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December 3, 2007
House of the Day: 590 2nd Street
The house at 590 2nd Street is quintessential North Central Slope goodness: Four stories of hardcore wood paneling and moldings, parquet floors and stained glass windows. The two-family house, which has been owned by the same family since 1994, is asking $3,200,000, which is about what we would have predicted. Does that sound on the money to you?
590 2nd Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
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Comments
if you're going to ask $3.2mm for a house you really should include a floorplan in your listing.
Posted by: z at December 3, 2007 1:29 PM
2nd street really isn't North Slope, right? It's more like plain old 'classic slope'
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:30 PM
Gosh this is a gorgeous house.
The price seems more than fair to me.
Given the 3 million homes prices I see on here in Clinton Hill and Ft. Greene, I certainly think this place warrants such a figure.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:32 PM
Yeah, how is that north slope? I suppose maybe now that brokers are calling places in sunset park south slope.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:36 PM
Gorgeous dining room and stairway. That stained glass door is beautiful!
Thanks for the house candy! Or as a friend says, "House crack". Great period detail is certainly an addiction.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at December 3, 2007 1:38 PM
WHere are the photos of the kitchens and baths?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:39 PM
I liked my house until this morning. Now I want this one.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:40 PM
If someone says 'period detail' one more time I'm going to toss some cookies.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:54 PM
If this place were in Cobble Hill it might get $3.2 million but in Park Slump, forget it.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:54 PM
This house was already rudely posted (and discussed) by the broker in last friday's Carroll Gardens open house listings. We've already seen it... Why bother posting again. Why encourage this type of behavior?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:58 PM
Does the house come with the services of Lurch, the butler?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:59 PM
Period detail. Period. Detail.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:59 PM
I was gonna attack it just because it is in PS but I can't because it's absolutely magnificent.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 1:59 PM
Wow. Just. Like. Wow.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:03 PM
How can someone sit in that dining room and actually keep a straight face?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:06 PM
Am I the only person who finds that literally over the top woodwork extended to the ceiling a bit gloomy and oppressive?
Posted by: Brooklynnative at December 3, 2007 2:08 PM
"This house was already rudely posted (and discussed) by the broker in last friday's Carroll Gardens open house listings. We've already seen it... Why bother posting again. Why encourage this type of behavior?"
You're right. Encouraging freedom of speech is so ridiculous. BTW, I posted the link to this home last week. Not a broker...not even remotely close...I happened upon this house online and posted it because I thought it was a far better house (and frankly more interesting) than any of the Carroll Gardens homes listed. Although I did really love the one tiny Huntington one.
Guess you must feel like a pretty big fool right about now, huh?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:11 PM
I think the best PS we've seen in a long time.
I wonder how big the yard is.
I also think this is Paul Auster's block, no?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:16 PM
Well then perhaps you should tell Mr. Brownstoner that you should write the blog since you apparently do so much of a better job than he with listing the open houses.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:17 PM
I agree with poster#1: floor plans?! Hello!
And as someone else mentioned, no bathroom or kitchen photos...
"Flawless" ground floor rental? Wah? Are we talking about grades of diamonds? Hhhhh...
Frankly, I'll take 1850's over 1890's ANY day. This house's interior is not my preferred. I think I would stay away from this type of interior...but this is my taste. I can imagine lots of people fall for this kind of interior.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:18 PM
Brooklynnative,
Yes, I just mentioned how this style is not my favorite and I agree that wainscotting up to a plate rail/shelf is just not my taste...I find it gloomy as do you!
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:19 PM
I could sit in that living room with a straight face waiting for the butler to bring me a drink.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:19 PM
The behavior of 2:11 speaks of the charming arrogance that is particular to Park Slope. In fact the perfect personality for that ridiculous dining room.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:20 PM
For this place I'd even tolerate the stroller moms!
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:28 PM
MontroseMorris,
Love you dearly but don't love that glass door too much...it's probably some repro and even if not, it's kind of banal and kind of ugly.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:28 PM
Now, THAT be some good real-estate porn. It's soooo rare to find a house with that much elaborate woodwork at all, let alone in that kind of perfect condition. And not stained super-dark, too. Niceeeeeeeeeee.
Posted by: Rehab at December 3, 2007 2:29 PM
"2nd street really isn't North Slope, right? It's more like plain old 'classic slope'"
I'd describe it as "Vanilla Slope"
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:29 PM
BTW 2:29,
There are LOTS of houses with this kind of woodwork. Check out Bed-Stuy. I've seen houses that rival...and exceed...this one.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:34 PM
sure lots will like this, but i agree with 2:08. it's too much. it just seems so old. like you should be 90 and dying to live there.
for this money, couldn't you get a smokin' apartment not so far from manhattan?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:47 PM
Yes, but you know what the say about location, location, location...
