Brownstoner is Brooklyn's most read
website about real estate, renovation
and neighborhood news. Read More»
Closing Bell: Is Park Slope Dead?
Yesterday the New Yorker published a short piece on the death of Slope music venue Southpaw, titled “Park Slope is Dead.” The venue will be replaced by a “children’s enrichment center.” Co-owner of Southpaw Matt Roff called the closing a part of “the nature of the beast,” saying, “This is just how it goes.” On a related note, the Park Slope Civic Council compiled a retail roundup for 2011, and it turns out more than 50 small businesses closed in the neighborhood over the last 12 months, including old-timers like Aunt Suzie’s and Leaf and Bean. The vacancy rate on Flatbush Avenue also grew to 12% as rents rose in anticipation of the Barclays Center, although the Flatbush Avenue BID is working with property owners to fill vacancies and hopes to have a 6% vacancy rate or less by the end of 2012.
Park Slope is Dead [New Yorker]
The State of Shopping Local [PSCC]
Photo of Southpaw by ekonon
02/07/2012 4:00 PM
Comment
House of the Day: 833 President Street
The sellers of this new listing at 833 President Street in Park Slope are hoping to get $3,450,000 for their two-family brownstone. It’s a nice place to be sure but ultimately we think the configuration–which includes the placement of the small kitchen on the second floor–is going to make that difficult. (We say that sympathetically since we’ve backed ourselves into a similar set-up.) What do you think about that price?
833 President Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
02/07/2012 1:23 PM
Comment
Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $11,000,000
212 Columbia Heights GMAP P*Shark
This was a record-setting sale last week for Brooklyn Heights. It was on the market for $13.5 million and previously sold for $8.5 million in 2006. You can see interior shots of the home right here. Entered into contract on 12/21/11; closed on 1/17/11; deed recorded on 1/30/2012.
2. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $2,596,537.50
360 Furman Street, #215 GMAP P*Shark
A three bed/three bath asking $2.6 million. Entered into contract on 11/7/11; closed on 1/23/11; deed recorded on 2/2/2012.
3. PARK SLOPE $1,775,000
287 Garfield Place GMAP P*Shark
This home wasn’t officially on the market for sale. Entered into contract on 6/28/11; closed on 12/20/11; deed recorded on 1/30/2012.
4. BOERUM HILL $1,700,000
257 Hoyt Street GMAP P*Shark
257 Hoyt has a weird sales history. According to Streeteasy, it sold in 2006 for $830,000, then went to the market in 2010 for $750,000. It sold for $335,000. Then it was listed for $1,650,000 in 2011, a sale was recorded for $550,000. Then it was re-listed and finally sold for $1,700,000. Entered into contract on 6/28/11; closed on 12/20/11; deed recorded on 2/1/2012.
5. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $1,657,528.13
9 College Place, #3J GMAP P*Shark
A 1,697-square-foot two bed, three bath. Asking $2,100,000. Entered into contract on 12/2/11; closed on 1/17/11; deed recorded on 1/31/2012.
02/07/2012 11:31 AM
Comment
In-the-Works McDonald’s Upsets Slopers
Healthy-eating Park Slope residents who toasted the demise of the KFC on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Warren Street will have a new public enemy to contend with following the purchase of the prominent site by McDonald’s last fall. Park Slope Patch recently talked to a few of them. “I’m not happy about it at all, no,” said the owner of Il Vino Torchio just down the block. “I don’t like chains. I wish they would put a better kind of restaurant there.” Once Boerum Hill resident had this to say: “I wasn’t a fan of the KFC, when it existed. I don’t eat fast food. Why would you when there are so many better options to choose from in the neighborhood?” The one person interviewed who saw the McFlurry cup as half full was the tender of a nearby bar who thought it would come in handy for late-night munchies.
Neighbors of 4th Ave McD’s-To-Be Have Bad Taste in Mouths [PS Patch]
Photo by Joanna Prisco
02/06/2012 2:42 PM
Comment
House of the Day: 389 8th Street
This one seems like a bit of a stretch. The brick townhouse at 389 8th Street just hit the market asking $2,450,000. For a four-story house in the location at this price, we’d expect something pretty impressive. And, although we don’t have many photos to go from, this place looks just middle of the road. We like the exposed beams in the kitchen of the owner’s duplex, but there’s no evidence of any original detail or anything else to make you say “wow!” The bathroom, though newly renovated, is nothing special and the backyard still has a chain link fence around it. Can’t quite figure out why they’re asking so much.
