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September 12, 2008

Barbara Goes Long Stuy Heights

And so it ends. 408 Stuyvesant Avenue, a beautiful limestone mansion in Stuyvesant Heights that we've covered closely since December 2006, finally has a buyer, and her name's Barbara Corcoran. According to The Real Deal, Babs shelled out $1,460,000 for the 4,000-square-foot pad, a good deal less than the original asking price of $2,100,000, but quite a bit more than the $1,115,000 a couple paid for 404 Stuyvesant Avenue last spring. It's hard to take this as anything but a vote of confidence for the area and particular and the Brooklyn market in general, no? Then again, her foray in Red Hook real estate took a while to pan out.
Barbara Corcoran buys $1.4M Bed-Stuy townhouse [TRD] GMAP
Babs Buys in Bed-Stuy (After Monster PriceChopping) [Curbed]
Houses of the Day: 404 and 408 Stuyvesant Avenue [Brownstoner]
HOTD: Price Cut at 408 Stuyvesant Avenue (Again) [Brownstoner]
House of the Day: 408 Stuyvesant Avenue Revisited [Brownstoner]
House of the Day: 408 Stuyvesant Avenue [Brownstoner]

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You go girl!

Is this bullish? Depends what you thought of the original asking price.

Posted by: in context at September 12, 2008 2:37 PM

gorgeous
how bad is it over there that this sells for only 1.4?

(honest question)

Posted by: blackstoner at September 12, 2008 2:38 PM

It is a lovely place, I think limestones are great. This is a better deal than that place she bought in Red Hook on the basis that RH was to be the next Williamsburg. (Didn't do her transportation homework there).

Posted by: dittoburg at September 12, 2008 2:39 PM

"how bad is it over there that this sells for only 1.4?"

Only? Stuy Heights compares less to Clinton Hill where a place like this could have went for 2. CH has FG as it's neighbor. SH is encapsulated by Bed Stuy proper. 1.4 is no discount.

Posted by: DOW8000SP800 at September 12, 2008 2:52 PM

blackstoner...you should visit...you'd be surprised how nice and quiet and clean it is. Take the A train to Utica...get off at the end of the train and walk out through Fulton Park....its really very nice.

Somebody post a pic of babs so I know who she is if I run into her at peaches!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 2:52 PM

Do any of you really think Babs is going to be taking a subway anywhere? Beautiful looking home.

Does anyone think she's going to try to flip it? (serious question too)

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 12, 2008 2:59 PM

Where's the What and PropJoe on this?????

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 3:02 PM

Dave, Here's a pic of Babs for ya:

- http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/features/images/BSGMiniMates/BSGMM1CylonSixGroup.jpg

Posted by: SnarkSlope at September 12, 2008 3:04 PM

Dave, careful. A Guest will be here in no time accusing you of being an enabler!!

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 12, 2008 3:06 PM

www.barbaracorcoran.com

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 3:09 PM

Hmm, Babs is nothing to write home about but more attractive than Elizabeth Stribling. I guess Stuyvesant Heights beats Brooklyn Heights in this round.

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 12, 2008 3:13 PM

This is great news and extremely exciting. If she converts to condo's that would be great also, since there is a lack of brownstone condos in the area.

blackstoner - i don't think your question is honest - it's outrageous! 1.4M! - these other neighborhoods are way over priced and let's not forget this house does need quite a bit of work to make it into condo's or a one family. this is an amazing price especially given what most people paid for their homes a few years ago. This home was purchased for 499k in 2005 and now sold for 1.4M a mere 3 years later - what does that say about how bad the neighborhood is!

Posted by: bkny at September 12, 2008 3:24 PM

I hope this becomes a one family and not condos.

How much did 404 sell for earlier this year?

Posted by: 11233 at September 12, 2008 3:33 PM

Can we STOP with the Stuyvesant Heights! I'm know I'm losing the battle but people this is just plain ol' Bed Stuy. Stuy Heights is an imaginary place adapted by real estate agents and Dave.

