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October 1, 2009

House of the Day: 171 State Street

Very nice indeed! 171 State Street just hit the market and it's a beauty. The center-stair brownstone in Brooklyn Heights has mucho original charm—fireplaces, pier mirrors, parquet out the wazoo. Given the charm factor and the location, the asking price of $2,895,000 sounds reasonable to us. Thoughts?
171 State Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

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I have friends in a identical one in the row. The houses are lovely, though the front parlor and the dining room are pretty narrow. But the rest of the rooms are nicely proportioned. The problem is the movie theater towering over the garden and casting the houses in darkness. You are really aware of the tower in the yard--and why buy a brownstone if it doesn't have a good garden? Also, the noise from Court and the people going into and out of the movies can be overwhelming.

Posted by: shillstoner at October 1, 2009 1:32 PM

Somebody's really got to be in love with this floorplan for that money. LR in the rear???? Top floor bathroom only accessible through the small bedroom???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 1:34 PM

ugh. 2.5 mill for project flooring (parquet) but i guess that is easy to fix and if you have 2.5 million you can afford new flooring.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at October 1, 2009 1:37 PM

parquet as project flooring is a comic notion Rob.

Anyway its not parquet, its butter.

Posted by: wasder at October 1, 2009 1:40 PM

There's a problem with this location.

I love Brooklyn Heights. But, although this house is technically in Brooklyn Heights, it does not feel like it.

It's only a few yards from Court Street.

More importantly, this house has a very bad neighbor: The United Artist multi-plex movie theater, on the corner of State and Court. The theater gets very crowded, especially weekend evenings. The theater-goers spill out, crowding the immediate area with both people and vehicles. Just when you're trying to wind down or go to sleep, there are loud crowds on the corner. This greatly decreases the value.

Posted by: Pigeon at October 1, 2009 1:46 PM

I don't see the problem with the floor plan ... it's the original floor plan for the house. Now the top floor bathroom entrance being in the small bedroom is a bit odd...not sure what that's about BUT I love the house. And the floors look original.

Posted by: A CrownHeightsLady at October 1, 2009 1:52 PM

Beautiful, beautiful, and in perfect move-in condition. This block is a lovely tree-lined Heights block, what's not to love? This will get ask or very close. The central stair is just exquisite.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 1:56 PM

Didn't the house one or two down just chop their ask price to below $2.5M?

Posted by: Boerumresident at October 1, 2009 2:27 PM

is the movie theater the reason they only show 2/3 of the front facade (and borrow their neighbor's for the remainder)? weird.

Posted by: antidope at October 1, 2009 2:32 PM

These 2+ million dollar homes are really starting to bore me.

It's like Colbert Platinum, but not nearly as funny.

Is anyone on this blog really in the market for one of these things? Or qualified to give a qualified appraisal?

What a waste of time.

Posted by: MoneyForNothing at October 1, 2009 2:53 PM

That's the whole facade, it is a two-bay house, that's why the interior features a central stair. The cinema is at the end of the block and faces Court Street along with many other businesses. This block along State Street is solidly residential, very quiet, and very picturesque.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 2:53 PM

"Anyway its not parquet, its butter"

ROFL! Thanks, wasder. That cracked me up.

Posted by: CarrollGardened at October 1, 2009 2:54 PM

By looking at the map, this house is right at the end of the block, possibly even attached to the movie theatre.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 2:58 PM

I think that's correct, this is the house that is adjacent to the movie theater building. It is the end house of the row. That should shave some dollars off the final price.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 3:22 PM

You are correct, 11217. The house is just behind the theater, and looking at the plants in the yard, it gets a minimal amount of direct light. This location is probably the worst thing about the house, although technically in BH. The way that theater is run, you know it will burn down one of these days. I would check for noise complaints as well.

Posted by: Maly at October 1, 2009 3:36 PM

Hey, they DID borrow their neighbor's facade, and this house is only 19 ft across... check Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=171+state+street,+brooklyn&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=171+State+St,+Brooklyn,+NY+11201&gl=us&ei=4APFSoH5NJDDlAeC1qSSAw&ved=0CAwQ8gEwAA&ll=40.690515,-73.992684&spn=0,359.98071&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=40.690488,-73.992568&panoid=4s-g5U3tV8s7k7oq3rtm4Q&cbp=12,14.94,,0,-1.04

There's a second doorway just to the left of that shot -- so the left side of that pic is definitely another house. Never been inside a central stair brownstone, so I don't know how that works. Unless it's the wrong house. In which case it is not adjacent to the movie theater.

