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October 27, 2009

House of the Day: 42 Grace Court

This new listing at 42 Grace Court is not for the faint-of-wallet, but if you've got the dosh, you could do a lot worse. The five-story, 6,500-square-foot brownstone has been restored in an eco-friendly manner while retaining most of its old-school cred. Not that the eventual buyer will probably need it, but there's also a potential income stream from a second unit. As for the asking price of $5,950,000, who the heck knows. At those levels, it's anybody's guess.
42 Grace Court [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

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Am I seeing things or is that floorplan showing two toilet bowls next to each other in the en-suite on the third floor??!?!

Posted by: the chicken at October 27, 2009 1:26 PM

What a dump.

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 1:32 PM

One is probably a bidet, Chicken.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at October 27, 2009 1:32 PM

That's a French ass washer, i betcha.

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 1:33 PM

chicken, the uber rich can not stand a clogged toilet so instead of interrupting the poop session to plunge the toilet, the 2 toilet option allows you to just hope over to the other one. once you're done, call in the maid to take care of the clogged toilet

Posted by: more4less at October 27, 2009 1:35 PM

ah - makes sense. You'd think they would have a different icon for it though.

Oh, by the way, the price is nutso.

Posted by: the chicken at October 27, 2009 1:37 PM

Probably a bidet, chicken. It's a beautiful house on a beautiful block (though I personally don't care for their decorating choices). If only I was planning to spend $6 million on a house. The only thing that confuses me is what they're using for a dining room? Is it in the rear portion of the parlor? I see photos with 2 different tables, but the breakfast room looks empty.

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 1:42 PM

It's obviously a love toilet. Way fancier than a bidet.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/61322/saturday-night-live-the-love-toilet

Posted by: Frederick Law Homestead at October 27, 2009 1:43 PM

Holy Moses this is gorgeous (I'm not even going to complain about the exposed air duct).

Yes please!

Posted by: TownhouseLady at October 27, 2009 1:44 PM

Maybe his/hers (or his/his, hers/hers) toilets so they can sit side-by-side.

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 1:45 PM

I sort of like the exposed air duct, THL. I just can't figure out if that's the breakfast room?

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 1:46 PM

The Champions walked by here yesterday while on our evening stroll. I love this street (much quieter than most given the dead end at the end of the street).

Wonderful home on a beautiful street. If you have the money, this has everything.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 1:50 PM

Beautiful house on a lovely block. I have often admired the remarkable copper bay with its stained glass. It's great to get a peak inside via the realtor's photos.
One of the minuses is the real estate tax. That's suburban tax in the city. Youza! It should make the "soak the rich" crowd happy.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 27, 2009 1:52 PM

Wow, the owners need to charge this much to recoup the upgrades and renovations. What an impressive list. I guess if you've got this kind of money, $25K for taxes isn't going to phase you either.

I've always been interested in this place because of the copper bay window, which takes it from an nice, classic Italianate, as seen all around the Heights, to something special. Beautiful block, beautiful house. Someone with deep pockets will be happy to make it theirs.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at October 27, 2009 1:52 PM

So... I normally like the Widget. It's fun. HOWEVER, in this case, I'm wondering how many people on this site actually have a clear conception of what $6 million is. I sure as hello don't. (My limit is about $3,000 - That was the pay-off amount of my car.)

If there are folks that have a clear sense of the difference between, say, $4.9 million and $6.0 million... Can I have $50,000? I'll be your special friend. No homo (unless I can have $75k)

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 1:52 PM

CarGar - I have a litter box squeezed between my toilet & bidet. The family that pees together...

Posted by: Arkady at October 27, 2009 1:53 PM

P.S. Lisa, the Agent, is a total sweetheart and truly great person. One of the very few real estate agents I have only wonderful things to say about.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 1:53 PM

5 million smackaroos to sniff poo mist?

no thanks!

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at October 27, 2009 1:54 PM

(Minard... the tax rate is still well below 0.5% -- it's hardly a "soak the rich" rate.)

