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Open House Picks
Fort Greene
294 Cumberland Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday, 1:00-2:30
$2,600,000
GMAP P*Shark
Carroll Gardens
162 Union Street
Brooklyn Bridge Realty
Sunday, 12:00-2:00
$2,495,000
GMAP P*Shark
Park Slope
572 Pacific Street
Halstead
Sunday, 12:30-1:30
$2,150,000
GMAP P*Shark
South Slope
144 16th Street
Corcoran
Sunday, 2:00-3:30
$1,450,000
GMAP P*Shark
02/10/2012 1:06 PM
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New Carroll Gardens Burger Joint Opens
Smith Street’s newest burger joint/pub, Burger on Smith, recently opened for business. It’s serving up grass-fed beef grilled on cast-iron in the old Faan space on Smith and Baltic. Grub Street’s got the menu and PMFA’s got the interior photos. Anybody checked it out yet? GMAP
02/03/2012 2:00 PM
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Open House Picks
Carroll Gardens
177 Carroll Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday, 12:00-2:00
$2,650,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bed Stuy
25 Monroe Street
Corcoran
Sunday, 2:00-3:45
$1,100,000
GMAP P*Shark
Midwood
712 East 18th Street
Mary Kay Gallagher
Sunday, 1:00-2:30
$890,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bed Stuy
478 Quincy Street
Fillmore
Saturday, 2:00-3:00
$598,000
GMAP P*Shark
02/03/2012 1:06 PM
Comment
Carroll Gardens Association Fights Proposed Budget Cuts
A representative from the Carroll Gardens Association wrote in to publicize the organization’s concerns about some of Governor Cuomo’s proposed budget cuts. The CGA is protesting proposed cuts to the Neighborhood Preservation Program, which provides funds to nonprofit housing organizations in New York that develop, rehabilitate and manage affordable housing. The Carroll Gardens Association receives funding from the program and wrote a letter to the governor describing the impact the proposed cuts will have on Southwest Brooklyn-based residents and businesses. We inquired how much of CGA’s budget is actually dependent on the funding but didn’t receive a response. Read the letter after the jump…
Pic: A health fair hosted by the CGA via (more…)
02/03/2012 11:30 AM
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The Insider: Green Agenda in Carroll Gardens
The Insider is Brownstoner’s weekly look at the state of interior design and renovation in the borough of Brooklyn. It’s written by Cara Greenberg, a design journalist who blogs at casaCARA: Old Houses for Fun & Profit. Find The Insider here every Thursday at 11:30AM.
This c.1900 row house is about as green as you can get without being Leed-certified. “Our clients had a very strong green agenda, but a normal budget,” says Jeff Sherman of the DUMBO architecture firm Delson or Sherman, which took on the job of converting a three-unit house that had had the same owner for 50 years into a single-family residence for a couple with two kids.
“Leed certification winds up being a surprisingly expensive process,” Sherman explains, citing the paperwork involved in documenting sources and the required follow-up inspections. Instead, Sherman and his partner Perla Delson, who are accredited to do Leed projects, strove for maximum impact at minimum cost. The result is a project that still has “strong green credentials,” as Sherman puts it. The contractor was the Brooklyn-based Square Indigo.
The 20′x44′ four-story building is chock full of sustainable strategies, including radiant heat flooring, solar water heating, spray foam insulation, a high-efficiency boiler, and a whole-house fan (a rainwater collection system and photovoltaic panels are yet to be implemented). Daylight is maximized by enormous skylights, as well as the replacement of one-third of the back wall with expanses of glass. Materials were re-purposed whenever possible, even the little ‘Juliet’ balconies at the rear of the house, which are segments of the original fire escape.
Now sleek and utterly modern, the house had some old doors, mantels, pressed tin, and bathroom fixtures, all of which were salvaged, though not for use in this project. “The owners worked Craigslist and Build It Green to make sure any possible thing that could be used by somebody, was,” Sherman says. “The house was picked clean by the time we started.”
Photos: Seong Kwon
Much more after the jump.
02/02/2012 11:30 AM
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Negotiations Underway for Failed Carroll Gardens Condo
What’s doing at 111 Luquer Street, the condo building that was put up for sale in December? Back then, there was word that a deal for the property was expected by the end of the year, but that failed to happen. A broker working with the property says there’s been a good deal of interest and that the developers are “currently negotiating several offers.” Nothing concrete has come through, though, and the building is still listed on StreetEasy for $15.5 million. It’s now being pitched as a potential rental. Condo units here were priced between $599,000 and $849,000 when it was briefly on the market last year.
