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September 26, 2008

Grand Avenue Haunted House Gets Its Siding

432-Grand-Avenue-0908.jpg
The Grand Avenue Haunted House, which sevens months ago was stripped down to its studs, was finally clad in the wood siding to match its original look—and that of its recently restored twin next door. The guy who makes his living on the block by putting out homeowners' garbage and keeping their stoops and sidewalks clean told us he thinks it'll go for $2 million when it's finished. We're not quite as optimistic.
Grand Avenue Haunted House Losing Its Skin [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Gutting Begins at the Grand Avenue Haunted House [Brownstoner]
Inside the Grand Avenue Haunted House [Brownstoner]




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:59 AM | Comments (28)
Categories: Clinton Hill, Renovation

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But ... if you can't trust the guy who takes out the garbage for accurate real estate appraisals, who CAN you trust?

Posted by: cwbuecheler at September 26, 2008 11:07 AM

He can't be any less of a prognosticator that the financial wizard who uttered this memorable phrase yesterday - "If money isn't loosened, this sucker could go down." GWB

Actually, I's sooner trust the garbage guy. The Brooklyn one, that is.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 26, 2008 11:12 AM

The restored house next door looks beautiful from the outside...Is it the same owners?

Posted by: Dan76 at September 26, 2008 11:14 AM

Anybody know what they paid for it? It doesn't appear on propertyshark. That's going to be one helluva expensive restoration. I hipe they don't lose money on it if its being done for a flip. At 2,100 sq ft, even the garbage man is a bit optimistic.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 11:15 AM

It's been in the same family for decades

Posted by: brownstoner at September 26, 2008 11:21 AM

2M.... LMFAO.....

Some crazy sucker that doesnt know the neighborhood well would pay such a price, because of course Clinton Hill is the place to live.
-Then that same optimistic garbage man who loves taking out your trash doesn't stop begging you for money. Say hi to a crackhead.
-Then you'll get introduced to the sound of gun fire from that occasional shoot out on the corner of Putnam and Grand. No thats not fireworks.
-Then you'll realize that those Zombies walking through his block and on Fulton ave all day are Methadone patients. No your not watching a horror movie.

All I could say is welcome to the Hood, SUCKER!.

Posted by: Brooklyns_da_Boro at September 26, 2008 11:26 AM

Pretty sure that's Entourage boy Adrian Grenier's house on the right.

Posted by: Fast Freddy at September 26, 2008 11:31 AM

BdB--lame attempt to bag a neighborhood through distortion and paranoid innuendo. I hope you are proud of yourself.

Posted by: wasder at September 26, 2008 11:43 AM

Perhaps the family that has owned it forever finally has family members who can afford to rebuild it, and they are doing so. Perhaps when it is done, they will live there.

Perhaps they will try to sell. Perhaps they will get a high price, perhaps not. Besides which, the opinion of the garbage guy is just that, his opinion.

I'm glad the house is being restored, no matter what reason. Unless Adrian Grenier bought it for obvious reasons, the only other options would be it rotted until it fell down, became an unsightly, weed filled, trash and old appliance filled dump, followed by an equally unsightly Fedders box.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 26, 2008 11:44 AM

Oh, gotta say kudos to the contractor in making the exposed side of the building look so good. It couldn't have been easy working in 5 feet of space in between the buildings.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 26, 2008 11:48 AM

brownstoner said on the What's Forum post that he was letting him back on!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 11:53 AM

Wow that looks like a very well thought out restoration. We like that is not being done too fast this shows attention to detail sometimes. Good luck to the owners but garbage dude's opinion is overly optimistic for the area. We simply wish the present owners can just stay there and use it.

Posted by: pierre de taille at September 26, 2008 11:58 AM

Wasder- Thank you..... Happy Friday by the way.

Dave- Get off The What's NUT Sack Dam it!!! Be a Man, you live in Bed Stuy now so act like it.

Posted by: Brooklyns_da_Boro at September 26, 2008 12:06 PM

DIBS we really like your general contribution to this blog but what is your obsession with the WHAT? Is it that hard to simply avoid a him? We don't care if Mr B brings him back as long as he keeps the vitriol and nastiness to a minimum.
Now back to the house: does anyone know have expensive it is to do Mansaard roofs? These are the coolest old architectural details but we imagine the work involved must be quite a bit.

Posted by: pierre de taille at September 26, 2008 12:15 PM

Don't kill the messenger...it was a warning. No obsession with the What...just reporting what I saw.

