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Inside Carroll Gardens Cafe Teaffee
About three weeks ago, two brothers opened up a cafe and tea room called, appropriately enough, Teaffee. The spot at 517 Court Street, on the corner of West 9th Street, serves over 80 varieties of loose-leaf teas in addition to unsweetened iced teas and Dallas Brothers coffee. Also available is merchandise for both tea and coffee drinkers. Teafee is experimenting with tea varieties and coffee types and is very responsive to any requests from patrons. The brothers got the idea for this hybrid cafe after a trip to Portland; they picked the lower end of Carroll Gardens to settle in because of the growth in the neighborhood and in anticipation of the Smith and 9th Street subway station reopening. (It’s happening this Friday!) Click through for lots of pictures of the interior… GMAP (more…)
04/23/2013 2:00 PM
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Open House Picks
Carroll Gardens
123A 2nd Place
Realty Collective
Saturday, 1:00-3:00
$2,750,000
GMAP P*Shark
Clinton Hill
116 St. James Place
Corcoran
Sunday, 2:00-3:30
$2,400,000
GMAP P*Shark
Carroll Gardens
81 2nd Street
FSBO
Sunday, 2:00-4:00
$1,400,000
GMAP P*Shark
Kensington
106 East 8th Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday, 1:30-3:00
$849,000
GMAP P*Shark
04/19/2013 1:00 PM
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House of the Day: 274 Carroll Street
This single-family Carroll Gardens brownstone at 274 Carroll Street has retained most of its original grandeur, with 12-foot-high parlor ceilings, a wood burning fireplace, etched glass doors, moldings, and so on. There are at least four bedrooms and a deep front garden. The listing notes there are “additional kitchen facilities” in an “upstairs playroom,” but does not show them on the floor plan. How do you like it for $3,100,000?
274 Carroll Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
04/17/2013 1:30 PM
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Condo of the Day: 661 Carroll Street #1
This 1,700-square-foot brownstone duplex apartment at 661 Carroll Street in Carroll Gardens just hit the market with an eye-popping asking price of $1,575,000. It’s always hard to know what kind of discount to put on dug-out basements that have been converted into rec room space, but it doesn’t seem like there was much of discount at all in this case. The main living level has nice original floors and moldings, but some of the newer touches like the fireplace in a bedroom seem a little questionable. We wish the listing included some photos of the outdoor space. What do you make of it all?
661 Carroll Street #1 [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
04/15/2013 1:00 PM
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Building of the Day: 440 Clinton Street
Brooklyn, one building at a time.
Name: John Rankin House, now F.G. Guido Funeral Home
Address: 440 Clinton Street
Cross Streets: Corner of Carroll Street
Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens
Year Built: 1839-1840
Architectural Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: Yes, individual landmark (1970), National Register of Historic Places (1978)
The story: In our densely packed city today, it’s hard to imagine that from the windows of this house, its owner, John Rankin, could look out and see the picturesque vista of the bay, with sailing ships entering the harbor. The house, at that time, sat alone amidst the fields and gentlemen farms of the area, a suburban retreat from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan commerce and trade.
John Rankin was a very successful and wealthy merchant, but we don’t know anything more about him, other than he had money and good taste. His house was constructed at a time when the Greek Revival style of architecture was favored as the choice for substantial houses like this. Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill were considered Southern Brooklyn during this time, and were not very developed. The street grid had been established, but still ran around the estates of the other wealthy landowners who lived here. This was practically “the country” then, and this house was a country estate. (more…)
04/11/2013 3:30 PM
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Looking Good at the Smith and 9th Street Subway Station
The reopening of the Smith and 9th Street subway station is less than two weeks away. Above, a photo from a reader of the almost-finished entrance. Last month the MTA announced that the station would reopen on April 22 after closing in 2011. Once it’s open, the $32.3 million restoration will boast new lighting, an enclosed escalator, and a 14-foot-tall mosaic.