Posted by: 7andfive at September 12, 2008 3:40 PM

If you check back 7andfive, I've largely used that designation tongue-in-cheek...but I do like the ring to it. Kind of like BoCoCa and the word "nabes" both which offend a lot of others!!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 3:43 PM

7andfive - Stuy Heights is real and it's landmarked and historic! do your homework!

Posted by: bkny at September 12, 2008 3:50 PM

This is a beautiful home, but not a "mansion."

Posted by: East New York at September 12, 2008 3:54 PM

bkny- ask any long time Bed Stuy resident if Stuy Heights is real. I've done my homework. The real estate stuy heights is different than historic bed stuy- which extends to throop ave (most agents and recent transplants consider Stuy Heights to be the blocks around Lewis and Stuy Ave)

Posted by: 7andfive at September 12, 2008 3:54 PM

Great...

Maybe the throop stoop pooper will have a new place to do her deeds...

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at September 12, 2008 3:55 PM

The Dyker Heights place was a true mansion. Mr. B could you repost that for us just as an update.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 3:55 PM

I walk by this place every day to and from work. There have been a couple of instances this week alone of dog poop that was not picked up by the owners. I hope Babs doesn't step in any of that in those heels.

Otherwise, this block is one of the grandest in all of Brooklyn.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 3:58 PM

This area of Stuyvesant Heights is really nice.. It really has a peaceful vibe to it. As a resident of Stuyvesant Heights I hope that Barbara Corcoran and influence business investors to invest in Stuyvesant Heights.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 4:07 PM

Stuyvesant Heights Historic district is on all the landmarked street signs in the area. Read the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper archives online and you will see the area was called Stuyvesant heights section of Bedford in the 1880s-1920. You see the name also called that in the 1940s in the NY times. The name is not made up.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 4:13 PM

There is a lot of investment going on...you just don't see the end results yet. There are 4 new shops that will open on Lewis between Macon & Halsey...a florist, a wine bar, an upscale market/cafe and an Italian restaurant.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 4:13 PM

I just bought a 2fam around the corner from these limestones and walk the dogs by them every day (scooping the poop). Love my new neighborhood (nabe? 'hood? ugh) and glad to know I'm not the only one.

Posted by: jellystew at September 12, 2008 4:16 PM

Welcome to STUYVESANT HEIGHTS jellystew...

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 4:20 PM

thank you Amzi Hill. and 7andfive - the historic distric is called Stuyvesant Heights Historic District - not Bedford Stuyvesant Historic District. Read the signs, oh maybe b/c you don't live in this hood - you've never seen the signs. Brokers do 'stretch' the true nabe but this home is most certainly in landmarked stuy heights. Infact it's on what the old timers call - doctor's row. at one time this block was mainly all physicans living as one families. i would love to see this as a one family again.

Posted by: bkny at September 12, 2008 4:27 PM

I'm looking to buy in SH. Any of you locals know of anything for sale?

Posted by: Susan Elkins at September 12, 2008 4:29 PM

Thanks Amzi Hill!

As to anything for sale, we had the best luck walking around the neighborhood on Saturday mornings, taking down phone numbers and talking to everyone we met. It was a lot of work- but fun- and we saw a lot more houses that way than by just looking on craigslist and agency websites.

And calling it SH is fun - like ssshhhh ... let's keep it our little secret. Probably a little late for that now.

Posted by: jellystew at September 12, 2008 4:36 PM

I have heard of Doctors Row from many of the long timers. I do know of a few homes going on the market sometime next year. My neighbors are moving to Georgia next summer.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 4:45 PM

bkny- I do actually live the Bed Stuy. I do see the signs everyday. And I know this whole stuy heights business makes many long time residents upset. Sure the historic district was called Stuy Heights but no one in the neighborhood referred to it as such. And now the agents have even redefined the historic district to only include those blocks near Stuy Ave and Lewis. Plain and simple this is Bed Stuy- like it or love it.

