House of the Day: 275 Adelphi Street

If it has an "award-winning garden" why is there no picture of the garden?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:52 PM

Great house!!!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:54 PM

Stunning house !

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:55 PM

It's directly across the street from a school.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:55 PM

Ok...I don't think I've seen a house I've been so envious of.

Every detail...and the way it's been renovated and decorated is flawless, in my opinion.

This should sell easily, I would think.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:57 PM

Hyperbole!!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:57 PM

I use to live i this area and if you have a JOB at normal hours the school should not be a factor...

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:58 PM

LUSHISHISH

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 1:59 PM

This house is in one of the greatest areas in the city...

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:00 PM

Yes, post a link to the award the garden received.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:01 PM

I'd spend some money on finding an original style railing for the outside, but other than that, it is PERFECTION!!!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:02 PM

Gorgeous. Absolutely LOVE the kitchen and b&w tiles in the bathroom.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:02 PM

Lot is 90' deep.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:04 PM

I'm not a fan of punching windows through the cornice. I think skylights work better and it doesn't mess with the architectural integrity of the house. Just my pet peeve.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:17 PM

As a descendant of the Carrara marble empire, I'd like to tell brokers that it's CARRARA marble, not "Carrera". Over and over again, year after year, the same mistake.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:19 PM

I'm buying a lottery ticket today!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:20 PM

I toured this house yesterday (It is showing by appointment only) It is indeed as gorgeous as its appears, and has been renovated to within an inch of its life by a perfectionist owner. My favorite part was the fifth floor--with it's own kitchen and bedroom it seemed like it's own pied-a- terre... I'm sure this will go at ask, if not over.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:24 PM

why would they do such a beautiful renovation and not convert the CofO to it's current use. Isn't it cheaper to finance a 1 or 2 family as opposed to a 3 family?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:27 PM

Come on...2:24 is definitely the broker, right? I'm really not being snarky here, but why not just say you're the broker and give people info about the house rather than pretend otherwise?

And if you're not, well, you definitely sound like one and if you plan to continue posting on b-stoner, you should sign in officially so as not to look so suspicious.

House looks great, but price seems a little steep.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:30 PM

I don't think the price is steep at all, for once.

In all honesty, I'd say it looks like a great price.

I also think it could go for over ask. This is one of those houses that you just fall in love with.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:33 PM

I stopped a toddler from climbing out of the second floor window of this house last year. I yelled, hey! And the kid zipped back off the ledge. I ran over to the house and rang the bell and the nanny seemed kind of blase. Hope they're moving somewhere with better baby rails.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:49 PM

2:49....You happened to remember it was precisely 275 Adelphi, because???

Sounds fishy.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:51 PM

Come home to the fabulous life of brownstone living of your dreams! Five floors of glorious, detail-dripping splendor. This ultra-precious gem will change your life and take you higher, soaring. A home that will stimulate parts of your brain that will result in a sustained and incredible rush of pure bliss. Creamy and dreamy and voluptuous that will pump blood to all the right places. A trip to higher plane of existence. Platonic forms rendered in architectural gold, platinum, and all forms of precious and semi-precious stones.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 2:56 PM

2.17 - those windows in the cornice were not added, they are original and relatively rare. They are on several of the houses on this block.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:10 PM

It's 2:49 here. Well, believe whatever you want. I remember because I probably saved the little kid's life, and I thought it was a pretty nice-looking house as I rushed up the steps.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:28 PM

Why is there a kitchen on the top floor if it's being used as a 1-2 family, as the description states?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:37 PM

"And if you're not, well, you definitely sound like one and if you plan to continue posting on b-stoner, you should sign in officially so as not to look so suspicious."

What the hell is the deal with imploring people to "sign in"??? If it's so important, why isn't everyone required to sign in to post a comment here? If your idea is that registering an "identity" makes a post seem "less suspicious," then you're dead wrong. I've seen MANY suspicious posts (not to mention hateful, racist, inflammatory and plain old misinformed) from "registered" people. Give me a break.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:41 PM

"2:49....You happened to remember it was precisely 275 Adelphi, because???"

Because he saved a kid's life. DUH!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:42 PM

3:10 is correct.
Many classically designed rowhouses have "attic" windows that are worked into the design of the cornice. Sometimes they are enlarged, which does not seem to be the case here, and then the look is ruined.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:45 PM

No elevator?? No deal!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:47 PM

No open house? No deal!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:57 PM

No pictures of the AWARD-WINNING GARDEN????? No deal!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 3:58 PM

Where's the floorplan on the listing?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:02 PM

This seems like a home that a young investment banker would buy. Fort Greene is a great alterative to Park Slope... this area is rather young and very hip and still has a down to earth vibe. The park will be great to hang out in come summer and the farmers market is rather nice on saturdays.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:04 PM

"The windows through the cornice were not an uncommon historic detail - to let light into the attic. You also see these small windows on the top floor of older pitch roofed buildings."