389 8th Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
02/06/2012 1:24 PM
Comment
Park Slope Library Under Construction Until Fall
According to Community Board 6, work goes on (and on) at the Park Slope Library Branch at Sixth Avenue and Ninth Street, which first closed for renovations way back in 2009. The Brooklyn Public Library reported that the support structures on the main floor were more deteriorated than expected, so the scope of the work has expanded. The “moat” walls at the perimeter of the building were also restored to ensure that the secondary means of egress was in good repair. The work also includes HVAC upgrades, new lighting, floors, furniture and finishes, and a new public service model with self checking. The renovation should wrap in late spring or summer, and a re-opening is anticipated in the fall.
Park Slope Library to Close in the Fall [Brownstoner] GMAP
Photo by ZippyTheChimp
02/02/2012 10:00 AM
Comment
Building of the Day: 54-64 Prospect Place
Brooklyn, one building at a time.
Name: Row houses
Address: 54-64 Prospect Place
Cross Streets: Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Year Built: 1887
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Architect: C.P.H. Gilbert
Other buildings by architect: In Park Slope, Adams House, corner of Carroll and 8th Ave, many houses on Montgomery Pl, Carroll St, Garfield, and more. Also David Chauncey House; Joralemon St, Bklyn Hts.
Landmarked: No, but part of proposed Park Slope HD Extension, hopefully designated soon.
The story: Many people are under the impression that most, if not all, of Park Slope was landmarked long ago, and that battle to protect our historic neighborhoods and architectural heritage has been won here. The truth is that a great deal of the neighborhood is not landmarked at all, especially below 7th Avenue, and it is here that some very interesting, as well as overlooked, architecture lies, with buildings designed by some of Brooklyn’s best.
Every great architect started somewhere, and for Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert, that place was not Brooklyn, it was a mining town in the wild and wooly West of Colorado and Arizona, in the late 1870’s and early ‘80’s. Didn’t expect that, right? Like a number of other really good architects of this period, we have a frustratingly thin folder of information about him, considering his importance, and his social standing. (more…)
02/01/2012 3:30 PM
Comment
Co-op of the Day: 209 Lincoln Place, #2C
We like the look of this co-op listing at 209 Lincoln Place in Park Slope. At 750 square feet, it’s generously sized for a one-bedroom (big living and bed rooms plus the nice bonus of a dining/office space) and, like all the apartments in this building, has lots of prewar charm. Just because it’s nice, though, doesn’t mean it’s been an easy sell: It hit the market in July with an asking price of $495,000, underwent an initial price cut in August and in October was reduced again to its current price of $435,000. So what’s the problem here? Maintenance is a not-too-painful $873. (The two-bedroom next door is also currently listed; asking price is $620,000.)
209 Lincoln Place, #2C [Warren Lewis] GMAP P*Shark
02/01/2012 12:55 PM
Comment
Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. WILLIAMSBURG $5,000,000
331 Kent Avenue GMAP P*Shark
We covered the sale of this Williamsburg mansion yesterday. It’s a unique property: “Originally a bakery, this unique three story 10,000 sq. ft. brick loft-like building with 5,000 Sq. Ft. finished basement rests on a 68 ft. x 100 ft corner lot, with approximately 10,000 square feet of air rights. It was fully renovated, with careful attention to preserving and restoring the buildings architectural details.” It was bought by what we suspect to be a developer. Entered into contract on 6/27/11; closed on 7/27/11; deed recorded on 1/27/2012.
2. GRAVESEND $4,650,000
1896 East 5th Street GMAP P*Shark
A one-family, 2,712-square-foot home. Entered into contract on 11/1/11; closed on 1/5/12; deed recorded on 1/25/2012.
3. GRAVESEND $3,850,000
1968 East 2nd Street GMAP P*Shark
A one-family, 3,546-square-foot home. Entered into contract on 11/22/11; closed on 11/22/11; deed recorded on 1/23/2012.