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 1:55 PM

LOL, Arkady.

And it's nice to know you can be "had" for a mere $25,000, tybur!

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 1:55 PM

CGar - during bubble times, I would have been asking $95k... but times as they are.

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 1:57 PM

This place has Nokilissa written all over it.

Noki, put in an offer!

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 2:01 PM

Love the heights. Some wonderful homes.
This one is a beauty.

I suspect they're using one of the 'bedrooms' on the upper floors as a dining room (or a place holder for the table until they get a bigger place) given that you can see the top of trees out the window.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 2:02 PM

A bigger place?

Posted by: tybur6 at October 27, 2009 2:14 PM

tyburg, all you do is wine and complain about how po' you are. youre worse than me sometimes!

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at October 27, 2009 2:15 PM

A bigger place? = Tongue in Cheek

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 2:17 PM

do parents send kids to private school in the Heights? for some reason, don't recall many posters bragging about the quality of the schools in the hood. Am thinking schools can be bad when house prices and ppty are this high

Posted by: more4less at October 27, 2009 2:24 PM

I love the floorplan...it's got all the right things...wink.

I'm not feeling love for the plainness of the architectural details though. More would be better to warrant this price. There is no WOW factor here for me other than the facade.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 27, 2009 2:26 PM

m4l, my friends in the Heights send their kids to private school, mostly Packer and St. Ann's.

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 2:26 PM

This was on the Brooklyn Heights House tour in 2008, along with recent HOTDs on Grace Court Alley and on Jouralemon.

And @more4less, when I went on the tour, there was lots of Packer memorabilia in the house.

Posted by: tscola at October 27, 2009 2:28 PM

Packer and St. Ann's are two of the best private schools in all of New York.

DIBS, we'll shave $600K off the price to compensate for the less than perfect architectural details and stress of having to listen to those loud helicopters hovering over Brooklyn Heights all day long.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 2:32 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Credit to Noki who jokingly voiced the helicopter concern to me.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 2:33 PM

"I'm not feeling love for the plainness of the architectural details though. More would be better to warrant this price. There is no WOW factor here for me other than the facade."

This was my initial thought, too, Dave. But then I looked and noticed nice doors, moldings, fireplaces, floors. Not "wow" but very nice, if understated. Not to attack the homeowners, but I think their furniture and choice of paint colors are what make the house look bland.

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 2:33 PM

Minard, that was eerie - we said basically the same thing at the same time. WHO ARE YOU? :)

Posted by: Montrose Morris at October 27, 2009 2:35 PM

is premium private school cause parents want better or public schools there not that good - ie not brag-worthy like slop's 321, etc.

Posted by: more4less at October 27, 2009 2:37 PM

"I'm not feeling love for the plainness of the architectural details though."

Plainness = understated elegance.

If an eligible bachelor is looking to buy this place, I wouldn't mind being Mrs. Grace Court.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 2:40 PM

I do love the copper bow window though. It better be in great shape or be prepared to spend $80-100,000 to replace it.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 27, 2009 2:42 PM

What makes the top floor bedroom a "guest suite?"...the en-suite sink?

Not liking the powder room door in the kitchen...why didn't they set it in the hallway?

Posted by: cmu at October 27, 2009 2:51 PM

quote:
is premium private school cause parents want better or public schools there not that good - ie not brag-worthy like slop's 321, etc.

private school exists for parents who don't want their children to be around poor people. it's sad, but true

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at October 27, 2009 2:52 PM

Plainness = understated elegance.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 2:40 PM

Is that what you tell your dates???? :)

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 27, 2009 2:54 PM

1.Montrosse, I am an old dead architect just like you. We classically trained types think in much the same way.

2.tscola, I have been on all the recent Heights house tours and this house has never been on the tour. The house next door was on the tour the year before last. It is a narrower house with no copper bay.

3.others, The public school in the Heights PS8 was pretty bad because all the gentry sent their kids to the private schools nearby. But that has really turned around over the past few years and PS8 is now a wonderful school much loved by parents.