You will find several such homes in the Crown Heights landmark district, and specifically on Dean Street between New York and Kingston Avenues.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:29 PM

"This seems like a home that a young investment banker would buy."

Except that the greenbacks have been replaced with pink slips.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:31 PM

There are quite a few of these homes with attic windows on 8th Avenue in the North Slope, I believe...

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:31 PM

Crown Hts, Park Slope and Bedford Stuyvesant have many homes with these attic windows

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:38 PM

WOW.... I love this house it is very light airy cool look... great job

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:40 PM

wow 3:41, little fired up there, eh? Like I said, I had no snarky intentions, truly, and I wasn't IMPLORING anyone to do anything. The commenter sounded like a broker. She then signed in and now she doesn't. I'm not dead wrong about anything, in fact, she proved my point exactly. Her comment made more sense when I knew where she was coming from.

Sure, there's tons of suspicious/sketchy posts on this site, I was commenting on just one of them. Chill out.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:51 PM

"Where's the floorplan on the listing?"

Its the little botton under the photos that says view floorplan

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:52 PM

LOL. Love it, 4:52.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 4:54 PM

4:52, sorry, but I have to ask again, where is the floorplan? When I press that button, I just get the broker photos. Is it some new glitch with the Corcoran website because I use safari and not microsoft explorer? I've never had this problem before. Can everyone else see the floorplan?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:00 PM

"Is it some new glitch with the Corcoran website because I use safari and not microsoft explorer?"

Yes.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:14 PM

Ok, thanks guest 5:14pm. It must have been very recent because I've been looking at the floorplans via safari for years, and just noticed today that it doesn't work anymore.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:18 PM

I had the same problem 5:18. It doesn't work with Firefox either. Lame.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:21 PM

wait, isn't fort greene in brooklyn?

Dealbreaker!!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:31 PM

The beauty of this house is that if it were picked up and moved to the West Village, you could sell this baby for 15 million...and probably in a day.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:34 PM

5:34--and this is relevant because...

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:35 PM

I'm not impressed with the interior. Those bathrooms are terrible. Nothing high end about them. It's cheap to tile or put stone only around a tub/shower. Spend some money and tile a bathroom properly.

Exposed brick walls....YUK!
Kitchen too small, not enough counter space.

It amazes me what people will OOHHH and AAAHH over....just cause you see pretty walls and mouldings. Look at the details people. Look at the details.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 5:59 PM

5:59: Are you from the burbs? You sound like a total ass.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 6:16 PM

Corcoran brokers are you listening? Whatever you just did to your website means the floorplans are no longer available to buyers who don't use microsoft explorer. Please change it back. Many buyers, like myself, just assume you don't have them available because a photo of the 2 brokers pops up instead. Very lame. Also, it means potential sellers think you aren't doing your job because you don't post floorplans.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 6:24 PM

I'm sure it is "perfect", if perfect is what you want. Frankly, it looks a little sterile and luxury hotel-ish to me. But who cares what I think. It's a big, big house in a great location that needs not a thing done to it. It'll sell for close to ask.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 6:26 PM

I think 5:59 has something very solidly wedged up his ass.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 6:32 PM

Can someone estimate what we should expect to offer for a 4-floor "regular" townhouse in prime Fort Greene that needs a real reno? Basically, by “prime” I mean “prime commuting walking distance and decent shopping”--anything south of DeKalb and west of, say, Clermont, like a couple blocks to the A/C. By "real reno" I mean, new everything like windows, electric, heat/hot water systems, bathrooms and kitchens but the bones are decent with some details still intact…maybe new interior woodwork around windows and some new doors, whatever.

We have looked at a couple of places and don't want (can’t afford) the really big houses like on South Portland and the park. And we don’t like the smaller ones on Carlton between Greene and Layette…saw one and its “garden” floor was really only a cellar with windows. We’re more in the market for an in-between sized brick rowhouse like on Lafayette or something.

The backyards in most of FG are not that deep like they are in Prospect Heights but really, it is more the convenience to all the trains in FG and the feel of the neighborhood we like. Truth is, we live here now and don't want to leave.

Are all prices in prime FG near the trains well north of 1.6 even for places that, frankly, need a real reno?

Your thoughts on:
Is it worth dropping 2m on a basic double-duplex or owner-duplex-plus-two-rentals in prime FG that is in "okay" shape, not needing major reno but freshening up?
Are the ones that need full renos going for 1.5? Is the nabe going to remain “golden” or at least stable through this downturn?

We don't want to lose a bidding war again.

Feedback please. Thanks!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 6:52 PM

2:24 why if you like the house are you not buying it?

other commentors, wow i never read such boring comments in my life.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:05 PM

Thanks 7:05, you have truly raised the bar!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:13 PM

5:31 gets my vote for best comment so far.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:14 PM

When estimating the price of townhouses in FG, should we count about $500K or more per floor for a well-renovated/finished house and about $350-400K per floor of a house that needs a real renovation?

