Rehab's Profile
- Rehab
- November 2006
- July 2006
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Author's Posts
March 23, 2008
The Sunday NY Times *kinda* gets Clinton Hill--and kinda doesn't get it, at all...
Did you see the Sunday Times Real-Estate section piece on Clinton Hill? Not bad. Not great. Check it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/realestate/23livi.html?_r=1&ref=realestate&oref=slogin
I appreciate the writer’s admiration for the architecture. And he tried, I think, to paint an accurate picture of Clinton Hill. But he missed the point on several of the most important fronts. (Which is fine—the last thing we want is a huge influx of hedge-funders…)
The two main things I think he missed is the extent of the huge investment being made in these old houses, and the gravity of the improvement of Myrtle Avenue. There’s a dumpster on every block; new façades, new floors, new roofs, new complete renovations, new conversions everywhere on the Hill’s residential blocks. On Myrtle, yes, he notes that the vacancy rate has dropped from 20% to 8%, and leaves it at that. What he completely neglects to mention is the quality of the retail tenants; the street formerly known here as Murder Avenue has in just the last two years seen several beautiful new restaurants arrive, the area’s third wine shop, sharp boutiques, charming watering holes, new banks, glassy lofts, the new Pratt art-supply store—it’s nothing short of booming. He also seems not to notice that the lovely, bustling restaurant row on Dekalb in Ft. Greene is very much a part of the life of a Hill resident; a few minutes’ walk for me.
The writer seemed Manhattan-centric, a visitor who took a couple of strolls around the neighborhood and seemed to mainly view it through the perspective of one newbie resident family that appears to long for Park Slope.
One thing he got mostly right is that there aren’t good enough grocery stores here. However, it depends where you live. The family he cited bought on Lefferts Place, which is in the far Southern part of the Hill, and, indeed, is nowhere near a good grocery. But my house, in the Northern part, is one block away from an Associated on Myrtle that is fine for staples, has a great beer selection, and a growing organic selection (but a weak produce department, and an unacceptable meat department). Then again, as all of us in Clinton Hill know, we really are part and parcel of Ft. Greene, both neighborhoods being, actually, tiny and interconnected, and fancier groceries are freshly available at the brand-new gourmet shop Greene Grape Provisions, right next to the Lafayette stop on the C line—the train that everybody I know here uses to get into and out of Manhattan. Provisions sells everything from fresh oysters to artisanal cheeses and rack of lamb—and it’s a 10-minute walk for us.
He also has the prices wrong. There has not yet been a single 4-story brownstone that has even broken the $2 million barrier in Clinton Hill. The Pfizer mansion, which is a big, wide, 5-story joint, sold for more than $3 million, but that’s an unusual property.
Finally, what he really failed to grasp about the specialness of this place is the fabulous, friendly, bohemian mix of people here. This is a blend of workers, writers, students, artists, professors, bankers, tradesmen, lawyers, every imaginable race and income. This great mix owes its biggest debt to the stabilizing influence of Pratt Institute, god bless the place. While I think all of Clinton Hill is proud of its legacy as a bulwark of the black middle class homeowner, it is hardly a monolithic, 80-percent “minority”neighborhood reflected by the obsolete census data of 8 years ago. Fascinatingly, it also has a peculiarly large French population, which has brought many of our lovely little eateries. Much has changed in that mix over the last few years—more affluent whites, yes, but fortunately not *too * many more of them. It is a very healthy mix, something you’ll see when the 2010 census is parsed.
March 17, 2008
How 'bout that "Fuh-gedda-boutit" ad? Staten Island, here we come!
You gotta hand it to these "Opal Ridge" developers, currently advertising right up there at the top of Brownstoner, no? It's a good ad, if a bit insulting to Brooklyn, if true—sure, SI probably has lower prices, less crime, and better schools. And it got me to click on it. Unfortunately, the house pictured there—while doubtless an appropriate and decent option for a great many people, and more power to them—is so fugly it's causing great torrents of blood to gush from my eyeballs. Good times!
February 20, 2008
Got a grocery store you love--or even kinda like--in Prospect Heights, Clinton Hill, or Bed-Stuy?
I'm looking for decent grocery alternatives closer to my joint than Fairway and better than my crummy Associated on Myrtle, and it occurred to me that maybe I'm overlooking some nice markets reasonably nearby. I just read in another thread that some folks in Bed Stuy really like their Foodtown on Fulton. Anybody else have a hidden gem?
