What's Up with 200 Adelphi Street?

It's not possible. And, maybe, just maybe, a normal person would call that an "extension."

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:42 AM

That's a hot piece of property. Damn damn damn. Whoever's got their hands on this better know that the Hot Piece of Property police (ie me) are out here jealously judging every "improvement" they make.

For real, though, it's beautiful. Hope the owner treats it well.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:49 AM

For real 10:49AM and brownstoner the owner is a long term resident of the community who has done a hell of a lot more with her life than either of you. Thanks for your concerns.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:58 AM

Isn't this the place that someone threw paint all over a few months ago? I may be mistaken...

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:58 AM

This one, I think, merits an "Um."

Um, getting to the point, here, how is this person getting away with putting up a weird, semi-circular, multi-story addition in the heart of the Ft. Green landmark district?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:25 AM

10:58am,

Please elaborate. What exactly has the owner of this property done with "her life" that merits an ugly illegal extension in a landmark district?

I can't wait to hear your reply. I'm sure it will be completely idiotic just like your first post.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:33 AM

That extension is obviously a grain or missile silo. They're all the rage on Brownstones in Iowa. Now, they're here.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:54 AM

11:33-judging what speculators and other overnight developers (with no real ties to Fort Greene) has done to many other vacant lots makes this a real gem in my eyes.And shows that you have have no real design taste. furthermore, because this is a historic district your ignorant opinion that it's illegal shows you have no knowledge of the building process either.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:58 AM

My G*d! Another thing the DOB and Landmarks will stop with any luck. I can't imagine that extension was approved by Landmarks!
FG/TGL

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:04 PM

Excuse me Mrs. Limestone, but are you not the same person who posted about your Crown Heights home with a similar circular front. A round room is very practical and you know that first hand. Shame on you for trying to play both sides of the fence.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:06 PM

I like it too Mrs. Limestone.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:10 PM

This place has permits in place and is outside of the Landmark District. What's the problem?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:11 PM

I think owners of homes should be allowed to do what they want with them. Afterall, they put their money and effort into the house.People need to mind their own business.Life would be less stressful.Who cares what is being done to the back of their home?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:12 PM

Attention Landmark Nazi's! This property is not landmarked. It's on the unlandmarked side of Willoughby.

Additionally, the lot is 50 by 102 ft. So there is no vacant lot next door.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:25 PM

Damn...not landmarked! Wonderful.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:45 PM

FAB! love that extension - looks like theres a nice garden too. WOW!

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 1:09 PM

12:25 is correct, I am looking at my trusty NYC Landmarks (third edition) and the historic district does not cross Willoughby here. That is why they were able to build that quite odd, out-of-scale porch. Still, the rest of the house looks pristine and considering what they could have done instead, the community owes the owners a round of applause.
But if property values keep skyrocketing, the whole house could be torn done next year and replaced with a highrise.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 1:19 PM

Oh, well, if it's not landmarked, I guess they could legally build a round addition. And it looks like it's made of nice materials. It just doesn't make any sense, design-wise. Whatevs.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 1:25 PM

12:12,

You must put a space after the period. Your writing is very disturbing. Notice the spaces after the punctuation? See, I did it again.

I like strange rounded totally atextual additions. It makes a neighborhood more interesting.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 1:50 PM

Me thinks considering that this is still obviously a work in progress, that people would wait to see what exactly it is or will be before judging it's contextual merits.

Furthermore, with all of the shit-shack extensions that people were either too cheap to remove or made the mistake of installing on the back of a GREAT MANY brownstones all over Brooklyn(just take a look out of your garden-facing windows) this is certainly more welcoming.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 3:17 PM

10:58 -- get outta here with your "long term resident of the community". You make Ft Greene sound like some blue blood Palm Springs or Boston Brahmin enclave. This is New York, where people with roots have just as much to offer as those who came off the boat yesterday. Please curb our condescending, snobby attitude.

I agree that it's not cool to rip into someone's home, be they newcomers or Mayflower descendants. But it's Brownstoner we're on, and by definition, most of the people on the site have a fetish for these grand old buildings -- this being a prime example.

Beautiful buildings are a public legacy, as well as private property, and even though the law is usually on the side of the owner (at least in America), it doesn't prevent the public from feeling a bond with parts of their neighborhood.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 3:19 PM

Who care?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 3:33 PM

I'm with 3:19. I'm so tired of reading comments from the old guard in every neighborhood - good or "bad" - about the new people ruining the place. If you've been there so long what are you doing reading a real estate blog? People on here are people looking for a place. Moreover, nobody forced your former neighbor out of their house and took over. Maybe your old neighbors hated you so much they decided to sell and move.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 3:57 PM

The extension is fully permitted, supposedly it is going to be an internal stair case for the owners apartment with a deck of some sort on top. There a number of rental units in the building and the current owner bought it some 15 years ago when there were still vagrants and crack heads hanging out on the stoop. According to public records the house was at one point an SRO and some old neighborhoodies have stated that it was a whore for a while.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 8:01 PM

The house was a whore? How did that work? Did it make money for renovations? If so maybe I'll put mine to work.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:28 PM

This house always has such beautiful landscaping. Threads on this site normally descend into the negative, but I just want to say thanks to the owners for giving me something beautiful to appreciate when I walk by.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:42 PM

Thanks for all the positive and negative commentary on our home, when the renovations are complete maybe we'll put it on the house tour again.
200 Adelphi

Posted by: guest at December 6, 2007 10:43 AM