100 Luquer Street Building on the Market, Going Rental [Brownstoner]
100 Luquer Officially Goes on Sale This Sunday [Brownstoner]
Coming Soon: Listings for Carroll Gardens’ 100 Luquer [Brownstoner]
100 Luquer [Official Site]
Life at Formerly Stalled Luquer Street Sites [Brownstoner]
Reboot Under Way at 100 Luquer [Brownstoner] GMAP
02/01/2012 10:30 AM
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House of the Day: 473 Sackett Street
The seller of this house at 473 Sackett Street in Carroll Gardens bought the three-story building back in 2005 for $875,000 and, if the photos in the new listing are representative, proceeded to do a very attractive head-to-toe renovation. The result is a light and modern-feeling house that still has some of the old-house vibes. Nice. We’ll see whether the market will bear the asking price of $1,695,000. Any predictions?
473 Sackett Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
01/26/2012 1:24 PM
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Plans Surface for Carroll Gardens Dog Run Upgrades
Last night the Parks Department made a presentation to the CB6 parks committee on improvements planned for the DiMattina Playground dog run on Hicks and Hamilton streets. Upgrades to the run have been in the works for a long time. The plan calls for resurfacing the run. In addition, there’s supposed to be new lighting, fencing around all trees, flowering shrubs, new benches, drainage in the park, two doggie and two human drinking fountains, two spigots and a small storage box for tools like rakes. More than a year ago Councilman Brad Lander and Borough President Marty Markowitz allocated $450,000 for renovations, but no additional funding has come through since then. Some of the upgrades to the park are still dependent on how much more money the Parks Department can secure from elected officials. Last night the committee didn’t make a final decision on the type of gravel to be used for resurfacing the run, but the Parks Department rep urged a decision as soon as possible, saying the project is waiting to go into contract and “we don’t want the funds to get cut.” There was no word on an actual time line for the run’s construction since funding isn’t completely secured. Ultimately CB6 approved the improvements with plans to decide on the gravel type ASAP.
01/19/2012 12:00 PM
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Robberies Rose in the Slope and Carroll Gardens Last Year
The NYPD reports that there was an increase last year in robberies in the 76th Precinct, which covers Carroll Gardens and Red Hook, and the 78th Precinct, which covers Park Slope, according to a story in the Post. There were 124 robberies in the 76th Precinct last year, compared to 100 in 2010, and a 32 percent increase in the 78th Precinct. The thieves are targeting “tipsy revelers, distracted shoppers and anyone with earbuds oblivious of his surroundings, police sources say.”
Thieves Getting Hip to Trendy Brooklyn Nabes [NY Post]
01/09/2012 11:00 AM
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Building Rising on Smith and Degraw
Steel is finally rising at 337 Degraw Street, the Carroll Gardens construction site on the corner of Smith Street where permits for a four-story, four-unit building were first approved last back in March. The architect on file is Boro Architects; judging from the firm’s website, the finished building is likely to be pretty glassy.
Development Watch: 337 Degraw Street [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
01/06/2012 2:40 PM
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Closing Bell: Spotlight on Bike Parking for Smith St.
Today Streetsblog posted a short film taking a look at the bike racks installed on a dangerous corner of Smith and Sackett Streets this summer. The corner was known for accidents because drivers approaching the intersection from Sackett couldn’t clearly look out onto Smith due to parked cars blocking their line of sight. DOT cleared out some parking spaces on Smith Street for eight bike racks, making it New York’s first on-street bike parking facility. Looks good!
Making Streets Safer With On-Street Bike Parking [StreetFilm]
01/04/2012 4:00 PM
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Rental of the Day: 93 Rapelye Street
Here’s a two-bedroom apartment at 93 Rapelye Street with a pretty ho-hum interior. The renovated kitchen and balcony, however, aren’t bad. Considering the location – the building is right next to the BQE – the $2,600/month rent may be stretching it. Do you agree?