The restoration looks like it'll be a work of art.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 12:20 PM

Back in 2004 I almost bought the place the Grenier has fixed up so well. As I recall, these places were built in the 1840s I think - definitely pre-Civil war - making them some of the older places in the area. One of my main concerns when I looked at the place on the right was the condition of the mirror image house on the left. Glad to see it is being repaired. They're looking great.

Posted by: 1842 at September 26, 2008 12:28 PM

Sorry DIBS we didn't mean to "kill the messenger" we are just tired of the same dude riling everyone up. We already know he was right but enough already..
Now do you have any ideas on Mansaard roofs? The ones here on Lafayette and Adelphi are truly fantastic.

Posted by: pierre de taille at September 26, 2008 12:31 PM

The framing of the Mansaard roof shouldn't be much more expensive than conventional framing. It looks like the one on the right has scallopped shingles on it. I'm not sure how many of them were originally shingled as opposed to slate. I think the later ones were slate. The slate look can be realistically obtained now with rubber shingles that even have the "chipped edge look"

I think its going to be the custom carpenrtry mainly around the windows that will be expensive. And I don't know the difference in price nowadays between cedar clapboards (which it looks like they are using and Hardie Board.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 12:36 PM

Pierre---As someone you could say the same thing to I will pledge to do my best to let him lay in the weeds. Good warning and fair enough.

Posted by: wasder at September 26, 2008 12:45 PM

No worries Wasder, we've just pleaded with him on his forum to please cut out the profanity and vitriol. Hopefully he agrees and listens.
Thanks DIBS and btw this weekend we plan on biking around BS any recommendations for cool Mansaard roofs :)?

Posted by: pierre de taille at September 26, 2008 12:52 PM

Pierre...your prediction of real estate prices falling ">100%" in the Forum post leads me to believe we are close to a bottom when that kind of mathematics is being used!!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 12:54 PM

There are a few on the 3 very large houses on Macon between Lewis & Stuyvesant.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 26, 2008 12:57 PM

Pierre, go look at the Clermont apartment building on Decatur St. between Throop and Marcus Garvey. It's right next door to Al Vann's office building on the corner, near the Kingston/Throop C stop, one block from Fulton St. It's a beautiful Norman Revival (vrai Francais), Victorian castle, with a mansard roof. One of my faves. Enjoy!

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 26, 2008 1:19 PM

The Landmarks Commission folks must be keeping a close eye on this project. There have been quite a few nice woodframe restorations in the area. These houses are very light and wide inside. The interiors have a different feel than the brownstones. They are more like country houses. I really like them and am glad that these two at least are protected by law.


Posted by: sam at September 26, 2008 1:22 PM

Thanks DIS & merci bien MM. We will definitely check out those houses just hoping it doesn't rain.
DIBS I was only trying to make a point with the >100% comment.

Posted by: pierre de taille at September 26, 2008 3:55 PM

Prière de Taille,
Please stop using French.
Thank you.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at September 26, 2008 6:50 PM

Doesn't look at all like Hardie Plank; in fact it looks exactly like clear cedar. Makes me wonder if they plan to leave it unpainted (a look I personally dislike, but whatever).

I question the quality of this job, actually- I noticed that the Tyvek was not properly installed. They simply cut holes out where the RO's for the windows are. This is improper; the Tyvek should fold INTO the RO. This oversight could cause potential water intrusion.Also I'm surprised to see that no fanfold insulation was used before the clapboard was installed; it makes for a smoother nailing surface and adds nominal insulation.

In fact,in my experience the windows and casings should be installed before the clapboard is affixed. How do they plan t install the window casings over the clapboard if it goes directly to the edge of the RO?

Anyhow, Grenier's house is so indescribably beautiful - I hope this reno will not cast a shadow on his if it's done poorly.

Posted by: houseowax at September 27, 2008 12:13 AM

some of yall are so ignorant... what do you live in? i happen to know first hand that this house has been in the same family for years. i also know that the young couple who happen to be renovating the home have put ALOT of blood sweat and tears into making it a place where they can raise a family and grow old together and continue tradition. GOD forbid they attempt to further beautify the neighborhood as many before them have strived to achieve. New Yorkes HATE to see someone getting ahead. if ur post was positve, then thank you. if, on the other hand, you insist on being NEGATIVE (Brooklyn's da boro), then kick rocks and keep ur comments to urself. they arent idiots u dumb ass... im quite sure they are aware of the neighborhood in which they have purchased their home.

Posted by: Raphael Da Don at September 30, 2008 11:15 AM

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