« Inside Third & Bond: Week 90 House of the Day: 664 Westminster Road »

July 2, 2009

Co-op of the Day: 201 Clinton Avenue, #15E

The Clinton Hill Co-ops are a familiar topic around here--not fancy but solid with nice layouts as views, as a rule. This high-floor two-bedroom is no exception. It looks to be in good shape though we're having a hard time figuring out what the deal is with the floors. Wall to wall linoleum? We can't see a sliver of wood anywhere. The asking price of $449,000 is definitely in the right ballpark. There's even another apartment next door being sold by the sponsor listed for $475,000.
201 Clinton Avenue, #15E [All Points RE] GMAP P*Shark

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/10428

Comments

Layout is really, really odd -- bath is just inside the front door! Could they have switched bedroom and livingroom? If not for that, it would be a very good space.

Posted by: BH76 at July 2, 2009 12:49 PM

does anyone know if 15 is the top floor? looks quite livable with good light and space. cant tell the sq.footage.

Posted by: goldie at July 2, 2009 12:49 PM

Yes 15 which is actually only 14 is the top.

Posted by: eh at July 2, 2009 12:54 PM

Hate The Floors

Posted by: brooklyncurious at July 2, 2009 12:54 PM

The owners of this apartment are friends of mine. It's a top floor apartment, and it's a very clever layout for the square footage. I would think the apt. is no more than 900 sq.ft, and they have managed to fit 2 bedrooms and a small office. The husband is a designer, the wife is an artist, and it shows. The place has a great look and feel.

Posted by: Maly at July 2, 2009 12:55 PM

looks like a project was this one of thise Mitchell Lama conversions?

Posted by: brickoven at July 2, 2009 12:59 PM

Hello,
Long time reader, very infrequent contributor.

I don't know the people selling

I do agree that the bathroom is in an odd location.

I'm surprised that even when Mr. B thinks that the price is just about right that the pricing voting tool is never even close to the asking price.

Is every property listed priced more than it is worth?

Posted by: sososlo at July 2, 2009 1:02 PM

it looks like a converted 1-bedrm where they're using the bedrm as living room, living rm as bedrm, dining nook as small bedrm. these 1 bedrm units (as measured by tape) is ~750 sq ft (vs. the 2 bedrm units are ~875 sq ft; agents often list it as 1000 sq ft).

that said, the finished product looks very nice (quite interesting they were able to do that with a 1 bedrm).

Posted by: more4less at July 2, 2009 1:14 PM

Like the light & I am fine with the layout.
What is that blue stuff on the floor?

Posted by: etson at July 2, 2009 1:16 PM

That second "bedroom" looks about 7 feet wide, and that office is just a glorified closet.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at July 2, 2009 1:20 PM

Its old Navy housing.

Posted by: eh at July 2, 2009 1:23 PM

Who knew Old Navy had their own housing?

I bet the Banana Republic apartments are actually the same co-ops, but at a higher price point.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at July 2, 2009 2:13 PM

Hi. I happen to know these owners as well. Wanted to clarify what the floors are. They are epoxy wood floors. Very durable, easy to clean, and easy to customize the color. Also, there is a sound absorbing material under the wood which cuts down greatly on noise and also makes it really nice to walk on.

They did fit a lot into a small space, but surprisingly well, I think. It has, obviously, a modern feel, but in an inviting way. Definitely worth checking out -- I would be if it were in my price range.

Posted by: Nomi at July 2, 2009 2:18 PM

haha snark - brilliant!

Posted by: dirty_hipster at July 2, 2009 2:19 PM

Ive been in this apartment and thought it was beautiful. The layout is smart and comfortable, and there is incredible attention to detail throughout. Its built to last- not one of these renovate for a quick sale places that are everywhere. Beautiful sunlight and views too!

Posted by: h23 at July 2, 2009 2:21 PM

This is really a one bedroom or 1.5 bedroom. The actual two bedroom apartments are larger, with the same layout and an actual second bedroom with closets (about an extra 100-150 square feet).

Based on that, the asking price is ridiculously high. Yes, the asking price is on par with real two bedrooms in the coops, but this is not a real two bedroom.

