

"not everyone"? Does ANYONE think that they need bamboo floors and miele dishwashers to be happy?

Anyway, so you disagree- you do think they will stand the test of time?

Oh, thanks, I didn't realize that NYC is an expensive place to build.

You are a font of knowledge.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 5:00 PM

To 4:13, Please tell us something we don't know. I think Pete Seeger was singing about Ticky-Tacky houses 40 years ago. We know that ordinary construction in the rest of the US is not good. That is why we put up with a lot of the grief of NYC to live in these great homes. And that is what this site is about. People who care about these kinds of buildings. And don't like that a lot of cheap buildings are being thrown up in BK by speculators who are out to make a quick buck.
Don't come to a special interest website and attack the core values of the people who frequent it. Go somewhere else. There must be sites about cheap housing you might enjoy somewhere else.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 5:03 PM

i love brownstones. live in one actually.

don't make blanket statements about people you don't know.

but if you'd like to see better things being built, BUY SOME LAND AND BUILD IT YOURSELF.

the reason developers build this stuff is because they are trying to make money.

DOH.

and like i said, i'd rather see this stuff than needle-invested vacant lots.

that doesn't mean i love cheap housing.

you're a nasty one.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 5:39 PM

Any project that merely meets the needs of its users - no matter how well - and does nothing to improve the neighborhood where it is built is not considered to be well designed. The result is housing that has missed a golden opportunity. It may provide a home for people in need, but it doesn't go the extra step and positively impact the neighborhood where those people live. Such positive impacts are critical to a project's long term success - and better design is the key to creating them. Projects which meet minimal code requirements are just that - minimal.

Posted by: designadvisor at July 26, 2007 5:45 PM

^To 4:13, Please tell us something we don't know


i'm curious what knowledge you've enlightened us with??

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 6:08 PM

It's 6:00. Have a glass of wine. Look into your lover's eyes and give your fingers a rest.

Posted by: anonymous at July 26, 2007 6:12 PM

"There must be sites about cheap housing you might enjoy somewhere else."

Do you know of any? If so, plz post. I would love to see them.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 7:09 PM

re anon 5:03's comment: "There must be sites about cheap housing you might enjoy somewhere else."

Do you know of any? If so, plz post. I would love to see them.

Posted by: anon at July 26, 2007 7:09 PM

There is a site about cheap building. It's called Brownstoner.

Seroiusly, there are many sites about affordable housing. Google.

Posted by: anonymous at July 26, 2007 7:30 PM

a cornice would help the building look less sucky.

Posted by: pfa at July 26, 2007 7:32 PM

Eastern Parkway sucks.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 26, 2007 8:38 PM

Actually we should all be very concerned about cheap bad construction in all these new condo buildings, whether we choose to buy in them or not. I'm hearing terrible things about the buildings more and more, like leaks and problems, and if that becomes such a big issue everwhere, so much so that it slows sales in new condo developments, it could affect the real estate market here. Just like the crappy construction in the suburbs did, for Florida and San Diego. Thanks DOB for cracking down on people building decks in their backyards, but allowing plenty developers build crappy buildings! That said, I don't think the exterior is as bad as some.

Posted by: Anonymous at July 27, 2007 11:02 AM

ya know it is possible to love brownstones (see my handle -- geddit?) and love new architecture too. problem being, this ain't architecture. these are the slums of tomorrow. so badly constructed and finished as to guarantee a bad investment for the owner and a bad living experience for the resident. what a lose-lose. and what a shame, when new construction methods should be resulting in better quality, less costly buildings -- not this shite.

Posted by: NeoGrec at July 27, 2007 12:48 PM

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