Smith and 9th Streets Stop to Finally Open April 22 [Brownstoner]
Smith-9th Streets Station Closed Until April! [Brownstoner]
Bummer: Smith-9th Station Reopening Delayed [Brownstoner]
04/10/2013 10:30 AM
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Rental of the Day: 84 3rd Place #1
Carroll Gardens is highly desirable these days, but this two-bedroom duplex has received some questionable “upgrades.” What is going on with that step down from the hall into the living room? We expect a sunken living room in a 1930s apartment, but not in a brownstone. The kitchen, shutter doors, and pineapple chandelier aren’t winning us over either. But this duplex has space for a family and a backyard. Think the ask of $6,500 a month will fly?
84 3rd Place #1 [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
04/08/2013 12:30 PM
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House of the Day: 86 3rd Place
This mid-19th century Italianate brownstone has a wood-burning fireplace, new kitchen, central air on two levels, and plenty of drool-worthy original details. It’s also on a desirable Place block with a deep front garden. On the downside, the single-family home is narrow at 12.5 feet, but has a center stair so rooms front and back run the full width of the house. Do you think the home is well priced at $2,750,000?
86 3rd Place [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
04/03/2013 1:30 PM
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Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. PARK SLOPE $3,780,000
43 8th Avenue GMAP P*Shark
A brownstone listed for $3.8 million. As the listing says, “Built for Park Slope’s elite in the late nineteenth century, this small stretch of 8th Avenue is now home to an extraordinary, updated residence of classic proportions and museum quality detail. A 23′ wide classic brownstone, on a full 100′ lot, No. 43 affords the space and room size for gracious living.” Entered into contract after one month on the market. Deed recorded on 3/28/2013.
2. FORT GREENE $3,750,000
32 South Portland Avenue GMAP P*Shark
No listing for this two-family home. The Observer says this is one of the most expensive home sales in Fort Greene. The buyer is an indie production designer. Deed recorded on 3/26/2013.
3. PARK SLOPE $3,000,000
630 3rd Street GMAP P*Shark
A HOTD in November. We said: “The relatively late Arts & Crafts architecture makes this a fairly modern, open plan house, and it appears to be in move-in condition, both of which will suit a lot of buyers.” It was asking $3,350,000. Deed recorded on 3/27/2013.
4. WILLIAMSBURG $2,423,435
34 North 7th Street, PH2D GMAP P*Shark
A penthouse sale at The Edge. The listing’s been pulled for this one. Deed recorded on 3/25/2013.
5. CARROLL GARDENS $2,380,000
305A President Street GMAP P*Shark
An Open House Pick in January. The listing makes it seem like the interior needs a lot of work. Ask: $2,400,000. Deed recorded on 3/28/2013.
04/02/2013 11:30 AM
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Floor Plan Available for 364 Union Street Conversion
Click to enlarge!
Floor plans are now available for the three-bedroom condo unit at 364 Union Street, a Carroll Gardens condo conversion now under construction. The building will consist of four three-bedroom units and and one garden duplex, with prices ranging from $1.15 to $1.6 million. Halstead will be marketing the development this spring, and the building will be ready for occupancy this winter. There’s currently a placeholder site up, but no renderings of units yet. The building is being renovated by East River Partners, a firm that buys up multifamilies in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens and converts them into small condo developments.
Brownstone Conversion Coming Soon to Carroll Gardens [Brownstoner] GMAP
03/27/2013 11:00 AM
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House of the Day: 37 3rd Place
Looking more like a school building than the semi-detached rowhouse it is, the townhouse at 37 3rd Place stands out among Carroll Gardens brownstones for its red brick facade and Mansard roof with iron railings. Inside, it has Eastlake moldings, low marble fireplaces and original pine floors. Currently configured as a triplex over a garden rental, the circa-1870s house seems well laid out. However, it is only 16.5 feet wide. Do you think the price of $2,995,000 is realistic?
