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November 6, 2009

The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!

Albemarle2.jpg
We're thrilled to announce the launch of a new renovation blog which will be called the Albemarle Reno blog. As the picture above shows, the house itself is incredible but there's lots of work to be done; this is also the first non-rowhouse we've featured as well as the first house in Victorian Flatbush. So please give a warm Brownstoner welcome to the Albemarle Reno bloggers and go check out the first post which just went up!




Posted by Brownstoner at 10:59 AM | Comments (35)
Categories: Albemarle Reno

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Comments

Awesome! Can't wait to read about your adventures. Good luck.

Posted by: wasder at November 6, 2009 11:02 AM

Absolutely stunning from the outside! Can't wait to see what you do with the interior. Welcome and congrats :-)

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 6, 2009 11:04 AM

Very cool.

Posted by: Pigeon at November 6, 2009 11:08 AM

Great! Glad the blog idea worked out. The exterior of this house really reminds me of the Victorian in "Yours, Mine & Ours" (the original, starring Lucille Ball & Henry Fonda).

Posted by: CarrollGardened at November 6, 2009 11:10 AM

Gorgeous house- so jealous! (CarGar- when is the closing on my gingerbread house?)

Montrose will definitely stalk this place :)

Posted by: bxgrl at November 6, 2009 11:13 AM

What a delightful house. That porch is made for cocktails, not too far off ground so no injuries.

And those top floor windows, perfect for peering out of.

good luck!

Posted by: DeLepp at November 6, 2009 11:26 AM

courage!

Posted by: Ringo at November 6, 2009 11:30 AM

As I commented on the blog, welcome, and WOW!

I'd be stalking like a field of corn, but begging to be let in. This is going to be fun to watch. If I can't do it myself, I will renovate vicariously.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at November 6, 2009 11:31 AM

Before you touch anything, make sure you visit this house.

1423 Albemarle Rd

The owners started and interior renovation without touching the exterior then stopped midway. The house is now in an unfinished state where no bank will touch it. The sellers will need to find an all cash buyer.

http://www.brooklynproperties.com/house183.htm

Posted by: ditmas2br at November 6, 2009 12:11 PM

We looked at this house when it was on the market with Mary Kay Gallagher in early Spring '08. It is a beautiful house with some stunning original details left--as I remember one of the challenges was going to be re-doing the kitchen...we ultimately decided that we didn't have a need for so much space (the house is HUGE) but I am really looking forward to following your reno blog. Congrats and good luck!

Posted by: bklynrosie at November 6, 2009 12:40 PM

I imagine buyers of the reno blog place are well aware of that place. It's been on the market quite a while and it looks pretty bad from the outside.

It was an open house pick in April 08.
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/04/open_house_pick_180.php
Back then asking $1.65. Those were the days.

According to streeteasy
01/09/2009 Listed in StreetEasy by Brooklyn Properties at $1,350,000, then multiple price cuts ending up at $999,000.
10/23/2009 Listing entered contract.

From propertyshark, looks like it was going towards foreclosure - Lis Pendens filed 6/1/2009

Posted by: Bklnite at November 6, 2009 12:41 PM

(Referring to 1423 Albemarle Rd, mentioned by ditmas2br 12:11 PM ... not the reno blogger's place)

Posted by: Bklnite at November 6, 2009 12:45 PM

Fantastic, I'm so excited about the blog. This is a great house.

Posted by: BHS at November 6, 2009 12:53 PM

If I may make a recommendation for the next renovation blog...
How about a modest place in say Bensonhurst, Seagate or Marine Park purchased by 2 teachers or some type of middle income couple. I'm sure there are some normal people of relatively modest means that are buying older homes out there. I would like to see a focus on the budgeting as it would be a working couple with a modest budget. I think this would be a good way to add some diversity to this sight as well as an alternative to apartment living for readers of relatively modest means.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 6, 2009 12:57 PM

wrong blog, JfB

Posted by: cmu at November 6, 2009 1:20 PM

JFB, you checked teacher's salaries lately? A pair of them can go over 200k.

Posted by: denton at November 6, 2009 1:37 PM

Joe from Brooklyn, years ago an anonymous poster (back when those existed) suggested an offshoot blog to be called "Vinylsider" for the demographic you mention. I nearly fell off my chair laughing. But thought it a really good idea actually. Jon, maybe there's franchise blog potential.

Posted by: traditionalmod at November 6, 2009 1:39 PM

If you're doing an extensive renovation and budget is of the highest priority, you probably don't want photo documentation of the process on the web. Chances are, you're going to be skipping some or all of the permits related hassle and expenses that can add weeks/months and tens of thousands of dollars to a renovation.

Posted by: mt_molehill at November 6, 2009 1:54 PM

hypothetically speaking, of course.

Posted by: mt_molehill at November 6, 2009 1:56 PM

"I'm sure there are some normal people of relatively modest means that are buying older homes out there. I would like to see a focus on the budgeting as it would be a working couple with a modest budget."

I guess you have not yet discovered the HGTV channel.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at November 6, 2009 2:00 PM

Forget vinylsider. Anyone register www.hardiplanker.com yet?

