Co-op of the Day: 11 Monroe Place

Which doors?

The kitchen cabinetry looks bad. But the doors . . . I can't really see them well on these pictures. They just look 6 paneled.

I'm not crazy about the floors, myself. It looks a bit strip-flooring to me.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 12:54 PM

Blah, meh.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 12:54 PM

I would say you got up on the wrong side of the bed.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 12:55 PM

i'm confused.

what's wrong with the doors?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 12:59 PM

blue chip! blue chip! can't stand it! blue chip!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:02 PM

Any time you don't get up on the Clinton Hill side of the bed, it seems to be the wrong side of the bed.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:03 PM

Definitely bland and mediocre. Pretty soon, all the brownstones in Brooklyn will be these condo/coop conversions with crummy interiors. Sad.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:09 PM

Oh yes, the doors, I mean what a shocking travesty. Those doors are a complete sham. What do they think they are pulling here? Lord knows, those doors are just not what is called for here. Please, give me doors that don't insult my intelligence. I'm more than a little 'limp' about this one, I'm am fumming! Fumming about those damn doors. Who do they think they are fooling here? You think you can just get away with those doors. You are really pushing me to my limit with those doors. Look, I'm trying to be reasonable about this, but if you try and push those doors on me, I don't know what I'm gonna do, alright? Just change the doors, will you? Jeez!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:10 PM

Yeah, I'm not really seeing any problem with the doors--you can hardly see them in the photos. Overall, it looks like a lovely place to me. I just cannot believe that two bedrooms (TWO bedrooms!!) goes for over a million dollars, even in Brooklyn Heights...

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:13 PM

What's it like to "fumm"?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:13 PM

I'm underwhelmed. It's a bland redo of a ground floor with a typical sarcophagus of a drywall enrobed island. Blah and "chintzy".

FG/TGL

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:15 PM

I'm so beside myself about those bloody doors that I can't even spell right, Mr. 1:13. Please, I'd be happy to hire you as my editor, so you can catch words like 'fuming', but I wouldn't even begin to consider it until you do something about those doors. I am haunted by doors. Doors open and doors close. One door opens and another door closes. Light My Fire, by The Doors. Instead of copy-proofing my post, 1:13, why don't you go out into the world and do something useful - like dealing with those doors. What is this freakin world coming to!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:19 PM

Other than proximity to Manhattan, what is the appeal of the location?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:19 PM

for a million, i'd rather have this...

http://www.corcoran.com/property/listing.aspx?Region=NYC&ListingID=1119732

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:19 PM

i have a problem with wire hangers.
no wire hangers!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:23 PM

1:19, you're joking, no?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:34 PM

I know exactly what he means about the doors. They are those cheap panel doors they sell at HD. They replaced the ubiquitous brown hollow doors that were used everywhere (on new construction) up until a few years ago. And the floors are ugly. From having my home renovated by professionals you can see it doesn't take much to - and not a lot of money to make a renovation look much better. If people are foolish enough to settle for this, let them. They are overpaying for inferior materials.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:35 PM

Mr. B,

Once again,this isn't as bad as you make it out to be. The price is about the location. Yes the doors should be nicer, but really!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:37 PM

Wanna fumm, 1:10/1:19?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:37 PM

Funny, 1:37, funny. I'm beyond fuming. I'm into a full-throttled psychotic state at this point. What are you people harping about now? How can you focus on anything when they have those doors in that apartment. It's a big city and a lot is going on. But you can't seriously tell me that life-as-normal can proceed without something being done about those doors. There's a madness out there, a creeping nuttiness that's seeped into everyone's brain. Wake Up! Will you? Get some sense into you. Don't focus on me, focus on those doors. Bring me some results on those doors. I need results.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:43 PM

All that drywall-horrendous. The drywall and excessive recessed lighting (meant to counter the darkness of that unit) kill it.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:43 PM

doors come and doors go but Monroe Place is
a keeper.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:44 PM

I love it.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:44 PM

I'm serious, 1:43. Yesterday's condo of the day had me thinking about Peter Sarsgaard all day, and then today's boiler post, featuring hotties Mr. B and tattooed Master Plumber, just about did it. So I'm all hot + bothered. Are you a dude or a gal?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:48 PM

1:48. I'm glad to hear that you are all hot and bothered. That's great news. But you are missing the point. The point is not me, or whether I'm a dude or a gal, or anything else. It's the doors. It's all about the doors. Boilers, maybe. But really, it's the doors. Keep your eyes focused on what matters. See what doors of perception can do to one's faculties, one's reasoning? Keep sharp, 1:48. Take a cold shower and get back on the door-detail. We need good people like you. It ain't gonna be easy. But we can do it. Everyone, up and at it. Let's move. Nothings gonna change if we don't start moving on this.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 1:54 PM

well, I suspect someone bought this apartment and fixed it to their liking and then lived there for 10 or 20 years. and now they're selling it. so it may not be renovated FOR sale or for this price range, but for themselves. when you buy it, you can fix it up to your liking and live in it and when you sell, post it here and we'll tell you how crappy it is.

meanwhile, I'm not paying more than 995 for this.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:01 PM

You don't know what fumming is? How old are you?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:05 PM

Does this seem kinda high for the square footage? That back bedroom (18x8) would make me feel like i was in Sing Sing. i do, however, like the fp and the built ins. Microwave on the counter, not so much. Plus the maint. is highish.

this feels like a 850-900k apt. to me.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:09 PM

2:01. Perfect, another copy-editor-in-training. Yes, great catch on fumming, 2:01 (or GHB if you prefer). You are now #2 in that line. Have a seat. Meanwhile, can I remind you about a little problem that we seem to have? It's not simply a problem about how to transport one's body from one contained space into another, or how to prevent it with a barrier that swings open and close on a set of hinges? It's more metaphysical than that. I speak about those doors. You people are missing the boat here. Who cares if I can spell or not. What has that got to do with anything. I need your help with something. 2:01/GHB, and hot-and-bothered. I need you two to sober up and get it together. Because we can't solve this problem if you guys don't get your acts together. How can you complain about my spelling when those doors are in that apartment! Enough already. Let's get on the job.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:09 PM

"this feels like a 850-900k apt. to me."