93 Rapelye Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
01/04/2012 12:32 PM
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East Village Lounge Opening Carroll Gardens Spin-off
The Bourgeois Pig, a Manhattan bar and restaurant known for its fondue, is opening a Brooklyn location on the corner of Court Street and 1st Place this week. Early reports on the lounge said it’s slated to have a “daily changing fondue menu” and “a cocktail list emphasizing Continental spirits.” Click through for shot of the interior, which was looking ready for prime time as of yesterday. The location in question is part of the Scotto Funeral Home building, and it was most recently occupied by a short-lived wine bar after the video store that had been in the storefront for nearly two decades shuttered. GMAP
(more…)
12/28/2011 10:16 AM
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Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $3,100,000
200 Hicks Street, #7S GMAP P*Shark
Here’s the listing for this three-bedroom co-op unit: “Magical river views from 50′+/- loft style living room in Brooklyn Heights premier co-op residence. 24-hour manned elevator in beautiful a prewar building steps from Montague Street.” Asking $3,600,000 in 2008, then $3,495,000 in 2010. Entered into contract on 10/01/11; closed on 11/17/11; deed recorded on 12/21/2011.
2. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $2,725,000
96A Hicks Street GMAP P*Shark
A HOTD in May 2011. We said: “The 17-foot-wide brownstone is generally pretty attractive on the inside, though we’re not loving the renovation on the rear parlor. Still, the house is in good shape, has a charming garden and obviously is in a great location.” Ask: $3,195,000. Entered into contract on 9/21/11; closed on 11/28/11; deed recorded on 12/23/2011.
3. DUMBO $2,500,000
31 Washington Street, #12 GMAP P*Shark
Not much info on this condo unit. Entered into contract on 10/12/11; closed on 11/30/11; deed recorded on 12/19/2011.
4. GOWANUS $1,750,000
15 3rd Street GMAP P*Shark
A four-story, three-family townhouse. The home looks lovely and it sold right at ask, only two months after it hit the market. Entered into contract on 10/15/11; closed on 11/29/11; deed recorded on 12/20/2011.
5. CARROLL GARDENS $1,730,000
159 Nelson Street GMAP P*Shark
A three-story, three-family home with an owners duplex. The interior was renovated but is pretty bland as a result. The ask was $1,795,000. Entered into contract on 9/16/11; closed on 12/6/11; deed recorded on 12/22/2011.
12/27/2011 11:00 AM
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Market Snapshot: Carroll Gardens
PropertyShark has provided us with another batch of numbers showing real estate trends in a Brooklyn neighborhood, this time focusing on Carroll Gardens. The data stretches back to the beginning of 2005 and the effects of the late ’08 bust are pronounced: Not one house sold in the neighborhood in the second quarter of 2009. The median price of co-ops, condos and houses in Carroll Gardens last quarter was $820,000. Other details:
Condos and co-ops: There have been 495 apartment sales since 2005 in the neighborhood, and the median price is $670,000. As with houses, sales volume took a hit in early ’09 but has been gaining steam since then.
Houses: There have been 169 one-, two- and three-family home sales in the neighborhood since early 2005, and the median price for the whole period is $1,275,000. Prices were higher than that the last two quarters, though: There were 12 home sales in Q2 of this year, with a median price of $1,704,250, and 5 sales last quarter, with a median price of $1,610,000.
Biggest sale ever: 230 Degraw Street, a two-family that sold for $3,401,000 in mid-2007.
Most expensive property on the market: 32 3rd Place, a house listed for $3.2 million
Cheapest listing in the neighborhood: 441 Court Street #3R, a one-bedroom co-op listed for $324,500
Click through for more graphs with price trends since ’05, as well as a map showing how Carroll Gardens prices compare to neighboring areas. (more…)
12/22/2011 11:00 AM
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100 Luquer Street Building on the Market, Going Rental
Looks like the saga of 100 Luquer Street, a.k.a the Carroll Gardens Finger, isn’t over yet: A broker involved with the marketing the development as a condo tells us the entire property is for sale, and it’s being pitched as a rental. A few private investors have already expressed interest in the tower, and a deal is expected to be signed by the end of the year. Condo sales at 100 Luquer Street went live this October, but StreetEasy shows that MNS Real Estate pulled all listings last week. The two-bedrooms for sale were priced between $599,000 and $849,000, and some contracts are said to have been in negotiation.