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 27, 2009 3:02 PM

"Is that what you tell your dates???? :)"

Visible to the naked eye, my details stand out and I have WOW factor.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 3:05 PM

"But that has really turned around over the past few years and PS8 is now a wonderful school much loved by parents."

Absolutely. It's a fantastic school.

Posted by: Biff Champion at October 27, 2009 3:05 PM

Just saw the Albermarle house in Last Weeks Biggest Sales.

NOW, that has details!!
Maybe you're right Dave. This is looking on the plainness side.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 3:07 PM

OK, I'm beginning to come around to the nice cornices, the floors and the fireplaces. I guess it's just the "all white" that is offputting.

I've also decided to have my 2 sets of parlour doors stripped and refinished after seeing these pics and the Boerum Hill house on www.brooklynbridgerealty.com

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 27, 2009 3:07 PM

Dave, I agree. I think the stained doors look beautiful.

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 3:15 PM

"OK, I'm beginning to come around"

What??? I was just coming around to your end.

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 3:26 PM

There you go, Tara, more "tongue in cheek"

Posted by: CGar at October 27, 2009 3:27 PM

"There you go, Tara, more "tongue in cheek"

Tsk, Tsk, you're naughty!

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 3:46 PM

CGar, don't forget the tray of brownies.

Tara, your post on OT last week won us a home-baked tray of brownies from CGar who claims it's super delish

Posted by: more4less at October 27, 2009 3:51 PM

Ooooh, Brownies! No walnuts please.

Where you guys betting on something? If I post again there, what else can we win?

Posted by: Tara in the Slope at October 27, 2009 4:02 PM

Ok, I have to nitpick about the fact the house is narrow, a 10 ft wide parlor is designed to make people stiff and uncomfortable, which I guess makes this house authentically Victorian. That said, the copper bay is spectacular, Grace Court is superlative, the house is updated and yet tasteful, so it's just a waspy fantasy.
I'd say if any house warrants $1,000 psf, it would be this one, so 18.5 x 50 x 5= 4,625, plus 100sf extension x 3, $4,925,000. Not a penny more, Noki.

Posted by: Maly at October 27, 2009 4:12 PM

I LOVE this house. The bay window is wonderful, the floorplan makes sense, and the block is one of the most charming I know of anywhere. And unlike some of the other posters I like the cleaner, white molding. It is not as heavy as some of the houses with TONS of original wood detail.

Posted by: pmmtenement at October 27, 2009 4:17 PM

that copper bay doesn't look "wow", it looks oxidised and bleurgh. Needs an industrial sized tub of Solvol to make it look good.

Posted by: the chicken at October 27, 2009 7:19 PM

Chicken, you look at a floorplan with a traditional toilet bidet combination and you think it is two toilets side by side. You should recuse yourself from all future threads involving multi-million dollar residences.
The copper bay is naturally patinated. I suppose you would like to see the Statue of Liberty painted in flesh tones?

Posted by: Minard Lafever at October 27, 2009 9:05 PM

18 feet wide? Exposed AC vents? For six million? Am I missing something??

Posted by: marlowe at October 27, 2009 10:17 PM

PS 8 in the Heights is actually a very good school.

I really like the Heights, and I have a particular irrational fondness for Grace Court. Good luck to whoever buys this place - I'm sure they'll be very happy there.

Posted by: phbalanced at October 27, 2009 10:33 PM

Minard, thank you for correcting me on MY OWN OPINION.

Patina IS oxidisation and the uneven exposure to the elements has caused it to be overly streaky and looks ugly (IN MY OPINION).

If Lady Liberty's patina caused her face to look like a blubbing clown, do you think people might want to see her freshened up?

Posted by: the chicken at October 28, 2009 4:05 AM

« Co-op of the Day: 100 Underhill Avenue, #2 StreetLevel: Pediatrics Office Coming to 4th Ave »

October 27, 2009

House of the Day: 42 Grace Court

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