Prime Park Slope Real Estate Still Vacant

What's the story behind these two four-story apartment buildings on 9th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues? A perusal of Property Shark and the DOB reveal nothing, other than the fact that 495 9th, on the right, incurred a stop work order on renovations in 2001, and both 495 and 493 have received complaints, especially about children breaking in and playing in the abandoned spaces. We remember a fire a few years back. Perhaps an ongoing insurance war is preventing progress? Anybody got the scoop?
493 9th Street GMAP P*Shark DOB
495 9th Street GMAP P*Shark DOB

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Everytime I visit my friend in the corner building on 8th, I always wonder.

There's also another one on 3rd street, btwm 6th & 7th (north side), one house off of 7th, that's been empty for years.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at November 6, 2008 10:23 AM

oh that's it. im taking myself and my dog and we're gonna squat there. are there still squatters' rights laws on the book in nyc btw or did they get rid of those!?

-rob

Posted by: PitbullNYC at November 6, 2008 10:34 AM

Seriously... those two places baffle me. What could possibly be the motivation for not renovating those properties?

I've seen commercial properties stay vacant for years in "less desirable" neighborhoods, and apparently there's a tax formula that would make this acceptable.

However, I can't think that a park slope property couldn't rake in gobs of money... plenty to more than justify the small hit an owner would take tax or otherwise.

Posted by: tybur6 at November 6, 2008 10:59 AM

And of course the place on Berkeley between 5th and 6th (across the street from the playground), and the place on the corner of 7th Ave and either 2nd or 3rd (the one owned by the crazy old lady).

Posted by: lechacal at November 6, 2008 11:38 AM

There are actually two properties boarded up on or near 7th Avenue - the one at 7th and 2nd (next to the Met supermarket) and the one near the corner of 7th and 3rd (behind Barrio restaurant). I don't know what the story is behind them, but it's a shame they are being used (and haven't, it appears, for some time).

Posted by: JIPS at November 6, 2008 12:16 PM

I think the notion that one can make gobs of money, even in PS, might be changing - just look at Wall Street, a place where giant sums were to be made too, until recently, when suddenly compensation is plunging. I know a woman in PS whose owned her house for years, and it's an eyesore, but she just does not have the money to fix it up, and given the amount of work needed, she might find herself in worse financial shape if she tries to sell a year from now. Renovation is very expensive, and a major risk in a down market.

Posted by: Miss Muffett at November 6, 2008 9:16 PM

I live very close to these and my guess was that some studio owns them and uses them for movie shoots!

Posted by: Pragonetti at November 7, 2008 1:10 PM

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November 6, 2008

Prime Park Slope Real Estate Still Vacant

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