100 Luquer Officially Goes on Sale This Sunday [Brownstoner]
Coming Soon: Listings for Carroll Gardens’ 100 Luquer [Brownstoner]
100 Luquer [Official Site]
Life at Formerly Stalled Luquer Street Sites [Brownstoner]
Reboot Under Way at 100 Luquer [Brownstoner] GMAP
12/21/2011 10:00 AM
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Closing Bell: Plans to Make a Carroll Street Garden Better
Last week Community Board Six announced that the Carroll Street Community Garden was selected by the New York Restoration Project for a big renovation. With a grant in hand, NYRP is starting to look at how the site serves the community now and will then figure out how to improve site features, create new opportunities for social engagement, and look at how to respond to issues raised by the community. Since the area is prone to flooding, the renovation will include green infrastructure to manage stormwater. The first community meeting for the project is scheduled this Friday, December 9th at 6:30pm, at Proteus Gowanus, 543 Union Street. To RSVP, and for more information, contact John Parsons Douglas, Community Initiatives Coordinator, at jdouglas@nyrp.org or call (212) 333-2552.
Photo via the NYRP
12/07/2011 4:00 PM
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Carroll Gardens Townhouse Renovation Irks
A reader sent in this photo of three dumpsters lined up outside 195 President Street in Carroll Gardens, a four-story home currently undergoing an interior renovation. Our tipster calls the site a “disgusting mess.” Apparently the developer has done a few rental projects around the block on Clinton Street. She says:
They have had a couple of problems due to their own carelessness, including not locking up the site at night and having water meters stolen and not covering or locking the end gate on their dumpster. There was a man dumpster diving a night for scrap metal who got pinned in the end gate when trying to get out–the neighbors heard screaming and called 911. The fire department also showed up one day when the dumpster was so overloaded it was “jumping” when they were trying to take it away. The big dumpster in the picture hasn’t been removed and they brought in two additional small ones.
12/02/2011 12:00 PM
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Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. CARROLL GARDENS $2,125,000
190 President Street GMAP P*Shark
This four-family home was on the market for $2,600,000. The listing says: “190 President Street has been lovingly owned by the same family for over forty years. Bring your architect to this 25 X 100 lot to create a double duplex, an oversized single family or simply leave it as a superb four family unit with high ceilings and original detail…” No interior shots, so it must have needed a good deal of work. Still sold for a high price, though. Entered into contract on 6/16/11; closed on 10/31/11; deed recorded on 11/22/2011.
2. PARK SLOPE $1,592,000
274 12th Street GMAP P*Shark
A two family in Park Slope. It sold for $775,000 in December 2010. Entered into contract on 7/28/11; closed on 10/27/11; deed recorded on 11/22/2011.
3. WILLIAMSBURG $1,216,808.75
22 North 6th Street, #25D GMAP P*Shark
A sale in the Edge’s South Tower. Not a lot of info on the unit, though. Entered into contract on 10/6/11; closed on 11/4/11; deed recorded on 11/22/2011.
4. DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN $1,050,000
101 Willoughby Street, #13L GMAP P*Shark
A high sale for the Belltell Lofts. This three bed, two bath was asking $1,270,500 in 2008, then $1,150,000 in 2011. Says the listing: “Unit 13L offers flexible loft living with three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and 12 foot ceilings. About 1800SqFt large, you will notice how spacious this unit is with many windows having North and East exposures.” Entered into contract on 10/5/11; closed on 11/8/11; deed recorded on 11/23/2011.
5. DITMAS PARK $995,000
909 Cortelyou Road GMAP P*Shark
This home, which looks fairly rundown, was listed in 2010 for $1,900,000. The price decreased to $1,199,000 before going into contract. Entered into contract on 10/31/11; closed on 10/31/11; deed recorded on 11/23/2011.
11/29/2011 11:30 AM
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340 Court Street Now Rising Quickly
Up goes the formerly stalled development at 340 Court Street. The project will have 32 condos plus 11 townhouses and should be finished in a year-and-a-half, give or take.
11 New Townhouses on Court Street Are a Go [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 340 Court Street [Brownstoner]
Work on 340 Court Street Starting Next Week [Brownstoner]
340 Court Now Has an ETA [Brownstoner]
Plans for 340 Court No Longer on Ice [Brownstoner] GMAP
Murky Future for 340 Court [Brownstoner]
Death Knell for Clarett’s Big Court Street Project? [Brownstoner]
11/22/2011 2:40 PM
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Feb 06, 2012 | 12:32 PM