37 3rd Place [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
03/25/2013 1:30 PM
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Open House Picks
Carroll Gardens
37 3rd Place
Corcoran
Sunday, 12:30-2:30
$2,995,000
GMAP P*Shark
Ditmas Park
136 Argyle Road
Brooklyn Bridge Realty
Sunday, 12:00-2:00
$1,499,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bed Stuy
341 Hancock Street
Corcoran
Sunday, 1:00-3:00
$1,300,000
GMAP P*Shark
Prospect Lefferts Gardens
43 Lefferts Avenue
Century 21
Sunday, 11:30-1:00
$799,000
GMAP P*Shark
03/22/2013 1:00 PM
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Smith and 9th Streets Stop to Finally Open April 22nd
The MTA confirmed in a Wall Street Journal story today that the long-closed subway station at Smith and 9th streets in Carroll Gardens will open on April 22. That’s consistant with the timeline they promised back in December, definitely a good sign. The station closure was caused by the $320 million restoration of the Culver Viaduct, which carries the F and G trains aboveground. The station will open with new lighting, an enclosed escalator, and a 14-foot-tall mosaic. Said upgrades cost the MTA around $32.3 million, according to the Journal. The station first closed in June 2011; it was originally supposed to open around March 2012.
After Delays, Smith-9th Street Subway Station to Reopen [WSJ]
Smith-9th Streets Station Closed Until April! [Brownstoner]
Bummer: Smith-9th Station Reopening Delayed [Brownstoner]
03/22/2013 9:30 AM
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House of the Day: 428 Clinton Street
This Carroll Gardens brownstone looks nicely renovated but narrow. It’s on a leafy block across from an Episcopal church, and it’s close but not too close to the BQE. It was a HOTD asking $1,8250,000 in 2011, but as far as we can tell, didn’t sell. At the time we said, “Lots of original detail survived the recent top-to-bottom renovation and the kitchen, in particular, came out looking great. The catch here is that this place is only 12.5 feet wide.” Think they can get $2,300,000 for it now?
428 Clinton Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
03/18/2013 1:30 PM
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Co-op of the Day: 233 Union Street #4
Here’s another small-but-beautiful two-bedroom in brownstone Brooklyn. Custom built-ins, a working wood-burning fireplace, and a second bathroom are the big draws here. However, if our back-of-envelope calculations are correct, at $719,000, the ask works out to more than $1,000 per square foot. Does that seem high for the location?
233 Union Street #4 [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
02/27/2013 1:00 PM
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Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. GRAVESEND $3,054,750
400 Avenue U, #PH5B GMAP P*Shark
Streeteasy does not list the condos for this Gravsend development. Deed recorded on 2/21/2013.
2. WILLIAMSBURG $2,835,826.25
22 North 6th Street, #PH3C GMAP P*Shark
Listing pulled for this condo unit at the Edge! Deed recorded on 2/22/2013.
3. PARK SLOPE $2,500,000
146 Berkeley Place GMAP P*Shark
A HOTD this summer. There was only one listing photo so there wasn’t much of a judgement made on the $2,795,000 ask. We did note that “the house appears to have retained its old-world charm… it’s certainly not a low price for a house that’s less than 17 feet wide.” Deed recorded on 2/20/2013.
4. CARROLL GARDENS $2,450,000
202 President Street, #3 GMAP P*Shark
This three-unit condo development (in a Carroll Gardens brownstone) sold very well. Unit #3 asked $2,495,000 and spent a month on the market. Units 1 and 2 sold at the asking price, $2,249,000 and $1,195,000. Deed recorded on 2/20/2013.
5. CLINTON HILL $2,250,000
56 Cambridge Place GMAP P*Shark
This free-standing mansion was picked up and renovated years back, and then listed on the market for $2,250,000. Here’s what we thought when it was listed as a HOTD: “It’s a pretty unusual opportunity, albeit one that will require some money and work: The Civil War-era house has 4,600 square feet of space and sits on a lot that is 50 by 100 feet. There are no interior photos of the house, only mention of double-height ceilings in the living room overlooked by a mezzanine. It’ll be interesting to see how this one fares price-wise.” Deed recorded on 2/20/2013.
02/26/2013 11:30 AM
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House of the Day: 193 Huntington Street
At first glance, $1,600,000 seemed surprisingly low for a townhouse in Carroll Gardens with historic charm. So the price made a lot more sense when we realized that the house only had three stories. Still, given the location and the fact that the place is in move-in condition, we bet there will still be plenty of demand for this one. Do you agree?