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:47 PM
that you should live in a location that is located in a location?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:51 PM
"Well then perhaps you should tell Mr. Brownstoner that you should write the blog since you apparently do so much of a better job than he with listing the open houses. "
I simply posted a link and said it looks like a nice house. I don't claim to do a better job than this site's publisher, and for your information, I DID in fact send the link to him for consideration to be profiled. I think he does a fine job and I enjoy the site thoroughly. Even your snarky, bitter comments.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:53 PM
"but this place is a complete wreck. The lintels and the facade are crumbling and coming off in huge hunks. To get a sense of the pricing, you need a structural engineer to get in there."
You have the wrong place. This place is IMMACULATE on the outside.
No idea what you are talking about.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:55 PM
I suppose this is interesting eye candy. Fun to ogle at, like in the same way you might ogle at a 3 headed monster. But seriously, I don't know anyone who would ever want to live in a place like this. It would just be embarrassing.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:56 PM
There are places out there with this kind of woodwork in this kind of condition--but not lots and lots of them. It's the rare homeowner that doesn't find some way to screw up a great house.
I went through 50 houses in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, FG and Clinton Hill before I found two with some details left. Of course, that also was a function of my low-ish price point, which definitely was not in the 3 millions.
Posted by: Rehab at December 3, 2007 2:56 PM
Who would pay this much just to live in Park Slope? My $1500 a month rental studio apartment in Williamsburgh over the Chinese takeout, with the leaky ceiling and rodent problem is waaaay better than this place. The crack running through the plaster in the bathroom exposes the period details behind the wall. Anyway, I am close to amenities, too.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 2:59 PM
I've been inside a number of similar houses on that block, and the detail and woodwork are exquisite. Nice floorplan, too, if you don't mind a small yard, since the kitchens tend to be located in extensions, as is apparently the case here. The center stair creates an interesting parlor floor configuration that is different from most of the classic brownstones.
Having said all of this, the broker would do well to (1) post a floorplan, (2) post pictures of the kitchen and bathrooms, (3) post pictures of the garden rental, and (4) provide information on the mechanicals. For this money, it had better be upgraded with central air, new boiler, modern but tasteful kitchen and baths, etc.
Posted by: Park Sloper at December 3, 2007 3:07 PM
Not true 2:55. I live right across the street from this place. It does have facade issues.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:27 PM
This is a beautiful house. Saw it this weekend at the open house, which was pretty crowded for a snowy day. Gorgeous woodwork throughout, really well maintained. There is a beautiful kitchen extension, which was done nicely and is of high quality (unlike the typical crappy kitchen extension so prevalent in many brownstone extensions). Not sure why the broker didn't include a photo of the kitchen, since it's really nice. Master bathroom is huge and nice and up to date. Top floor bathroom is in fine shape but might need to be altered to fit your own tastes. Could not see garden level or basement because there is a tenant in place until August 2008--you have to schedule an appointment to see it. The yard is small, it's what you see in the picture. But there is a really nice deck above that, so they've really maximized the outdoor space they do have. All in all, a beautiful house. And I agree with other posters about price--if uglier and less quality homes in Clinton Hill and Ft. Greene are going for $2.995 (274 Clinton Ave) and way above (the 2 Washington Park houses) then this home is priced well, in my opinion. I am not a broker, btw, just a brownstone admirer who is sick of seeing crummy homes on the market for outrageous prices.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:34 PM
What crumbling facade issues are you people talking about? I went to the open house, and checked the place out from the outside as well, for quite a long time. Saw absolutely nothing "crumbling" or "cracking". Sounds like someone is trying to sabotage the sale.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:38 PM
I agree, 3:38.
Anyone who has SEEN this home knows it is in excellent shape on the outside.
Someone definitely trying to sabatoge here today.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:46 PM
What's the "LPC website"?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 3:47 PM
2:50 wtf are you talking about? a rental? how about buying in manhattan. for 3 bills, you could live somewhere that isn't so far from the action.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:00 PM
If you've got three "bills" to spend, then the action is wherever you hang your hat. Period.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:04 PM
sure, you can buy a 2 bedroom in manhattan for 3 million.
not a huge, beautiful house on one of the prettiest streets in new york.
how about trying to compare similar things. that makes a little more sense.
this house would be 7 million on the upper west side, 20 on the upper east and about 16 mil in the west village.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:05 PM
"Am I the only person who finds that literally over the top woodwork extended to the ceiling a bit gloomy and oppressive?"
Yes Brooklynnative, you are.
Just joking--I'm sure you have a lot of company, but I hope no one who feels this way buys this house.FWIW these late 1890s houses are my personal favorite style
A couple of weeks ago I passed a four story on Midwood I, in PLG that has similar woodwork. The house was recently sold and the woodwork, which the previous owners had laborously striped, was painted white. I know it's their house and they can do what they like to the interior, but my wife and I found it heartbreaking, as did a friend who was walking with us.