4. WILLIAMSBURG $2,998,746.25
22 North 6th Street, PH1A + PH1B + two storage units GMAP P*Shark
This sale includes a penthouse unit, a unit without a kitchen, and two storage spaces. The listing’s been pulled, though! Entered into contract on 3/15/11; closed on 12/5/11; deed recorded on 1/26/2012.
5. PARK SLOPE $2,460,000
184 St. Johns Place GMAP P*Shark
A HOTD November 2011. We thought, “Despite being only three stories tall, the single-family house is just what the doctor ordered in this market. It’s been impeccably restored, has some nice modern touches and is in a great Park Slope location.” Our predictions came true: it sold over the ask of $2,300,000. Entered into contract on 11/21/11; closed on 1/12/11; deed recorded on 1/25/2012.
Honorable Mention: 357 Hoyt Street, sold for $1,750,000 on 1/25/2012.
01/31/2012 11:30 AM
Comment
Triangle Sports Building for Sale
The Journal reports that the Triangle Sports building on Flatbush and 5th Avenue, right across the street from Barclays Center, is for sale. The family-owned store has been in business for nearly 100 years. Its owners cite the economy and “pressure from big-box stores” as reasons for calling it quits, and they’re looking to capitalize on demand for space near the arena. Brokers and other business owners in the area, meanwhile, are talking up how much demand the arena is supposedly generating for commercial space. Here’s what’s going away: “The Flatbush Avenue location of Triangle Sports was an anomaly among small business in the rapidly gentrifying area. It often kept erratic hours and shoppers had to climb a narrow staircase to reach top floors of the shop. But it also had a devoted following of shoppers who liked the customer service and selection of apparel that included Levi’s and Red Wing boots.” And here’s what’s coming: “The retail landscape has been altered throughout the past decade as national chains such as Target and Applebee’s have moved into the Atlantic Center mall along with upscale boutiques on the side streets off Flatbush Avenue. ‘This trend is going to accelerate in a monumental way as we get closer to the arena opening,’ said Timothy King, managing partner with CPEX Real Estate.”
Bowing to Change [WSJ] GMAP
Photo by PropertyShark
01/30/2012 2:40 PM
Comment
Stone Park Cafe Expanding With Catering Hall
Last week CB6 heard an application for Stone Park Cafe to expand into the pizza joint next door, at 357 3rd Street. The plan is to add a catering hall to the Park Slope restaurant for scheduled events only. The extra space adds about 1,600 square feet with seating for 63 at max capacity. Nice to hear the restaurant is expanding. GMAP
01/30/2012 2:04 PM
Comment
House of the Day: 233 Garfield Place (Pretty in Pink)
233 Garfield Place was a House of the Day in 2009 when it hit the market with an asking price of $2,500,000. But it wasn’t on the market for long. A couple of weeks after we posted about the famously pink house becoming available, the Brooklyn Paper followed up with a story noting that the listing had been pulled and citing some deed-related shenanigans by a family member of the elderly owner. Well, hopefully all that’s been cleared up, because the bubble gum house is back! This time with a price tag of $2,395,000. It will definitely need a lot of work but there’s plenty of enticing raw material to work with: Mantels, parquet floors, beaucoup woodwork, etc. Think it’ll fetch its price?
233 Garfield Place [Brenton Realty] GMAP P*Shark
01/30/2012 1:25 PM
Comment
Slope Park Looking Spiffy
The amount of work that’s been completed at Park Slope’s J.J. Byrne Playground is starting to impress. Work began over last spring on the playground’s renovation, which involves setting up distinct play areas for kids of different ages and new, adult-themed spaces like a seating area with a cafe table. Since then a ton of new play equipment has been installed. Work is scheduled to finish this summer. Click through for a couple more shots.
Slope Park Overhaul in Progress [Brownstoner]
J.J. Byrne Playground Revamp Starts This Week [Brownstoner]
J.J. Byrne Reno To Start Next Month [Brownstoner]
Plans for J.J. Byrne Park Revealed [Brownstoner] GMAP (more…)
01/26/2012 12:00 PM
Comment
The Insider: Working with Woodwork in Park Slope
Every Thursday at 11:30AM, The Insider takes an in-depth look at a recent design and/or renovation project in the borough of Brooklyn. The series is written and produced by Cara Greenberg, a longtime design journalist who blogs at casaCARA: Old Houses for Fun and Profit.