Posted by: 7andfive at September 12, 2008 4:50 PM

That is the best way to look for houses in the area is to walk around and talk to locals.. Most of the older residents are the best ones to talk to and they are super friendly.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 4:50 PM

Susan Elkins - good luck with your house search! i love the nabe. I don't know if you have children but they just opened a new school, called The Brooklyn Brownstone School. They started with pre-k, kind, & 1st grade. they will add a grad every year. check out their website @ thebrooklynbrownstoneschool.org. it's an application school and not a zone school. the first application elementary school in the city! i find this particularly exciting. this is the type of news that Brownstoner should be posting. Since it's so positive bed-stuy, maybe he missed that announcement.

Posted by: bkny at September 12, 2008 4:57 PM

7andfive: Bed Stuy is the made up name. You love it, so you can use it. Have fun.

Posted by: 11233 at September 12, 2008 4:59 PM

The old time residents are the ones that wanted the city to go back to the name Stuyvesant Heights. In the late 1960s the people of this area went to the city and landmarks to recognize this area as Stuyvesant Heights. over 200 residents approved and one person disapproved back in 1971. Maybe the old person you are talking to is that one person.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 5:00 PM

Bed-Stuy was the made up name that came about in the late 1905s... Sorry doing a lot of research on the neighborhood.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 5:04 PM

last post I meant late 1950s

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 5:05 PM

By old timers I mean, 30 somethings that were born and raised in Bed Stuy. Those that grew up during Bed Stuy's worst years and came back after college. I know about 5 people in that category and they all pretty much hate the whole Stuy Heights thing.
But Bed Stuy is too big. I think N. Bed Stuy should get a special name. Stuy Heights is just surrounded by regular old Bed Stuy so it doesn't make much sense to spin this little parcel off.

Posted by: 7andfive at September 12, 2008 5:06 PM

30 somethings are now considered old timers? I thought 30 somethings were the new 20 somethings!

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 12, 2008 5:16 PM

There will be a street fair next week on Lewis Ave from 10-6. I will send the announcement details to brownstoner next week for him to publish,

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 12, 2008 5:19 PM

So the "old timers" weren't even born when the area became landmarked as Stuyvesant Heights?! 30 somethings are not old timers.

As for changing names, some of the older names - Bedford Corners, Ocean Hill - are coming back.

Posted by: 11233 at September 12, 2008 5:20 PM

There is a big trend in the city to go back to old names. Clinton use to be Hells Kitchen. Clinton Hill use to be just The Hill 100 years ago and then it became Bed-Stuy and today it is Clinton Hill. It dose seem Bedford Stuyvesant is breaking up which is not a total bad thing. I have heard people going back to names like Bedford Corners, Ocean Hill, and Tompkins Park. This just lets people know where in the area you are... If the old timers like myself 30+ lol who did not live in the area as a child but visited every summer in the 1970s and 1980s and when you said bed-stuy you just though of ghetto slum with beautiful architecture. Today when you say Stuyvesant Heights just beautiful architecture comes to mind.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 12, 2008 5:49 PM

I see no problem with smaller sub-neigborhoods, as part of larger ones. As I mentioned on this topic before, Harlem is made up of smaller neighborhoods: Mt. Morris Park, Sugar Hill, Central Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Striver's Row. To me, anyway, those names just help me determine where something or someone is, any other value judgements are those of the beholder's.

Bed Stuy is enormous. Myrtle and Nostrand is different from Jefferson and Bedford, from Stuyvesant and Chauncey, from Fulton and Howard. Calling one area Bedford Corners, another Stuyvesant Heights, and another something else is a natural desire for people to grab something smaller that they can be identified with. That is neither good or bad, it all depends on what is done with that name.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 12, 2008 6:21 PM

I am always amazed by how many comments a Bed Stuy posting a elicits Any time there is slow traffic on the blog, just add Stuyvesant Heights...umm..i mean "Bed Stuy" and stir.