Sure, it would be nice to find places with Balducci's-level cheese, baked goods, and organic lentils, but I would also be thrilled to find a regular ol' market whose meat is the right color and not stinking to high heaven.
Any help much appreciated!
February 19, 2008
Good news/bad news for Clinton Hill residents who eat...
I'm just sayin': This is what the Associated market on Myrtle Ave. does when it's garlic gets so old and dried-up that it sprouts: They cut off the sprouts, turn it upside-down onto a styrofoam tray, and shrink-wrap it to defraud their customers. And it's still there more than a week after several shoppers complained to management about it. If you care about food and your customers, you throw away the spoiled stuff, capisce?
Assos, are we supposed to believe the freshness dates on your pork and chicken?
In happier news: praise cheeses! As of about yesterday, the cheese case is now stocked at Provisions on Fulton in Ft. Greene, and god bless 'em for it. I like Kraft Singles as much as the next guy, but once in a while, when company's coming, it's nice to find something different. Please shop there and keep the turnover brisk for freshness--particularly on the trout. And the oysters. (Oysters, no less-- unbelievable.) Best o' luck to you, Greene Grapers. Thanks for giving a shit.
January 19, 2008
How do you research your house's history?
Anybody had any luck tracing the history of an old pile in Brooklyn? Would really appreciate any suggestions.
I think I've found all I can find online (Bklyn Eagle, etc.) and I'm going to start with the DOB on Joralemon Street, hoping they might have some plans, info on alterations, etc. But what I really want to know is who lived in the place; is the Dept of Finance where they record deeds? The house is in a historic district; has anybody had any luck doing research on an individual house at the Landmarks Commish?
Many thanks for any help.
December 30, 2007
How often do you top off your boiler?
Just got back from five days away, having not topped off 20-year-old boiler in 4-story brownstone for about two weeks, and low-water shutoff had kicked in. No biggie--house was 64 degrees. Plan to check once a week or so.
Does anybody (maybe Master Plumber, whose firm just checked out my system and put new shutoff in place) think it's weird that a steam system would go through that much water in two weeks? Thanks for any thoughts.
December 27, 2007
Attn: Park Slope who is looking for simple fireplace screens
Yo, "Clumpo"-- for some reason, the site won't let me comment to your post.
I have a great place to get really simple, custom screens that won't detract from your restored fireplaces--we just bought two of them for our newly restored fireplaces, and they totalllllly disappear. Which is great. It is a royal bitch finding fireplace accessories that aren't ugly.
http://www.northlineexpress.com/category/custom-screens.asp
Cheers.
December 23, 2007
Who is this guy who gets off on creating stupid Forum posts?
Like, "If I'm a lawyer, do I need a real-estate lawyer?" and "I have termites--is that bad?" and "Housing for Orthodox Jews invading Williamsburg!"
Is he a:
Teenager who's run out of porn sites?
Broker who's irritated by negative coverage on Brownstoner?
Orthodox Jew who likes to inflame online neo-nazis? (Wait--are Orthodox Jews allowed to surf the net?)
Or Robert Scarano?
December 4, 2007
Wildly different estimates on sewer work--WTF?
So I've been getting estimates to have some crap jet-blasted out of my sewer line, and I've gotten three dollar figures, all from reputable companies: $1200, $950, and my favorite, $450. All I can figure is that the first two saw me using an iPhone and a 17-inch MacBook Pro and smelled $$. Anybody had their line blasted, and whadja pay? Thanks.
October 30, 2007
Anybody got a good snow-shoveling service?
Last week somebody recommended the Foot Soldiers snow-shoveling service out of Bed-Stuy, but they only serve B-S. Anybody got a service they like that will work in Clinton Hill?
Author's Comments
Why on earth would the city allow someone to operate the place for a measly 20 hours a week? Ridiculous. Other than that foolishness it sounds great
Posted by: Rehab at August 14, 2007 1:15 PM in response to Last Lap for Park Slope Armory Renovation
BH down seven percent last quarter? Not just doubtful- laughable. Zillow sucks, as does property shark, when it comes to researching comps. They're always ridiculously wrong.
Posted by: Rehab at August 14, 2007 1:24 PM in response to Zillow: Heady Times for Brooklyn Condos
Here's my take: Both are great neighborhoods, but I'm partial to Ft. Greene (I live in Clinton Hill). Boerem is particularly great for someone who needs super-easy access to multiple subway lines-- FG is served only by the C and G. But I find BH to be a bit less neighborhoodsy, a bit too close to downtown, and extremely congested with cars. And anecdotally it looks to me as if Boerem Hill is more expensive.