Posted by: slopette at October 1, 2009 3:41 PM

I remember the neighborhood uproar when the building that now houses the movie theater was being planned. I thought the uproar was inappropriate. (I thought "A movie theater is a good thing! We mustn't stand in the way of progress!") I was wrong. The movie theater really damaged the neighborhood.

Posted by: Pigeon at October 1, 2009 3:43 PM

i just don't get it, who lives there, the queen of england or something?

Posted by: randolph at October 1, 2009 3:54 PM

its just a cinema (and a Barnes and Nobles) it's not a nuclear reactor. And the entrance is on Court, not adjacent to this house or any other house.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 3:55 PM

Have you ever walked by that cinema, Minard?

Because if you have, you'd realize that for this price this is going to be a TOUGH sell.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 3:59 PM

alright, i love it, 11217 coming in with some nice race baiting....what do YOU notice when you walk by that cinema???

Posted by: randolph at October 1, 2009 4:01 PM

Back in 1995 when we were expecting our first child, we looked at this house. It was a quirky place. Most everything was original including the plumbing. There were sinks in the closets in the bedrooms. The house was very narrow. The garden was not at all dark back then. For those who remember, before the theater there was a strip of boarded up storefronts on Court that ran the length of the block which was only one story high so there was plenty of light. Despite the quirks, my wife loved the house. If I remember right, the asking price was around $375k. I offered $300k and I think we agreed on something like $350k. While the contract was in negotiation, we found out about the potential demolition of the storefronts and construction of a large building on Court. We worried about living next to a construction site for what could be a very long period with an infant. So in the end we decided to pull out. Bought another place in the Heights instead. After watching how long the development took, we were glad that we decided to pull out. I heard that the people who bought the house had lots of problems when the contruction on the theater started and got involved in a law suit because of damage to the house. This was a good one to miss at the time. Though if the owners get close to their price, it looks like things will have worked out.

Posted by: intheshorts at October 1, 2009 4:05 PM

11217, I walk by there sometimes. usually its dead, sometimes there are lines of people wanting to get in to see a movie, sometimes there are (gasp) minority children and teens waiting on line as well. As I said, it's just a cinema and a bookstore, if that is too scary to deal with, you don't belong in the city.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 4:05 PM

Never actually noticed the "minority children" Minard.

But the place gets loud at night. And the general location is great...never said it wasn't. Simply said there might need to be a discount for being on a corner which gets loud.

Just as there would be on any loud corner we speak about. Bergen near Flatbush, Park Place near Flatbush, the list goes on...

You are so unhinged sometimes, Minard.

Weren't you the one who said Ft. Greene was "fringe"?

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:10 PM

Yes, he was.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 4:13 PM

11217 I think you are stoned out of your gourd again.
Stop posting when stoned will you. You get very obnoxious.
Your post above was definitely race-baiting. You hate Brooklyn Heights, we get it, we get it. You hate me. Fine.
I truly think you are a bit unhinged.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 4:14 PM

I'm with Minard on this. On top of it, although I don't walk by this house every day, but I almost never seeing people milling around in front of this stretch of houses like you might expect.

It's sufficiently far away from the exit and I think the presence of other venues on Court in which to gather -- like the B&N or maybe My Little Pizzeria -- probably keeps the crowds that do gather to meet up and see a movie from spilling onto the side street too much.

Can't comment on the noise factor.

OTOH, I have to imagine that the rear garden (north facing, too) really does not get very much sun, especially in winter.

Posted by: Boerumresident at October 1, 2009 4:15 PM

I actually love Brooklyn Heights. One of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city. I personally don't want to live there though. Does that mean I hate it in your eyes?

You have issues, and there are plenty of people here who are starting to notice. Your comments above were just mentioned in the Open Thread and I'm pretty sure NO one agreed with you.

And no, I don't hate you, but I think you are unhinged.

You need to go above and read through this thread again and realize that YOU are the one who sounds like a crazy person.

Not me.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:18 PM

I won't pay 2.8m for this. But if someone gave it to me, I wouldn't complain.
But who's in the giving mood these days.

Posted by: brownjokester at October 1, 2009 4:20 PM

JESUS F*&ING CHRIST, all he meant was that it was noisy, as most cinemas are, when they let out. Do you really want to live next to one??? I think not many people do.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 4:20 PM

And given your minor tirade to FSRG the other day, seems it's not only me you have issues with...