Stuyvesant Heights is a really neighborhood by the way...

Posted by: bedstuyhoya at September 12, 2008 6:30 PM

I want to know why they call it the STUYVESANT HEIGHTS MONTESSORI school located near Howard ave @ 644 MacDonough St.

Posted by: SHAYLA at September 12, 2008 6:36 PM

I want to know why they call it the STUYVESANT HEIGHTS MONTESSORI school located near Howard ave @ 644 MacDonough St.

Posted by: SHAYLA at September 12, 2008 6:37 PM

I like this house, but I would have made the keystone bigger and the cornice needs an elk.
that's all

Posted by: Inigo at September 12, 2008 10:19 PM

Thanks all for the house-hunting advise. I've done plenty of walking around on sundays or during the week, but maybe more people are out on saturdays. I'll have to learn to be more inquisitive, beyond the friendly hellos we get/give to everyone!

Posted by: Susan Elkins at September 13, 2008 10:04 AM

yikes... just relocated to Bed-Stuy on Dekalb ave w/family to stay. any time I state...I reside in "Bed-Stuy" to my hipster friends; they all reply with..."oh, you mean "The New Bed-Stuy"!!! What a take on names; such as "SH of Bed-stuy"! now more & more of my hipster friends are relocating to Bed-Stuy...I mean the "New Bed-Stuy" to them, I think!??? what's your take on the name game??? Inquiring minds want to know!

Posted by: 911NewYorker at September 13, 2008 11:56 AM

The Montessori School moved from a location on Madison St. Still not Stuyvesant Heights proper, but closer. I think people who insist on thinking of Stuy Hghts as something new are stuck on themseleves and the belief that this neighborhood has been waiting for them and Barabara Corcoran to legitimize it. We established the historic district in 1971. The only reason that it is not larger (i.e. inclusive of 'Brownstone Bed-Stuy'in other words everything south of Monroe and East of Bedford) is because the politics of the Landmarks Preservation Commission at that time and some old timers who thought 'landmarking' would tie their hands. We shaped this neighborhood and preserved what you see today. There were hits and misses along the way for sure but serious work was done. The new comers, which I welcome and encourage, are benefactors as well. Now with us, you, they and Barbara can continue the work.

Posted by: bedstuygirl at September 13, 2008 4:14 PM

The funny thing is that this area was landmarked before Park Slope. I really hope that Stuyvesant Heights landmarked district includes more blocks in the near future.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at September 13, 2008 7:54 PM

why is it that u yuppies like bed stuy and bushwick so much,yet u wont set foot into brownsville or east new york?since u like the hood so much.just wondering.

Posted by: buckfast at September 13, 2008 9:29 PM

buckfast:
It’s a no-brainer, the new Bed-Stuy & some what Bushwick are gentrifying each passing day; plus you have transportation issues (e.g., 20 extra minutes each way by train/bus to eny or Brownsville and Less of change of being harassed by rowdy project teens on the subway/bus). Now you have a clue!!!

Posted by: 911NewYorker at September 14, 2008 7:56 AM

if ur worried about being harassed by the "scary project kids",u shouldnt live in bed stuy either.more projects there then in ENY.when i was growing up in coney island.we used to war with the project kids all the time.

Posted by: buckfast at September 14, 2008 5:04 PM

Inigo - would you keep the elk in the backyard or what?

Posted by: dittoburg at September 15, 2008 9:07 AM

buckfast:
not really worried about so-called "scary pj teens! there's pj everywhere...just as many in ENY than the New Bed_Stuy! as I stated prior; Bed_Stuy is being gentrified each passing day.

Posted by: 911NewYorker at September 15, 2008 6:18 PM

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September 12, 2008

Barbara Goes Long Stuy Heights

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