To my mind, FG is more pedestrian-friendly, has a special, almost best-kept-secret-in NYC vibe (even now, when obviously it ain't much of a secret). The park is a fabulous focal point for the hood, the farmers market is small but delightful, and the population is a great, diverse collection of artsy types, biz types, literary types. Probably my favorite thing: I just love the feeling of DeKalb Avenue during spring/summer/fall in the evening, with people spilling out onto the sidewalk cafes, kids shooting hoops, Pratt students posing with their journals at Tillie's. You couldn't drag me out of here at this point. Good luck on ya.
Posted by: Rehab at August 15, 2007 12:53 PM in response to newcomer wants to know neighborhood nuances
Welcome, David & Alison! I think this is a REALLY great idea for Brownstoner. It'll be interesting to watch the process from the developer's perspective--and if they're willing to open himself to this much scrutiny, they're probably straight shooters to begin with. Also, looping in the development community this way rather than us all just bitching about them could be a meaningful step toward other builders listening to community concerns about design.
Posted by: Rehab at August 16, 2007 11:19 AM in response to Development Blog: Inside Third & Bond
Um, no. Bruno is a douche. Spitzer effing rocks. He could, perhaps, be a little more diplomatic...
Posted by: Rehab at August 17, 2007 12:25 PM in response to Some Teeth (And Some Cash) For DOB Enforcement
Stuy Heights is the super fancy part of Bed Stuy. Gorgeous houses. Like this one. Are there shops, places to eat, things like that?
Posted by: Rehab at August 17, 2007 2:13 PM in response to Open House Picks
I hate *this* carpet, but I think you need to have something or you're going to round a corner in your socks and slip down the steps and crack your frickin spine. Poly'd wood stairs just plain ain't safe, for the old folks or the tots.
Posted by: Rehab at August 18, 2007 12:47 AM in response to Carpet on staircase - Yes or yuck???
That is not a new building, peeps-- no whey. Nobody builds houses like this today, and if they attempted it, it wouldn't be this successful--it also wouldn't have this lovely color of brick, which oddly seems extinct anymore. Personally, I think it's pretty damned sweet from the front; I love carriage houses, and this is one of the fancy ones. I would definitely like it better if it had some original details inside, but it looks like they did a pretty good job on the rehab. Bathroom looks pretty posh, arched window is great, etc.
Still, I agree with everybody that the price is looney. Pfizer mansion is way bigger, packed with period yummies, and on a better block (Washington Ave between Dekalb and Willoughby)--a busy block, but one that has no bus line, SRO, or school.
Posted by: Rehab at August 23, 2007 4:45 PM in response to House of the Day: 407 Vanderbilt Avenue
And for god's sake, this house is plenty far enough away from tlantic Yards.
Posted by: Rehab at August 23, 2007 4:46 PM in response to House of the Day: 407 Vanderbilt Avenue
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Brooklynnative:
I am a real estate attorney who works in Brooklyn. You seem to have figured out a few things for yourself, but here are a few items from my experience:
1) The system (housing court in NYC) is rigged to the advantage of tenants, even more so for rent controlled/stabilized tenants. The system is a disaster. Housing court judges are astonishingly pro-tenant. Sometimes they can take pity on a landlord of a small-time owner-occupied building, but in your case you probably have over 6 units and you have rent controlled tenants. Judges will probably look at you like a slumlord no matter what the rality is.
2) Rent control imposes very specific legal requirements (eg. specific content of notices and the way notices are delivered) on any legal proceedings brought by LL & Ten. When not properly satisfied (with evidence), these requirements can bring a swift end to any proceeding you may bring in housing court. What I am trying to say is that the NYC housing court system is a minefield. It is worth the expense to find someone who is well versed with the code and can handle your case efficiently and effectively. The situation is so arcane that I don't handle rent control cases even though I do commercial and non-rent controlled residential evictions.
3) Do not engage in "self-help". If you are not sure what that means, you should not take any action which could even remotely be percieved as you retaliating against her. Your safest route is to refrain from all verbal communications. Communicate only by written letter.
4) get a good attorney. If you don't have somebody reliable, ask everybody, interview attorneys, get one. In your business, you need one. You want somebody who is going to fight tenant adjournments and be responsive to your inquiries (not a very easy thing to find unfortunately). Good luck.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 2:41 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
What NY State governing body dictates an owners right to refuse a tenants desire to have a washing machine that is causing "hardship" to all other occupants of a house?
Who is in control of the rules of the house - owner or tenant?