Posted by: slopefarm at November 6, 2009 2:01 PM

that stuff isn't cheap.

Posted by: mt_molehill at November 6, 2009 2:19 PM

Wasn't this where they filmed part of an "Gossip Girl" episode on the porch passing the location off as The Hamptons?

Posted by: 1910 at November 6, 2009 2:57 PM


"If you're doing an extensive renovation and budget is of the highest priority, you probably don't want photo documentation of the process on the web."

No kidding! I can't understand why anyone would do this, unless they are planning to flip the place later and want publicity. I'd never put my own home and primary residence on any blog. But that's me.

Posted by: East New York at November 6, 2009 3:35 PM

that is an awesome looking house. do us a favor tho, paint it a great color, be a little funky with it. i suggest teal and sea foam green, then do the yard stuff with complimentary colors. :) good luck, looking forward to your blog!

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 6, 2009 3:36 PM

> I'd never put my own home and primary residence on any blog.

Privacy is SO last century, ENY.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 6, 2009 3:41 PM

Joe from Brooklyn, years ago an anonymous poster (back when those existed) suggested an offshoot blog to be called "Vinylsider" for the demographic you mention. I nearly fell off my chair laughing. But thought it a really good idea actually. Jon, maybe there's franchise blog potential.

Posted by: traditionalmod at November 6, 2009 1:39 PM

There are plenty of cute houses in southern Brooklyn that are within the price range of an "accountant married to a cop", etc. The last time I checked there were many houses in so-called "brownstone Brooklyn" with ugly ass vinyl siding. I would suggest when you move to a new place, especially a blue-collar mecca like Brooklyn you check your funky Westchester attitudes at the door. Median per capita income in Brooklyn is $32,135 btw.

Posted by: Joe from Brooklyn at November 6, 2009 3:46 PM

agreeance ditmassnark.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 6, 2009 3:46 PM

Isn't this house sided? I believe so.

Posted by: Architerrorist at November 6, 2009 4:26 PM

"Before you touch anything, make sure you visit this house.

1423 Albemarle Rd

The owners started and interior renovation without touching the exterior then stopped midway. The house is now in an unfinished state where no bank will touch it. The sellers will need to find an all cash buyer.

http://www.brooklynproperties.com/house183.htm

Posted by: ditmas2br at November 6, 2009 12:11 PM"


The question is how low will the sellers go? I'd be interested but not if the post-reno cost ends up higher than what an already done place is going for.

Posted by: the chicken at November 6, 2009 4:38 PM

This is a gorgeous house. Beautiful massing and proportions. But...there is something wrong with the siding.
Something should be going on at the peak of the pediment and something should be going on at the turret above the porch. I would guess the original siding had portions that were done in a fishscale pattern or other decorative embellishment that would help visually break up the plain expanses of wall. An old photo would help a lot. I'm not saying the owners have to restore the original siding. Most people would not notice that something was missing, but should they decide to put it back it as it was.... it would re-double the beauty of the place.


Posted by: Minard Lafever at November 6, 2009 5:01 PM

Hi, Congratulations and welcome to PPS! As many of us have coveted your gorgeous triple parlor, but lacked your bank account and gumption, we wish you all the best in bringing this great house back to life.

Should be fun to watch. Godspeed.

But... no aluminum removal aspirations?

BTW, Minard, there's more trouble than you noted with the siding - its clad entirely in late sixties vintage aluminum siding - think Danny DeVito in "Tin Man" ... oh to return it to its cedar shingled glory! One can only hope.

Posted by: Arguileless at November 7, 2009 9:34 AM

Joe in Brooklyn, speaking from my own experience, those of us buying in Brooklyn on the regular-person salaries you mention make a point of buying places that don't need extensive renovation in the first place because we can't afford it.

Posted by: mopar at November 7, 2009 10:28 AM

Wow Joe from Brooklyn, way to totally misunderstand the tone and intent of a comment. Says more about you than it says about me.

Posted by: traditionalmod at November 7, 2009 12:35 PM

Thanks for the great welcome, all. One of the first properties we saw in the nabe was 1423 Albemarle. I found the layout confusing and the work left to be done completely overwhelming. I think because so much had been started and halted, it was hard to see past the clutter to the potential that clearly exists in that house.

We are planning to file all permits and do all inspections. We are changing the C of O back to a single family residence from it’s current residential/commercial status. Yes, mt_molehill, this will add a lot of time and expense, but I can put my pics up for the world to see and still sleep at night.

Because of the added expense of due diligence, we are leaving the exterior renovation for another time, hopefully the not-too-distant future. My husband has it very high on his priority list. Neighborhood doyenne Mary Kay Gallagher, told me how she and the neighborhood association pleaded with the the doctor and his wife (the owers when the siding went up in the late 70’s, just prior to landmarking) not to put it on. When we do take the aluminum off, we want to make sure we’ve saved up lots of cash to address whatever’s uncovered.


Posted by: albemarle at November 9, 2009 12:48 PM

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