Also, RE: Rehab's comment that "There are places out there with this kind of woodwork in this kind of condition--but not lots and lots of them", this kind of detail is quite common in Lefferts Manor, probably because [most] houses here always remained single family--and because houses were built here in the late '90s through 1910s. [I write this without any intention of starting a war--I realize that there are reasons why the Slope costs twice as much as LM].
Posted by: Bob Marvin at December 3, 2007 4:05 PM
im a young college grad who thinks that brooklyn and the area surrounding park slope has just as much action as manhattan and with cheaper beer and prices overall. I only go out in the LES and East Village because my friends like to not because its my first option.
most of manhattan is for douches who go to Butter and shitty midtown bars.
Posted by: Santa at December 3, 2007 4:06 PM
"If you've got three "bills" to spend, then the action is wherever you hang your hat. Period."
Thank you--finally someone makes sense.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:11 PM
Im not a fan of all the wood to the ceiling but I have to admit that in this house, it all looks pretty beautiful to me. You could have some pretty fabulous dinner parties in there :)
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at December 3, 2007 4:12 PM
If you're a young college grad what are you doing living in milk toast, or "vanilla," if you prefer, hood like the Slope? This is a place where people feel most comfortable surrounded by dark wood paneling.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:22 PM
You know, i wasn't sure that the action is where ever you hang your hat, when you have 3 bills, but then when he wrote, "period", I thought he must be right.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:26 PM
Ah, Bob--another reason I need to get out to your house tour in Lefferts (there is one, right?) Always love to see some good wood....
I agree with the previous poster about putting paint on virgin woodwork. As much as I understand the appeal of the lighter, brighter look of painted wood, I can't bring myself to do that. Not to hardwood like oak and mahogany. I just paint the walls a light color and call it a day.
Posted by: Rehab at December 3, 2007 4:32 PM
Easy boys.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 4:57 PM
In terms of price...someone referred to a house in FG:
L's 5-story gut reno'd and restored (not my taste) house on FG Park was a lot more house (height, scale, width, garden) and older...and it was a one-family. The house exposéd here does not compare.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:01 PM
I have to say...for a thread on a home in Park Slope, this one has been suprisingly mature and on the up and up.
I think strollers were only mentioned once.
Hot.
House is loverly.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:04 PM
This house is for stiffs. That dining room is for eating roast mutton. This is charm?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:17 PM
5:01, I was not referring to the Wash Park house that sold last year and was reduced from $4 mill to $3 mill. I am referring to the more recent Wash Park listings ($2.8 and $3.8!! both featured on brownstoner--do a search) that have nothing going on on the inside, or on the outside for that matter, and one of them is even still classified as an SRO. Also, 274 Clinton Ave, priced at $3 million. There is no comparison with this house.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:24 PM
This is a good housing for dying in.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:29 PM
To add to your comment, 5:24....5:01 is very naive to think that the house alone makes up 100% of it's price.
I think he/she has never heard of a little thing called location, location, location.
This one seems to have the best of both worlds.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 5:33 PM
Interesting double entendre Rehab, but we certainly have great wainscotting in PLG :-).
This Spring's house tour will be our 38th one.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at December 3, 2007 5:34 PM
master of the house ... keeper of the keep
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 6:04 PM
Yes you are absolutely right 5:33 to point out the location factor. It makes the Park Slope house seem like even less of a bargain when you consider how much cooler Fort Green is.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 6:30 PM
We love FG!!!
...NYC's best kept secret!
...or is it anymore?...hhhh...
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 6:43 PM
I think this house is a great deal. Yes, the dining room is a bit dark, but if you painted the walls white, it would brighten up considerably.
I don't know how the kitchen, bathrooms, other parts of renovation are -- but it's pretty unusual to find a full-size renovated house in the choice part of Park Slope. Compare it to the house on 3rd street for 3.75 -- they're the same size... not sure what the other one has (perhaps ac, more and newer bathrooms/kitchen) that would justify big price.
bet this goes for at or above asking
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 7:22 PM
My guess is that the very wealhty buyer of this house will probably bring his/her high-end designer or architect in to take a look and of course they will reject the existing look of the interior from top to bottom. This sumptuous period style, so beloved ten years ago, is now OUT! Today it's all about open plans and European minimalism. Sleekness, whiteness, a glass facade on the rear, maybe a lap pool on the garden level extending out to the rear garden. Kiss the old woodwork, sliding doors and interior partitions good bye. Big money is into making a statement. What good is money if your parlor looks like the one next door that is owned by the "poor" family that has lived there for decades?
