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August 28, 2007
House of the Day: 59 Lefferts Place
This Italianate brownstone at 59 Lefferts Place in Clinton Hill is a beauty, but then again we're probably a little biased since we have a very similar house just a couple of blocks away. From the handful of photos, however, this one's in a little better shape than ours (though it is one story shorter). The configuration—owner's garden duplex with parlor kitchen topped by three rental units—probably isn't for everyone, but the listing says the house can be delivered vacant. Still, to go to a more standard owner's triplex over a garden rental will probably cost you more than $100,000. We're not sure about the rentals, but the owner apartment is beautiful, with high parlor ceilings and pristine plaster and wood moldings; the kitchen at the rear of the parlor floor also looks recently done. We're going to recuse ourself on the matter of the $1,800,000 asking price given how close to home this one is but will be interested to hear what everyone else has to say.
59 Lefferts Place [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
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Comments
Hard to believe anyone would buy this place. It'll be worthless after AY is built.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:32 PM
mr. b, can you just put this line at the end of EVERY HOTD:
"Caveat: this property will be worthless b/c of AY"
that way, you'll save people who feel the need to say it at every opportunity some time.
thanks!
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:47 PM
I have no idea about the price but it's beautiful. Couldn't you at least make the third floor into one rental unit? I know people always say the garden unit should be rental but I don't see why--don't owners want to use their gardens? Or do they add so much more value to a rental? Anyway, it's too close to Atlantic for my taste--which has nothing to do with AY for me--but it is a beautiful looking building.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:59 PM
Oi vey with the "worthless after AY is built" already. Cut it out...it's just plain imbecilic...and this coming from someone (me) who is against AY as well.
On a lighter note: Could I trade this house for mine? Ours is cruddier but in a “better location”. I was always against having a parlor floor kitchen but these parlors that were configured across the width of the house are well suited to the purpose. Didn't fit our house or lifestyle as an option (wanted to have a large kitchen all to itself on the ground floor) but I like some of the parlor-floor kitchens Mr. Brownstoner highlights...some a wee bit too blindly pretentious, too ready to look marred with the slightest scratch or stain, and/or ready to slip out of style but still, overall, nice and making me think twice. Anyone got a couple 100K I can borrow? :-) [Brownstoner Dude, are smiley faces allowed on your blog?]
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:03 PM
This place looks amazing. The only thing is that on Lefferts Pl (which is a beautiful stretch of a street in and of itself)is sandwitched between Fulton street on one side and Atlantic Ave. on the other. Since the big yellow Mansion is across the street from this listing, that means this place has Fulton St. behind it. The huge and lenghty back yard might help to minimize that issue, but I'd wonder about the noise, neighborliness, and safety aspects of having Fulton St. at my back when going to sleep at night.
Posted by: MacD at August 28, 2007 2:04 PM
Beautiful house and the layout helps with the cost. I think it is really a $1.5-1,6 house- that location is not as nice as the area of clinton hill closer to pratt and myrtle ave. interesting to note, move it just 3 blocks north and 3 blocks west, it's $1.8-1.9. move it another 3 blocks west into ft green its over $2M.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:06 PM
Sure it is one story shorter than yours but then again it hasn't been bastardized and doesn't look out of place among the adjoining buildings as your does.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:16 PM
Lefferts Place again? Seems like there is someone selling on the that stretch every month. Wonder why so many are cashing in?
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:20 PM
Wow -- if I had the money, I'd buy it for the garden alone! It's rare to find a double lot like that. Great for someone who enjoys gardening.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:20 PM
11K in taxes is kind of hight.
Posted by: PG at August 28, 2007 2:21 PM
I only wish you could go from a duplex with2 (or 4) upper floor rentals to a triplex over a garden for $100,000. We are doing the same, and estimates range from over $1 million dollars (yes, it's crazy) to "only" $400,000 (at the cheapest). I thought we could easily do it for $200,000 (and we also have the kitchen/living room on parlor floor). So, figure $500,000, not $100,000 for that configuration in this house. If they are lucky.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:40 PM
hey 2:06 -- and if you moved it to malibu, it'd be worth 8M. what's your point?
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 2:55 PM
2:40 - you're obviously doing a very high end reno (and talking to super expensive contractors). We just switched ours from a top floor rental with lower duplex to upper duplex with bottom floor rental for $30,000. The lowest possible end, but you can certainly reconfigure for less than $500,000 - MUCH less.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 3:39 PM
How many little apartments have they crammed into this poor old building? This isn't a house as it is now configured but rather a small apartment building. What does "easily convertable to single family home" mean? Is it delivered vacant? I don't see the magic words "delivered vacant".