OK so forget about eviction, Tenant NO WASHING MACHINE! I'm not trying to get rid of you I am simply telling you no washer in the apartment that you rent from me.
You mean to tell me that this crazy lady has complete control over the owners simple request to stop using a washing machine. Isn't there a much bigger and uglier picture here?
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 3:07 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
If you decide to go the lawyer route, I recommend Susan Cornicello. She was referred to us by Naomi Gardner (mentioned elsewhere in this post). Susan specializes in landlord-tenant stuff. Naomi I believe is more of a real estate transaction lawyer. Susan helped us with an eviction. We found her very easy to work with. It sounds like you are a DIY-type guy, but we were very happy to have a professional handle our issue. Missteps can be costly.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 3:54 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
about ten years ago, i was asleep, dreaming of a waterfall. It was a very real dream and the water was very wet. My RC tenant had clogged her kitchen sink with vegatables and left the sink running. I had "metered" faucet installed (i.e. runs for a limited time only) and put in an oversized drain at my cost. Within the year she was in a nursing home and two years later the apartment was vacated.
grin and bear it because there aren't too many other options. when someone has a problem with RC tenants and pigeons and squirels, I'll be back.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 4:02 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
Honestly in your case I would advise a lawyer. If she screams at the judge in L/T, then I wouldn't worry about L/T. No judge likes to be screamed at, and the washing machine and satellite dish and the painters who wouldn't go back in there should be always in the first paragraph of any paper you file.
Is it fair? No. The sorriest part is, if she were genuinely disabled, instead of merely crazy and deeply narcissistic, it would be fair. The vast majority of disabled people try to minize the burden of their disabilities on everyone else. It's just there's no way for the law to distinguish between the truly disabled on SSI and the undeserving few who managed to get benefits -- until she screams at the judge, that is. So I would take her to landlord/tenant.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 5:56 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
2:41
I don't think a judge will consider me a slumlord as I've just rewired the building at a cost of $50,000 including the RC apartment. There are only 4 units in the building, I live in one, so I have two free market rentals. That said, I know that judges are not all that favorable to landlords but what do I have to lose. She is already constantly calling the city and getting her apartment inspected for any perceived infraction.
I'm being very careful in making sure it can in no way even be perceived as retaliation and I've owned the building for almost 20 years without taking her to court so I think I'm safe on that score. I really just want her to get rid of that washing machine. I also figured out that with a Notice to Cure there is no statutory way to serve it. I've been learning a lot about housing law over the years with my problem tenant. I think I just need a housing lawyer to review my Notice of Termination and I can handle it from there.
Posted by: Brooklynnative at May 9, 2008 7:08 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
I can't believe how stupid Ysabelle sounds on nearly every single post she does. It's kind of unreal.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 10:59 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
You should explore whether there's a way to get a court order to remove the washing machine (as opposed to ending the rent controlled tenancy). You could probably just go in and remove it yourself (or hire a NYC Marshal to do it) if done pursuant to court order. I'm not sure whether you would have to do that in housing court or in supreme. You will be much more sympathetic to the court if not seeking to end the tenancy. It may also be cheaper and certainly faster. You should spend time gathering evidence about the harm/safety risks caused by the washing machine. You should probably have some kind of inspection and report. You should also document all problems caused by the washing machine. If you do not have your evidence together, you are not ready for court. Try to at least consult with a good lawyer who can think outside the box a bit and come up with a creative, and more appropriate, solution to your problem (not one of those hacks who hangs around the housing court evicting people for a living).
Posted by: guest at May 10, 2008 12:17 AM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
The only way to get a court order is to file for a Notice of Termination of her lease. She defeats it by removing the washing machine.
Posted by: Brooklynnative at May 10, 2008 8:51 AM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
I am happy you found a solution.
Posted by: Ysabelle at May 10, 2008 1:20 PM in response to Illegal Washer Dryer
Please, Mr. B., keep the kitchens coming!
Of course *you* know it's useful and popular. There's clearly one loser posting against the idea.
I agree with the poster above that it would be great to see garden level kitchens as well, for those of us who are re-doing the cucina in its original location. We have quickly figured out that it is really hard--two windows and a doorway in back, two doorways in front, and only 20 feet of width to work with--that is not an easy kitchen to design. When we get there, maybe we'll share it with ya.
But if you could solicit some now, while we're in the design phase, we'd love it!
Also agree with previous posters that features on bathrooms would be great! Cheers!
Posted by: Rehab at August 14, 2007 12:24 AM in response to Parlor Floor Kitchen #9: White-and-Black in Bed Stuy