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 7:52 PM
just to humor you, 7:52...any reason a buyer like the one you profiled would not be more apt to buy a home with a few less details to...you know...make the clean slate, minimalism a little easier?
seems so to me.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 8:08 PM
Now this is a beautiful home.
http://www.elliman.com/Listings.aspx?ListingID=931051
Posted by: Brooklynnative at December 3, 2007 8:20 PM
8:08
I agree, you would think so, but the rich are complex, they want the historic rowhouse AND the Tribeca lifestyle. I'm in the business and it is the trend. Folks used to love these Victorian interiors when they were paying a million, a million two, for the houses, but now the money is so great that the new families have to create something "personal". read: conspicuous consumption. Buy a palace filled with gorgeous details and rip it all out. How rich is that? I'm just reporting what i am seeing in the biz.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:19 PM
The crowd at the open house was a very interesting mix. Not the typical Slope demographic, at all. That made me happy.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:26 PM
Am I the only one shocked that 3.2 is considered a "deal"? Yes, it's nice (if you like that style, which I don't really - I agree that all that woodwork is oppressive and good for dying or eating roast mutton). But it's not particularly large - not even 20' wide, or 50' deep, and a shortish lot (95). There is a floor plan, by the way, on the BHS web site, and it looks like the kitchen is indeed in a kind of weird, long and narrow extension - not very conducive to hanging out with your guests when you have a dinner party, though I suppose the hired help must prepare all the food in such a house. Anyway, I think this market is truly bonkers and I pray to god 2008 brings some sensibility at last (as the NYT Sunday real estate section no less predicted this past weekend)...
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:28 PM
9:28, of course it's not a "deal". BUT, relative to the insanely high prices for lesser houses in neighborhoods with less amenities, yes, it is considered a good deal. It's comparatively speaking, that's all.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:45 PM
Brooklyn native, yes that's a nice home. But so is this one. They're both beautiful. I'm sure that one will be featured soon.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:46 PM
i don't mind if people rip out or do whatever they please to the inside of their homes, 9:19. i don't mind modern, nor do i mind a glass wall in the back.
i'm actually more interested in the beauty of these homes from the exterior, and i also like the period detail but i'm not nutty about it.
that's why buying property is so nice. you can do whatever the hell you please on the inside.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 9:57 PM
But the one Brooklyn native showed is much nicer.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 10:14 PM
i'm being serious here...but brooklyn native....i think that house you linked is going to go into a bidding war. wow!
stunning house also.
both of these homes make me realize why i love brownstone brooklyn so much.
Posted by: guest at December 3, 2007 10:20 PM
9:26 - I'm curious what your perception of the "slope demographic" is, and how the open house crowd did not fit into that. Care to share?
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:24 AM
I think this home was made for DRACULA, after he left Transylvania for the U.S.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:10 AM
i'd paint it pink.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 9:40 AM
I doubt this house will go into a bidding war. But the one that brooklyn native showed... that is bidding war worthy!!
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:02 AM
Brooklynnative, get your own damn blog and stop hijacking posts.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:38 AM
Oh, but you didn't seem to have a problem hijacking the Carol Gardens open house listings with this house last friday.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:45 AM
who the eff cares 11:45?
GET OVER YOURSELF!
no one is hijacking anything. in discussing this property (all 80 comments of it) one brought to light another similar property in the neighborhood for comparison's sake.
what is your deal? you the owner and pissed that a couple comments aren't talking about your perfect little house? get a grip on your life please.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:49 AM
oh, i just love drama!
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:45 PM
please please people - don't pretend that ps isn't a pain in the ass in terms of commuting. i lived there for years. it's far from stuff in manhattan.
i bet most of you PS's do not go into the city on the weekends.
for me, i had to ask myself, what is the damned point of living in NYC, if i was skipping too many of the cultural events that make NYC magnificent.
not saying that you have to live in manhattan, i live in williamsburg and love brooklyn more than anything, but really, do not do not do not ever ever think that PS is on the same par as Manhattan. it's just got some hundred year old + housing and a few ok restaurants and a park. i walked around there for many years, and it gets to be the same ol same ol. with wildly less attractive people than the city (or dumbo or williamsburg).
PS does not have the outstanding schools, museums, ballets, galleries, restaurants, theater, opera, ETC... that the city has. the 100 best schools just came out. NEST-M is on there. if you lived closer or in downtown manhattan, you could send your kid there, instead, you live too far in PS to consider manhattan's top schools, so you end up with over crowded 321 that in the DOE analysis came behind 5 schools in greenpoint/williamsburg.
and, really 3 million is a lot of money. space is space. you can get a family sized apt for that in manhattan or a smokin place in a much closer brooklyn neighborhood. 2000 sq. ft x $1500 psf gives you tons of options.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:41 PM
the B and Q get you to grand st in 15min.
living by flatbush is the way to go.
Posted by: Santa at December 4, 2007 10:06 PM
Yes and this house is far, far, far from Flatbush.
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 9:25 AM
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