"fsrq, you seem like a very angry person. I'm sorry if I have written something to offend you. I really am. I engage in this for fun not to offend people and cause ill will.
There are many synogogues and churches in the city with dwindling congregations and few if any resources to help maintain their buildings. This is not the case here. This is a healthy, thriving, well-to-do congregation. I am a bit surprised that this problem went undetected until the ceiling collapsed. That's all. What makes you so angry?"

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:22 PM

Thank you Dave.

And I probably WOULD be ok with living next to a cinema, but probably not for 3 million dollars. That was the only point. It looks like a great house in a great neighborhood, otherwise.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:23 PM

I have to agree with 11217 in that there's nothing racist about not liking the location of this house, especially for $3 million. I avoid walking on Court Street whenever I can because it's crowded, noisy and dirty (for that I go to Manhattan). Otherwise, I think this is a beautiful house on an otherwise beautiful block. Though, as Maly said, I am a bit leery of the movie theatre burning down eventually.

Posted by: CarrollGardened at October 1, 2009 4:26 PM

unhinged?
is that the best insult you two can find?
[takes one big step back]

Posted by: antidope at October 1, 2009 4:26 PM

11217's statement certainly had the feel of a "wink, wink, nudge, nudge" to it, hence the response from a few on the board.

I'd give him the benefit of the doubt, though.

If this is more than 2-3 houses in from Court, I would guess the Movie Theater will have little impact in and of itself.

Posted by: Brokedeveloper at October 1, 2009 4:26 PM

P.S. I'd hope there would be a discount for a house which abuts the Pavilion Movie Theater also.

Just so you don't think I'm being unfairly biased against BH.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:27 PM

One word for the direction in which Minard took this thread...

ASININE.

Posted by: 11217 at October 1, 2009 4:31 PM

JESUS F*&ING CHRIST, all he meant was that it was noisy, as most cinemas are, when they let out. Do you really want to live next to one??? I think not many people do.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 1, 2009 4:20 PM

I would!!!!!!!!!

but only after the price reflects it. being right next to the theater loses a good chunk of the bragging factor of living in BH. just imagine the convo:
where do you live? I live in BH. Where? on state. I'm right next to the cinemamamama ahhhhhhh

Posted by: more4less at October 1, 2009 4:34 PM

The crowds from the theater mostly stick on Court as others have noted. Most people don't go down State without a reason. There's much more of a problem on Schermerhorn where all the people try and park when they come to the theater. Since Clinton forces you to the left at the end of the block, State is much quieter. The theater itself is an imposing building so it creates a buffer from Court. As to it burning down, I doubt it. Modern curtain wall construction doesn't burn. Stuff inside can but the building is basically fireproof. I do have visions of the theater failing as they have all around the country and then watching it get imploded as there is no alternative use for the space. Has to be one of the ugliest buildings in America.

Posted by: intheshorts at October 1, 2009 4:38 PM

Know what's really ironic? The people on State and Schermerhorn (the other side of the Ratner monstrosity cinema/B&N actually fought a potential supermarket (ohhh -- the big bad delivery trucks!) to get this instead! As a former neighbor told me, most of them are in their country/beach homes on the weekends so have no concept of the crowds that the cinema gets!

Posted by: BH76 at October 1, 2009 5:05 PM

I like intheshorts' story about almost buying this house in 1995 for around $350,000.

And he has a good point concerning the vehicular traffic creating movie theater congestion more on Schermerhorn than on State.

And he has a good point concerning the ugliness of theater building.

And whoever buys this house will probably have to walk past this movie theater building -- and past the crowds in front of the movie theater -- every day. In fact, it will be one of the first things they see when they exit their new 2.8 million dollar house. Not a terrible thing. But a thing that you move to Brooklyn Heights to avoid: crowds and ugliness.

Posted by: Pigeon at October 1, 2009 5:11 PM

11217 I think you are taking this blog in a very negative direction. Just today you attacked me and Rob in a really weird aggressive and horrid manner. You are a sick puupy smoking pot all day and blogging from your parents' house.
Try to get a life for ourself and stop the pontification.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 1, 2009 8:05 PM

Anyone who's been by this theatre on a weekend evening knows it's effing noisy. Come on. And it's noisier than other theatres cause it attracts a lot of TEENAGERS. (I am proud to be a reverse ageist.)

Posted by: Nomi at October 2, 2009 2:51 AM

« Co-op of the Day: 30 Ocean Parkway, #1F Streetlevel: Pies 'n' Thighs Getting There »

October 1, 2009

House of the Day: 171 State Street

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