WORKING AROUND elaborate woodwork in a Brooklyn brownstone can be a challenge. We prize 19th century houses for their original detail, but when we want to put a 21st century kitchen on the parlor floor, well, there’s no natural place for the Sub-Zero, the Viking, and the Bosch.
The owners of this c.1890 Park Slope brownstone, a triplex with a garden rental beneath, inherited a second-floor kitchen when they bought the house in 2001. They lived with it for a decade, spending most of their time on the two upper floors. “The parlor floor was a big, beautiful, underutilized space,” says Kimberly Neuhaus of Neuhaus Design Architecture (NDA), who was hired to create a new parlor-level kitchen and two new baths. The project, which also entailed updating plumbing and electrical throughout the house, was contracted to Manhattan-based Infinity Construction.
“Our goal was to keep every bit of detail we could,” says one of the homeowners. “Kimberly managed to incorporate and maintain almost all the original woodwork.”
Lots more, including ‘Before’ photos, after the jump.
Photos: Courtesy Neuhaus Design Architecture
01/26/2012 11:30 AM
Comment
British-Style Pub In the Works on 5th Avenue
Earlier this week the Community Board 6 permits committee heard an application for a small, British-style pub for 481 5th Avenue, between 11th and 12th streets. The owner didn’t go into many more details besides saying that it would be a cozy space with no outdoor area. CB6 pushed back the application until next month because the owner hadn’t notified enough of the community about the meeting. Think this will be a good fit? GMAP
01/25/2012 2:00 PM
Comment
House of the Day: 489 Third Street
This house at 489 Third Street in Park Slope just hit the market with an asking price of $2,450,000. Although some of the furniture on the ground-floor level might not be helping the cause, the house as a whole appears to have plenty of original detail as well as an attractive general vibe. The 22-foot-wide property is currently configured with two floor-through apartments over an owner’s duplex. Location, two blocks from the park, is sweet. It’s hard to tell whether there may be enough work required, especially in the case of a reconfiguration to a one- or two-family, that the current price is too high. Time will tell.
489 Third Street [Warren Lewis] GMAP P*Shark
01/25/2012 1:25 PM
Comment
Park Slope Real Estate Starts Year With a Bang
Wondering how high-end real estate market in Park Slope is holding up? Just fine, according to a trusty tipster/neighborhood booster who compiled a list of high-profile properties in the hood that recently went into contract:
- A co-op unit at 9 Prospect Park West went into contract this month after being on the market for 3 months. Ask: $2.2 million.
- 596 3rd Street, in contract after 15 days on market. Ask: $1.86 million.
- A unit in the new condo building 292 7th Street went into contract after 5 months on market. Ask: $2.1 million.
- 27 7th Avenue (pictured above left), a House of the Day in May 2011 that was asking $1.65 million is in contract.
- 129 Lincoln Place (pictured above right), an Open House Pick in September 2011 that went into contract on January 18th. Ask: $3.3 million.
Our reader’s assessment: “A very active last couple weeks for large sales entering contract in what is typically a very slow month.” Hard not to get excited.
01/25/2012 11:00 AM
Comment
Co-op of the Day: 27 Prospect Park West, #14A
This new listing at 27 Prospect Park West in Park Slope is a beauty–lots of prewar details, great location on the park, newly renovated kitchen, killer views, lots of space, etc. The only thing that makes it a little tricky, in our estimation, is the fact there are only two bedrooms. That, and the $3,150 maintenance. Still, sweet pad overall for sure.
27 Prospect Park West, #14A [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
01/24/2012 12:56 PM
Comment
Rental of the Day: 916 Union Street
This one-bedroom rental in the Park Slope co-op building at 916 Union looks quite nice and appears to have a decent amount of space. The location, right next to the park and Grand Army Plaza, is also an obvious selling point. The rent comes in at $2,300 a month, which strikes us as pricey but not outrageous for the area. Agree?
916 Union Street [Warren Lewis] GMAP P*Shark
01/24/2012 12:32 PM
Comment
brownstoneshalfoff
Feb 02, 2012 | 12:31 PM