If there are unbudgeable rental tenants, that is a huge headache.
If there are no tenants, I would estimate that it would take about $250,000 to return it to a gracious single family with regular sized bedrooms.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 3:45 PM
2:06 here- that it's overpriced for the location.
sorry- thought that was obvious, since that was the question asked.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:04 PM
WAY overpriced for that location.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:06 PM
well, it will be easier to get a mortgage with this configuration -- the bank will consider the potential income from the 3 rental units.
I'm afraid the credit crunch will hurt properties like this one the most.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:22 PM
I'm pro Atlantic yards, I think this strecth of Atlantic and Fulton Street will benefit greatly fom the AY project. So why all the hating.
As much as I like the block, I think the house is just overpriced. God Dam! 1.8Millionnn Dollarssss? It feels like Corcoran is playing with Monopoly money. How you come up with those numbers. I had rather pay 2 point something for the Phizer mansion that just recently sold.
The again I can't afford it. Go figure...
Posted by: Wick_or_Stuy at August 28, 2007 4:41 PM
3:39 pm -- I'm 2:40, and we certainly aren't trying to go super high end, or even high end -- just want to do it legally with an architect, filing, etc. I don't know why it's so expensive, either -- we definitely thought $200,000 would be plenty, but haven't found that to be the case. We do need a general contractor, however -- we aren't able to do that work ourselves to save money. But still think the quotes we are getting are over the top. Oh well.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 4:58 PM
I live on Lefferts Place between St. James and Grand (a block west of this place). It is very quiet for the poster who wondered about that. You don't hear anything from Fulton or Atlantic. The quietness is one reason why I bought here several years ago. I'm obviously too close to comment on price, but can say I love our place and the street - no regrets about the location - have a young family...
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 5:16 PM
I would pay up just for the hammock.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:07 PM
The house is actually 47 feet deep. I had one of them appraised and measured out by 2 different surveyors who confirmed this. I live on the block as well. The noise isn't an issue to be honest. Being removed from the shops on Dekalb doesn't matter when you consider the fact that most of them are not really worth spending your money on/at. I just commute into town when I need to live it up and avoid the pretentious arse-holes of Fort Green at all times. If anything is a negative it's the unlit and gloomy strip on Fulton in front of the post office with razor wire drooping over the fence and lifeless brick facade of the citizens center at night.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:07 PM
These people are just being smart. If you own in this neighborhood now you pretty much have to sell if you don't want to lose your shirt completely in a few years.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:10 PM
REgarding AY, please remember, you will never be able to park your car on your street again - unless you are there when alternate side ends. You will have thousands of new neighbors - this may be good or bad - depends on how you like crowds.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:18 PM
The berooms are six and a half feet wide.
Is that allowable by code?
I count four bedrooms that are six feet six inches wide.
Wow!
That's pretty substandard,
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:25 PM
The owners's duplex has one bedroom, although I suspect that "den" and "family room" are code for non-code-complying bedrooms. So for 1.8 million dollars you get one normal bedroom, four kennel-sized bedrooms in the rental units, and two illegal bedrooms -one that is more than 50% below grade and the other with no windows.
I am speechless.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 6:40 PM
I am against AY, as it is too dense, but I don't really understand the parking argument. We do live in a city. I am able to park in front of my house because many of the houses on my block are vacant, and there are many vacant lots in my neighborhood. Should I be against people moving into those houses or building on the vacant lots because I will hav a more difficult time parking? This isn't the suburbs! Guven Lefferts place is across Atlantic Avenue and (Vanderbilt to Clinton to Waverly to Washington to St James to Lefferts) five blocks away from the edge of AY, seems like you are really being silly to talk about a negative effect on this house. Quite frankly development in the area will be welcome (if not that of the size of AY) to jump start Fulton Street at this end of Clinton Hill. That said, I hope this price is far too high - as it is a barrier for most people to live over here.
BTW just finished walking completely across Bed-Stuy (dropped off my newly arrived bf's Uhaul at Malcom X and Dekalb). There are many lovely blocks outside of the well known historic district. Many houses with for sale signs by small realtors. Seems to me someone seeking to create a home would be better off wandering and looking for something there rather than buying Corcoran priced properties six blocks away.
