An extensive interior and exterior reno is planned for the two adjoining homes at 121-23 Fort Greene Place, between Lafayette Avenue and Hanson Place. The properties were a HOTD in March, when they were asking $2,724,000. At the time, we had this opinion: “doesn’t sound like a reach to us, but we suppose it’ll all turn on how much work needs to be done.” (It doesn’t look like the sale has come through on public records yet.) On Wednesday Barrett Design, the folks behind the conversion of 25 Carroll, presented a plan to CB2’s land use committee to restore the front facades, remove both rear extensions and construct a new full-width extension, as well as add a one-story, full-width rooftop addition. Notably, each building will get its stoop back, as per the design in the original tax photo. The interiors, which are described as being in “pretty poor condition,” will be renovated as well. When all is said and done, the properties will be combined to form a seven-unit building. The committee approved the designs, which will also need to be OK’d by the LPC.
HOTD: 121-123 Fort Greene Place [Brownstoner] GMAP


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. each one of these historic townhouses could be restored into nice 4-bedroom family homes with one-bedroom rental units in the basements.
    By expanding the depth and adding an additional story to squeeze in seven or eight compact apartments, you are increasing density but losing quality. There is nothing outlandish or unevolved about four-bedroom houses.
    High quality apartment buildings with good layouts and good light and air need a different configuration and cannot be shoe-horned into these tight lots.
    If we had enlightened City Planning in NYC, these brownstone midblocks would be zoned for 1 and 2-family dwellings only with the greater density on the wider avenues where buildings can be wider and taller.

  2. Putnam, I do not like to see historic houses turned into B-grade apartment buildings. The prior posting betrays your complete ignorance of the role of the landmarks commission.. That agency has nothing to say about density, Density is controlled by the City Planning Commission. Landmarks only has jurisdiction over the outside of the buildings. In this case the developer will demolish these houses behind the facades, build a new cheesy tenement in their place, and add stoops to the old facades to comply with landmarks regulations. I find it unfortunate. There are tons of non-fireproof tenements in Brooklyn that could use upgrading. Houses like these should be kept as one and two-family homes for families who could use the space. If you seek density, Manhattan is place for you.

  3. why pick on historic townhouses to do this sort of thing?
    Why not buy adjacent tenements and do this sort of project there, where the outcome would actually be an improved level of housing rather than diminishing the quality by turning single-family homes into tenements?

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