That's how much most of the Park Slope 2 bedrooms are going for these days of this size and quality.

You think prime Brooklyn Heights should be on par with those?

I personally prefer Park Slope, but I've always assumed BH commanded a premium for most others...

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:20 PM

The person commenting on the doors is an absolute genius. Genius I tell you.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:25 PM

it's Jonathan Safran Foer

he's bored today.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:28 PM

I'd fumm Safran Foer, oh no wait, he's not the hot one. Joshua Ferris is the cutie.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:34 PM

Whoa Buddy! I love recessed lights! & cheesy doors! AntiDoorites! The lot of you!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:47 PM

I'm confused. Charming exterior?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 2:55 PM

The 8-foot wide "bedroom" would bother me more than the doors. That's a lot of money for a one-plus bedroom, even in a lovely location with a lovely garden space.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:03 PM

beaucoup de fromage

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:05 PM

Do you think the floors are part of the renovation or the original floors? Other than my floor question, it looks like a Long Island McMansion.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:31 PM

perfect for a long island lolita.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:37 PM

1:19 PM please let me know what your smoking? I know this section of Monroe Place. It is quite tree lined close to Monteque and Court St shops Short walk to the water front park and I could probably go one for awhile. The reno could have been more sympathetic to building and area, but if I had the money i'd been offering know (even if I had to replace the doors myself). PS not a BH native either. Born and raised Cobble hill.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:44 PM

just because the doors are painted white doesn't mean they are the cheap ones at Home Depot...i have solid wood doors, a few hundred bucks a piece, which are painted white.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:53 PM

my doors are made of 18K gold.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 3:58 PM

My doors are 18K gold with rubies.
But I paint them white and they look pretty cheap.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 4:17 PM

those doors i don't care about... i'll have a hard enough time trying to figure out which midget friend can sleep in that second
bedroom off the kitchen.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 6:14 PM

6:14,
That was racist!

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 6:43 PM

We have no doors in our house...just the front doors and a couple of other incidental doors for security...we took all the interior doors out to allow chi to move around freely. Much better this way...oh...we DO have doors on the kitchen cabinets.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 6:58 PM

Is Chi your dog?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 8:31 PM

Montague Street? Yawn. Court Street? Ick.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 8:32 PM

8:32 philistine

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 8:59 PM

Epicure and aesthete.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:35 PM

OK, this was the funniest thing I've read on Brownstoner in quite some time! Good job people. I think I have those doors but I don't work on wall street and I'm frugal. Is calling someone a midget "racist" or is it just "politically incorrect"? I can't tell these days.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:45 PM

"All the world over, the picturesque yields to the pocketesque." - Herman Melville

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:50 PM

technically, it's a "size-ist" remark.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:50 PM

Midgets prefer the term "little people". I learned this from watching "Little People, Big World", which I love by the way. Anyway, I would think the word "midget" would be better than "little people", but whatever.

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:52 PM

got something for you, the what!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/business/14leonhardt.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:55 PM

peoplets?

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 9:56 PM

Vertically challenged

Posted by: guest at November 13, 2007 10:00 PM

Dang. My wife and I came thisclose to buying the top-floor unit in this building about 18 months ago... walkup (a bummer) but man, I really, really liked the apartment. Outbid by someone that bid 15% over ask (!) and ended up selling around 850k or so, if I remember correctly.

Amazing how high prices have gone in that short of a time. Still bummed we didn't get that apartment.

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 9:52 AM

Not so amazing since you are talking the difference between a top floor walk up and a garden flat.

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 10:40 AM

I actually saw this place in person. The garden is strikingly beautiful and much larger than pictured (with fountain as well for all those zen types). My guess is the price is partially based on this feature.
p.s.- the place isn't as bad, mediocre and beige as all you folks think

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 1:13 PM

Big nagging question for me - why don't kitchen designers put cabinets all the way to the ceiling, in such space-challenged places in NYC? It's hard to reach the tallest cabinet, sure, but you put things you don't use every day up there. All kitchens have those - the strange gadgets and serving pieces you rarely use. Also I loathe dusting on the top of the cabinets, when they don't go to the ceiling. It gets really gross up there. Also if you go into a vintage kitchen, the original cabinets are always all the way to the ceiling. It's only the 1980's and beyond that did the halfway up the wall thing.

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 1:20 PM

Said top-floor walkup also had exclusive roof rights, so they're more comparable than you'd think. I'd much rather have the roof (with views of the BB) than the garden...

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 4:35 PM

Anyone know how the maintenance compares at Phyllis Norton Towers compared to similar buildings like the St. George Tower or University Towers downtown?

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 5:29 PM

Perhaps the roof views of the Bridge make a 4th floor walk up slightly more attractive than one without, but this close to the Promenade, and the views from there, I think I'd opt for the garden apt every time.

Posted by: guest at November 14, 2007 6:37 PM