Posted by: cortnyc at July 2, 2009 2:23 PM

we know it's a fab pad but .. .
could one of the owners' pals fill the rest of us in on the weird blue floor that the realtor opines is "seamless"?

Posted by: ontheparkway at July 2, 2009 2:30 PM

Well, no, actually the asking price is lower than the full two bedrooms in these buildings, AND it has higher quality workmanship and appliances than most other apts. It has a unique, clean friendly feel -- quite a feat in a building that is rather ordinary at heart.

Posted by: Nomi at July 2, 2009 2:35 PM

The owners can ask for whatever they like, but the apraisals simply have not hit that price point yet for these building. Call in redlining or real estate racism, these buildings have historically been undervalued. I own an a unit at 325 Clinton (same Coop, but different campus). Buildings 201 and 325 are both stand-alone buildings not forming a courtyard. 201 is closer to the petty crime and noise of Myrtle, E units are next to the stair or elevator, but the building enjoys a wide open lawn and wonderful views. They are going to have to find a buyer willing to put down a substantial downpayment and settle for a reduced sale price. For more information regarding the Clinton Hill Co-Ops please vist:

http://325clintonave12g.blogspot.com/

Posted by: FloatingWorld at July 2, 2009 3:00 PM

Those floors are cool.

Posted by: Heather at July 2, 2009 3:41 PM

The floors are really lovely. They feel soft and smooth to your feet and the color made me feel like I was in the sky. Of course, tastes vary and people can dislike anything That said, I want to second Nomi's comments about the whimsical, clean and functional nature of the renovation.
The kitchen has slate flooring, but the blueness really feels like you are walking into a Miyazaki house in the sky.

Posted by: Maly at July 2, 2009 3:48 PM

I have visited this unit several times, and have compared it to several other units in the same complex, over many months. This unit is priced less than ANY of the larger(+150 sq.ft. roughly)2 bedroom units I have ever seen on the market in these co-ops. It is, however, one of the higher asking prices for a one bedroom in the complex- but this is to be expected, as it is on the top floor, recently renovated, with great views. The renovation shows uncommon attention to craft and design detail of the sort only a (skilled) owner occupant will devote. The units of this size are described as one, 1.5, and sometimes 2 bedrooms, depending on how the space is used- this unit creates separate spaces, and the kitchen and bathroom (with a sauna) are extremely well done. There is no such thing as a layout that will suit every buyers needs, but this is a very well done interior, on the top floor, with views, in a neighborhood that is increasingly sought after.

Posted by: A2 at July 2, 2009 4:31 PM

Hi, I am one of the owners. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that we were posted on the site today. I would like to dispel the mystery of the blue floors. They are seamless plywood floors on top of a sound attenuation blanket. The seams were eliminated with marine grade epoxy to create permanent unbreakable joints. The color is Serendipity (Benjamin Moore). I used a water based epoxy system which allowed us to choose any color from any color wheel. The product is called AquaTile. You can find it only at Janovic's pro shop in LIC. But you do not need to be a pro to buy it. If anybody wants to contact me to find out more on this process and other innovations we applied to this unique renovation, feel free to contact me at eric@auricprojects.com.
It was a pleasure reading all your posts :)

Posted by: artuberalles at July 2, 2009 5:17 PM

I also live in the Clinton Hill Coop complex on a high floor. I've seen this place. Although the owner did a good job redesign this one bedroom, it feels claustrophobic. Not sure how to explain it, it's like being in a submarine. Also, the second bedroom is extra small, not sure a single bed can fit in it. The other bedroom was cut in half to accommodate a walk-in closet. Living/tv room is very small as well. Most one bedroom in this complex are going for 375K max. even when renovated. Plus this is a hike to the G train (forget the C).

Posted by: Ali Baba at July 2, 2009 9:07 PM

5% flip tax

Posted by: Kannerr at July 2, 2009 11:20 PM

It looks pretty inviting to me, and I've never much cared for those co-ops. Dig the blue kitchen countertops.

Posted by: babygreene at July 3, 2009 1:43 PM