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October 30, 2008

"Tuscan" Townhouses Coming to Red Hook

miniaturka.jpg Gino Vitale, a Red Hook builder, is converting a one-story garage there into five single-family houses with private, street-facing garages. The Brooklyn Eagle offered this rendering of the project, at 91-99 King Street, which Vitale said was inspired by a recent trip to Tuscany. The architecture firm on the DOB filings? Henry Radusky of Bricolage. Those poor Red Hookers can't catch a break. Remember this crap?




Posted by lisa at 9:46 AM | Comments (20)
Categories: Architecture, Red Hook

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Comments

Can't we get a builder with just a modicum of taste to come to Red Hook?

Posted by: Left Hook at October 30, 2008 9:52 AM

This is why we don't need Landmarks worrying about house colors and wood windows; there should be another board into overall design review instead. Something like this is a much more damaging to the built environment than a purple front door.

Posted by: cmu at October 30, 2008 10:03 AM

Will they be selling the xxx ties out front like on the Rialto bridge in venice???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 10:10 AM

As much as I like Red Hook, after lack of transport, this is the main reason I wouldn't buy something there: clowns like this ruining the value of anything you own by putting up something like this. You know its going to be spray-stucco, preformed concrete lintels from Home Depot, extruded aluminum windows, Fedders for comfort, etc. The rendering looks like a suburban office park. What a shame - RH could really be a treasure.

Posted by: neilw at October 30, 2008 10:15 AM

This has been advertised in the NY Times for months. I thought the picture had been this realtor's version of "camera shy."

Posted by: Bessie at October 30, 2008 10:18 AM

Given that a car comes in really handy when you live in RH, I think the garages are a good idea, but the overall "fortress-like" impression is a downer.

Posted by: cobblehiller at October 30, 2008 10:53 AM

Wow, this is bad. There is a similar building in Jackson Heights but without the garages. I have often wondered about how the design came to be. It does have many windows (luxury!) and high ceilings but looks sort of odd like somehing built during Roman times.

Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2008 11:04 AM

Holy crap, I just read the Brooklyn Eagle Story. He's planning 20 more of these atrocities.

"Vitale, who has built more than 100 apartments and plans 20 more similar carriage house-style homes, also believes they offer great spaces for artists with their 16-foot ceilings, large rooms and large windows."

Posted by: Left Hook at October 30, 2008 11:05 AM

Looks about as Tuscan as the Olive Garden. Classy!

Posted by: SnarkSlope at October 30, 2008 11:07 AM

SnarkSlope, I think you mean Klassy.

Posted by: StuyMom at October 30, 2008 11:24 AM

Stuymom...have you heard anything more about when Chicco is going to open Saraghina on the corner of Lewis & Halsey?? Although it'll be Neopolitan (not Tuscan) I still feel its relevant to the thread.

Here's the restaurant description...

http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/06/naplesstyle_pizzeria_coming_to.html

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2008 11:38 AM

Walk out of your 'Tuscan' Townhouse, walk three blocks west, that's the Mediterranean!!

Posted by: bayridgegirl at October 30, 2008 11:59 AM

Looks more like one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces.

Posted by: Yllebdael at October 30, 2008 12:24 PM

This certainly reminds me of the hills of Tuscany. :(

Posted by: sam at October 30, 2008 12:39 PM

Can we please revise the zoning/building code so that garages, if they exist at all, aren't facing the FREAKING STREET!!!!

Posted by: GWH at October 30, 2008 1:57 PM

dave... I have heard nothing, but I'm quite a bit west of Stuy Heights. I was bummed when Foccaccino closed, even if their pizza was kinda doughy.

Posted by: StuyMom at October 30, 2008 2:24 PM

They're nice.

Posted by: Park Place at October 30, 2008 3:25 PM

Boy, I wish the Brooklyn Eagle could have helped me with a rendition of my face back when I was online dating! Has anyone walked by this place?

I took a walk by this summer. I'm assuming that's the "interior" courtyard or something. The street-side of the building itself is practically in the street. It's also directly across the street from the housing projects (on the upside, you don't have to worry about NEW architectural monstrosities across the way). When I walked by there, the buildings, still under construction had been tagged with spray paint, as had parts of the interior fencing.

Good luck unloading those.

Posted by: RaginCajun at October 30, 2008 4:39 PM

Boy, I wish the Brooklyn Eagle could have helped me with a rendition of my face back when I was online dating! Has anyone walked by this place?

I took a walk by this summer. I'm assuming that's the "interior" courtyard or something. The street-side of the building itself is practically in the street. It's also directly across the street from the housing projects (on the upside, you don't have to worry about NEW architectural monstrosities across the way). When I walked by there, the buildings, still under construction had been tagged with spray paint, as had parts of the interior fencing.

Good luck unloading those.

Posted by: RaginCajun at October 30, 2008 4:49 PM

These are, as other have noted, a joke. Much like the referenced monstrocities on Wolcott Street, these two are directly across the street from the Red Hook Houses. The rest of the block, between Richards and King, is half residential and half M-zoned buildings, and all are in pretty bad shape - overgrown lots with abandoned houses, dilapidated warehouses, etc. Red Hook rents are not exactly soaring either, so I am not sure how you make an investment of it, let alone loosen the purse strings to the tune of $1.3MM. Exspecailly now. Especially in Red Hook.

Posted by: DenghisCon at October 31, 2008 11:54 AM

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