Carlton Mews Cleans Up

Oh my goodness. Hhhh...you'd think people could be a little more appreciative and barring that, at least polite. Geesh!

Anyway, I'm glad to be able to know about things like this in my own neighborhood. In the past there would have been very little obvious way to hear about an assault or fix-up by a property owner...maybe that used to be better...do we really need to know about all the little things going on in our neighborhood? I'm not exactly sure, but I do, in fact, appreciate it.

Those photos are fine. They look like they were taken very early this morning when it was cloudy out. If you really, really care, just turn up the brightness on your monitor.

I am a touch surprised there was no mention that this is the property that the Brooklyn Cohousing group was working on last year.

Does anyone know how the project is going with the mattress factory by Greenwood Cemetary?

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 27, 2009 3:34 PM

We thought about selling the house and joining the cohousing group when they were planning on building at this site. I was sad when the deal didn't happen.

It would have been very nice, we wouldn't have had to leave the neighborhood, would have been able to partake in evening meals and events, avoid s-t-a-i-r-s(!), with less personal space would have had less to clean and keep up, but still would would have had access to shared guest space where family and friends could stay when they occassionally visit from out-of-town if they didn't manage to fit in the apartment...

Plus there is a nice generaltional mix in the group.

Darn That Dream!

Looking at the original plans, some of the apartments in the church were very interesting and the plans have great outdoor space, terraces and PARKING!

Darn, darn, darn.

We swung by the mattress factory and I'm really not sure we love that location.

Oh well. Thanks Denton for the photos...

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 27, 2009 5:15 PM

We're planning on winning one of those huge jackpots and then restoring the church and house and setting them up as a museum with a big garden on the site that can educate children (and adults) on farming in this region both pre-colonial and early colonial up to about the date of the house’s construction…as well as native plants. I know it's a "tad" smaller than Garden in the Woods (which surprisingly is not terrible large itself when it comes down to it)...I guess there should be both a Native American lodge based on ones that would have been built in the 15- and 1600s in this area and maybe an early 1800's clapboard building. Chickens could be kept and kids volunteering...learning about growing food, making compost...eventually, when it becomes (clearly) legal, honeybees could be kept although, it might best if only native bees/wasps were encouraged.

Wouldn't a local museum open to the kids be GREAT?! There are so many schools in our area. Granted, they have spaces/auditoriums, but another kind of space and also gardens for other kinds of educational series and also performance space and art space available to the community at large would be a wonderful addition!

Wouldn't it be nice if the current owners could figure out how to benefit financially (at least break even) on this parcel while also having it become a non-profit arts and education nexus?

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 27, 2009 6:53 PM

Oh, you mean what's next for me in "real" life?

Well, I'm missing the drinks thing that people talked about having at the Schwarz Koelner tonight so that's out of the picture...

And other than that, I'm not quite sure.

I really would love to get the house off our necks. I know it sounds strange to a lot of the younger set who post on this blog and also to people of all ages who are pleased to have or are seeking to have some sort of "lifestyle" that includes waltzing from room to room on a parlor floor. I do very much understand the appeal of space and decorating it and also the social status thing.

I just wouldn't mind downsizing and not having to deal with all the maintenance things while also still working, involved in significant eldercare, etc. Luckily, the kids are self-maintaining for the time being.

I've been on a "green" kick (actually since the 70's) which recently has mutated into the "small is green" line. Now, the husband unit is pretty much way over average height and can't stand (literally--can't stand IN) tiny houses and gets claustraphobic. I'm find in a small house but since he also needs a studio/shop to do his work, we unfortunately need a bit more space than just a tiny little house. Or we'd need a small-ish house (like a slightly more than small Cape...i.e. in which the ceilings aren't 7 feet at most upstairs and then have a steep roof slope where you hit your head when you get into bed), and add to that an out-building with a studio/shop.

I really don't want to be isolated though, so would love to find a cohousing community in the Northeast where living greener and smaller would be possible but we wouldn't be isolated in the sticks reliant on the car for all human contact. I like the idea of having a bigger garden but see the benefit of collaborating with neighbors on one and having people around all the time. There is "strength in numbers" and as one ages, it's nice to know there are people around, people with different skills, maybe able and exciting to do things that yours truly can no longer engage in either well or safely.

So that's a vague plan. Finally sell, say goodbye to Brooklyn and move get to a place with cleaner air... ugh.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 27, 2009 7:23 PM

Sorry to be a bore but I should add:

A small/tiny house (300-600 square feet) might be too small for us. We probably would do best with what used to be considered more normal in the US, say a 1200 square feet house, not today’s norm which I think is above 2000 square feet. If we have a separate garage/studio/shop, we would probably be very happy in a small Cape under 1000 square feet even plus a basement) but, again, because of the husband unit’s height, the ceilings and doors couldn’t be micro-height.

It’s funny how I can sail under tree branches and other obstacles (walking tall…and with a hat on) that he can barely duck under! Hahahaha!

What I’m describing above though sounds like it could easily end up being some small Cape somewhere rather isolated in the Northeast where the deer eat all the hostas and the vegetable garden’s always under attack from animals. I really don't want to be isolated so again, cohousing would be great. I just wonder WHERE... Any ideas on a good Northeast cohousing community? Anyone?...

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 27, 2009 8:27 PM