193 Huntington Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
02/12/2013 1:31 PM
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Carroll Gardens Shelter Owner Makes a Mint off Homeless
According to a story in The New York Times on Friday, the city pays landlords a remarkable sum of money to house homeless people. And one of the major beneficiaries has been Alan Lapes who has been trying to turn the empty condo building at 165 West 9th Street in Carroll Gardens into a homeless shelter. The story shows why a homeless shelter may be more lucrative than rentals, even in a neighborhood like Carroll Gardens. According to the story, the city pays $3,000 a month for each person it houses in single room occupancy hotels–rooms with neither kitchen nor bathroom. About half of that goes to the landlord and the rest goes to pay for security and social services, though there have been many complaints that those services are never provided. Lapes owns or leases 20 of the city’s 231 shelters making him the largest operator and one of the few that is for-profit. According to the story, Lapes has been trying to push out long-term tenants to make room for the homeless and, “at several of Mr. Lapes’s shelters, tenants — both homeless and longer-term residents — say the buildings are often characterized by violence, drug-use, mice, broken elevators, periods without heat and hot water, and violations of fire safety laws.” His efforts to convert the 10 unit Carroll Gardens building into a shelter for 170 men has been met with opposition in the community and the comptrollers office has begun an audit of the city’s payments to the company.
For Some Landlords, Real Money in the Homeless [NY Times] GMAP
Carrol Gardens Residents ask Liu to Stop Shelter [Brownstoner]
Fresh Intrigue Over Carroll Gardens Homeless Shelter [Brownstoner]
Breaking: Court Blocks Carroll Gardens Homeless Shelter [Brownstoner]
Controversial Carroll Gardens Homeless Shelter Opens [Brownstoner]
Pols, Angry Residents Confront Homeless Shelter Execs [Brownstoner]
Photo by Pardon Me For Asking
02/11/2013 10:30 AM
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New Leasing Team Takes Over 100 Luquer Street
You could write a novel on 100 Luquer Street after all it’s been through. After much construction inactivity, the Carroll Gardens condos finally went on the market in 2011. After tepid sales the entire building was listed for sale, and after no one bought the building, the original owner decided to list rental units there. Now aptsandlofts.com has taken over the leasing effort and it looks like the building (last asking $16.3 million) was pulled off the market this January. According to a rep at aptsandlofts.com, they only acquired three rental units, one of which is already leased. The building holds twenty two-bedroom units in all. The two-bedrooms available are asking $5,169 and $4,338 a month. Aptsandlofts.com will also be in charge of any units that come available in the future.
Five Rentals Left at 100 Luquer [Brownstoner]
100 Luquer Street Didn’t Sell, Re-Lists Rental Units [Brownstoner]
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]
Life at Formerly Stalled Luquer Street Sites [Brownstoner]
Reboot Under Way at 100 Luquer [Brownstoner] GMAP
02/07/2013 10:00 AM
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Sackett Union Sells Out, Plus New Townhouse Renderings
The Sackett Union condos in Carroll Gardens have sold out, and in almost no time. Units first hit the market in September. The cheapest unit was a 1,128-square-foot two bedroom listed for $1,105,000 and the priciest, a four-bedroom penthouse unit for $3,100,000. The building’s amenities include a roof terrace, fitness center, playroom, storage room and parking with select residences. In January we reported that the 32 unit condo complex was more than 70 percent sold. When renderings were revealed, commenters had mixed opinions. Said one, “No there isn’t anything wrong with modern in the middle of historic but there are many things wrong with that hideous thing. It would have been easy to do a lot better.” Another reader said, “the floor plans are good, and the amenities are like nothing else in the area. I saw the model unit, it was very nice. Prices look good compared to current new developments in Brooklyn Heights.” Seems like buyers agreed with this commenter. Buyers are expected to be able to occupy the building in the fall.
And we just uncovered a few renderings (above and after the jump) of the townhouses that are part of the project. The townhomes, 11 in all, range from a five bedroom home at $3,300,000 to a six bedroom at $3,800,000. They all include parking and outdoor space (gardens and roof decks) ranging from about 1,200 to 1,500 square feet. So far two townhouses have sold according to the Sackett Union website. Here’s a floor plan for one. Click through for more renderings.
Renderings and Listings Appear for the Sackett Union [Brownstoner]
Sackett Union Condos are Selling Fast [Brownstoner]
02/06/2013 10:00 AM
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joebushwick
Jun 18, 2013 | 09:35 AM