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at August 28, 2007 7:59 PM
putnamedenizen: wow, that is quite unselfish of you. really, that's refreshing. i must say, i don't know all the details on AY but i'm very in favor of it. i read all about the pros and cons but i guess my feeling is, any change to that area can only be good. and the whole develop don't destroy thing--maybe that area hasn't been developed in a way that satisfies those people because it isn't economically feasible. so may the other side should adopt a slogan like "develop don't let rot brooklyn". (i'm obviously not an advertising person) all i know is crossing atlantic is a god awful nightmare and it shouldn't be.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 8:17 PM
Er, let me be clear. I believe there are many other more appropriate schemes which could be developed in the AY area - and ones which wouldn't need to be subsidized to the extent Ratner's project is. I would suggest that people familiarize themselves with the details of this taxpayer financed boondoggle before they declare themselves "very in favor of it." I just tire of the "sky is falling down" posts that appear here. In fact my current theory is that they are put up by Ratner's goons in order to dissensitive the citizenry to the tru flaws in his swindle. But hey, I am like that...
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at August 28, 2007 9:12 PM
putnam denizen: guest at 8:17 here. okay, i'll familiarize myself with "the details of this taypater financed boondoggle"--can you point me to a source for that? i must say that you typify what i see on this site: if anyone disagrees with you, you attribute it to some nefarious plot. geez, i'm just a young mother new to the neighborhood. if you think there are so many other "appropriate schemes" for the area, bring 'em on. really, explain the details, financing, and architecture.
Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 9:37 PM
Welcome to the neighborhood. I suggest you search the web for information about AY. There have, over the years, been many detailed counter proposals, investigations of the ever-increasing public subsidies and ever decreasing public benefits of AY. That said, I am not actually suggesting that I want to convince you of anything - I was just responding to your rather odd "I don't know anything, but golly gee it sounds swell to me" comment, as well as your assumption/implication that I was a supporter of AY. And even if you are just a young mother (relevance?) new to the neighborhood, maybe you should be prepared to encounter satire and humor on the web, which is what my conspiracy theory above was a lame stab at. But then, again, maybe you arene't really a "young mother" at all, but rather the biggest Mother of them all - Ratner himself!
Anyone have any thoughts about giving up on looking at homes in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill altogether and focusing on affordable neighborhoods?
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at August 28, 2007 10:11 PM
wow, putnamdenizen, i was trying to be nice but i guess you're just a prick. i guess trying to be nice sounds to you like "golly gee" etc. it's true, i am new to the neighborhood and don't know all of the subtleties of what's acceptable or not on this site. you suggest i "search the blog"? if you're so intent, point me to something. jesus, make your case already. yeah, i'm ratner!! don't flatter yourself--i doubt he'd waste his time and now i see why. i am just new to the neighborhood with a baby in tow. but that's obviously objectionable to you in some way. really, fuck off. you're quite a self-righteous asshole.
Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 12:29 AM
Uh, honey, you need to get out more. I already told you I have no interest in engaging you seriously on this AY subject. It has been done a thousand times by people smarter and more informed than I. And the reason why I latched onto your "young mother" comment (which you have now repeated a third time) is because it is so weird. Many of us (including me) are parents of young children. It really does come across as an attempt to be coquettish or something. Was that your intent? Given your absolute lack of humor my current theory is that you are actually an artificial intelligence program which has been cast forth onto the net to wreak havoc. But really, take it down a notch. And clean up that potty mouth.
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at August 29, 2007 8:10 AM
I don't think there is a more mean spirited sit3 on the internet anywhere.
Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 8:12 AM
I heart Putnamdenizen. "
"Young mother" needs to calm down and grow a sense of humour. Also: how is telling people to eff off going to make a case for anything? AY pluses, minuses and random conspiracy theories pepper the internet; why should anyone have to do the work for her when it has been discussed ad nauseum already?
Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 11:54 AM
This blog has degenerated considerably since all of the fancy upgrades. It is such a shame.
Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 12:34 PM
WOW 1:29- There can be meanies on this site but seriously check your new baby hormones. You're way off base. Go hide your head and be grateful that you your identity will remain unknown. Have the baby sleeping in the bed still? No more naughty nights? Get a sitter.
Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 8:55 PM
Baby hormones??! Wow, i don't care what someone's position is but let's try not to be so misgynyistic. Guess at 8:17 didn't say anything say outrageous. What's with all the vitriol?
Posted by: guest at August 31, 2007 11:36 PM
Chopped to $1,500,000 but still on the market.
Posted by: guest at November 20, 2007 2:27 PM
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