Am needing guidance. It seems like even some of the not-so-hot places that need light renovation have recently gone for 500K per floor (i.e. 2M for a 4-story house) in the most convenient parts of the neighborhood.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:20 PM

Great house and nice area...I live nearby and walk down this street almost daily. Only problem for me is the after school noise and frank commotion from the school kids. That being said I really like the renovation. Will sell for @ least 200K less though in this cooling market imo.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:31 PM

I agree with 7:31. The fact that it's across the street from the school, that it's a 90' deep lot (and not 100), and that it's NOT South Portland Avenue or Washington Park, all merit a discount, especially in this market. $200-250K less sounds about right.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:35 PM

What school is that and how is it?

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:35 PM

The school is decent. It fronts Carlton and Adelphi with the entrance across from these Adelphi homes. Kind of a mess, yes...but if you work in an office away from home during regular business hrs you won't have that much issue in the evening. We live not far away and really don't have much problem with noise from the kids...just food/candy wrappers we have to pick up once in a while...uh...more than once in a while actually. But it is a good crowd of kids. FG has a lot of schools so you see tons of kids on their way to Bishop Loughlin and Brooklyn Tech in the AM as well.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:43 PM

For those having trouble seeing the floorplan:

- http://www.corcoran.com/images/media/BldgFloorplans/46359.1.gif

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 7:47 PM

What kind of job could I get that would just require me to read Brownstoner and research comps all day? That's all I want to do...

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 8:03 PM

OMG that house is so beautiful it makes me hard. OOOOh I just saw the tack black and white bathroom and i ejecoolaated in my ooonderpnts. Not the broker or the seller, but i'm bidding, fook yooz loozers, criticising a beautiful reno in da hood lyke dis. dis is a bargen baby, bye now, now!!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 8:10 PM

I don't quite understand the square footage. Property shark says the bldg is 47' long, lot 57 as Corcoran website says. Also, Property shark lists total sf as 3280, which is a far cry from footage on Corcoran. Can anyone explain the difference? Obviously, this greatly impacts price per sf!

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 9:39 PM

6:52 pm, you should check this place out. I was fantasizing about this as a reno project. I don't know what state its in -- the photos look almost fake, so much detail -- but they do emphasize that it's a gut reno, so I'd think you'd be putting in at least half a million, if not more.

A good ballpark figure for a gut reno is $125 a square foot for a lean renovation (no fancy finishes), to $250 a sq foot if you want to go all out (by normal people standards, of course, not Brooklyn Heights onyxbathroom gaudy).

Good luck.

Posted by: guest at January 29, 2008 10:30 PM

Uh, 10:30, you forgot the link.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 1:17 AM

Yum. I love everything except that stupid vessel sink.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 1:28 AM

So everyone on Brownstoner likes this but NO ONE here buys. What's the point?

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 8:10 AM

Have you people ever been in a genuinely nice house? This is W. hotel style pseudo-elegance, and it's going to look like a fifty year old Louisiana whore in about three minutes. Anyone drooling over this place doesn't have the dosh to actually buy it. Watch it sit.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 10:00 AM

Kitten's got claws.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 11:52 AM

I don't see your references at all, 10:00am. I myself look at this listing and see a well-done mix of modern and original. I don't get the 50 year old Lousiana whore thing, what is that? Wouldn't that suggest it's all antiquey inside?

The only thing that's bordello tacky to me are the frou-frou chandeliers. That was a trend in interiors a couple years ago and it's going out. I actually think this house could take very modern chandeliers and still honor its era and original details.

I love the brick wall in the rental. I never understand when people want just a blank, textureless, swathe of nothingness on a wall. It really truly is the taste of the 'burbs to hate brick walls.

I like the rental kitchen way more than the parlor floor kitchen. Love the mix of blue and white. I know there's no choice to make a parlor floor kitchen small, but I always see them and think wow, that's a tough kitchen to keep looking nice. Clutter city. And you know the island ends up piled with so much stuff you can't actually sit at it and use it as a breakfast bar. If the dining table is a mere few feet away, putting in stools simply takes away potential storage space you desperately need. There could be shelves or cabinets under there instead of space for stools.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 11:54 AM

Oh and btw 10am the only reason I wouldn't buy this house is we already own one. I think a lot of people here on Brownstoner do own houses or coops. Some of those who are most ardent in defending certain neighborhoods for example, certainly are homeowners. Why would a renter get so furious when someone insults a neighborhood? They don't have any financial investment in it or in its success and appreciation.

I wish we could afford a fully renovated house in Fort Greene. Love FG. But we bought a smaller place for 1/3 the price in another neighborhood, which we love too.

Posted by: guest at January 30, 2008 11:58 AM

YUM?? How about YUCH. Is anyone here old enough to know that good taste is not hotel chic? No buyers go on Brownstoner.

Posted by: guest at January 31, 2008 8:00 AM