It's killing me whenever she says "all original". C.P.H Gilbert designed a mansion with Colonial Revival rooms, but the rehab added to or replaced many parts, and rather anemic looking replacements at that! Some parts may be a century old, but that front door, and even the stairway bannister, looks like the result of a quick shopping trip to Home Depot.
The knotty pine and the plaster moldings may be original, but I can't imagine what else was. $8.5 million? What could they have been smoking when they picked that number?

Posted by: brikenny at November 18, 2008 6:30 PM in response to Closing Bell: 315 Garfield Place, The Movie

There are already grotesque new houses just like this in other parts of Brooklyn, and if that's what they wanted, why didn't they buy one of those? What would possess someone to do this to a classic row-house? It's bad enough that they probably spent a hundred thousand dollars to devalue their own building by 3 hundred thousand, but they took all of their neighbors down with them!

Posted by: brikenny at November 12, 2008 10:56 AM in response to A Mediterranean Makover

A stucco covering for spalling or flaking brick just masks a problem. Get it done right once and then never worry about it again. You need a real brick experts for this, not just some all-purpose handyman, but it's worth the cost. I liked working with Dominic Valoroso of Vincent Valoroso & Sons. Just getting an estimate and a second opinion can't hurt: (718) 531-4685 Good luck!

Posted by: brikenny at October 30, 2008 4:06 PM in response to Mason - replacement/repair of brick

I've seen a lot of newcomers not-yet oriented, and confuse"uphill" for "north" in the slope; could the confusing name come from the diner being at the bottom of the hill?
Besides that, this building is without a doubt in Gowanus. Everyone knows where Gowanus is except the realtors, since they make sure it's omitted from their neighborhood maps unless you're looking for industrial buildings.

Posted by: brikenny at October 7, 2008 12:30 PM in response to New Look and Name for New College Restaurant

Has 11217 ever been wrong? I'd love to buy him a beer. Or an architectural artifact ;-). Back on the subject: personally, for this space I'd love to see a decent non-yuppie bar, toy store, even cobbler shop; anything but another realtor, sushi place, or pseudo-italian restaurant! If a realtor does open here, how bright are they to open when others are panicked about closing in a market where no-oner wants to sell and buyers have a tougher time getting mortgages?

Posted by: brikenny at October 1, 2008 8:57 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Realty Office on 7th Avenue?

I'm sorry! I went through a few dozen but couldn't find a good match. That may be disappointing to you, but it's really disappointing to me! I thought I could finally give some of these away! Besides Eddie's you could try Olde Good Things on West 24th Street in Manhattan, but that is also salvage, and you may have to look through quite a few with nothing to show for it except really dirty hands. Still, they can be replicated by a good wood-turner. Heights Woodworking is reasonable, but not cheap. And they're actually on 3rd Ave in Gowanus, in spite of the name "Heights".
Good luck, and again, sorry to disappoint!

Posted by: brikenny at September 19, 2008 2:31 PM in response to Looking to match Spindles

I may have some salvaged spindles just like that but I'll have to dig around in the basement. If I have them they're all yours.

Posted by: brikenny at September 18, 2008 4:50 PM in response to Looking to match Spindles

I'd be interested, but what exactly do you have. Any photos?
Why are you selling fixtures anyway? Is the building slated for demolition?

Posted by: brikenny at September 18, 2008 4:47 PM in response to Moving Sale - Brownstone

Whatever you can make from the sale of these is nothing compared to the loss you'll realize at resale of your home. This is the type of original details home-buyers avidly search for, and pay a premium for in Brownstone neighborhoods! Out of curiosity I have to ask; why would you buy a historic home, at a premium price, if you're just going to destroy its historic character, and devalue your property? Trust me; I've seen it happen literally hundreds of times, and even the realtors would warn you away from this. The potential buyers asking about these mantles probably had the mantles removed from their homes years ago in a misguided restoration, and are desperate to replace them now.

Posted by: brikenny at September 11, 2008 12:57 AM in response to Late Victorian/Craftsman Mantels

The slope has changed a lot since I moved here 25 years ago, but GKW and northsloperenter's posts have it right: the less welcoming people are the newer transplants from Manhattan. Mostly wealthier, and closer to the Park, they just don't know how life is in Brooklyn, and stick with the attitudes they arrived with. They never sit on their stoops after work and have a beer, nor do their kids play with each other in the street under an adults watchful eye. Fortunately I moved downhill to a more old-timer Brooklyn block, of every ethnic group and social level you could imagine. We all say hello to each other, shovel each others walks in winter, and have long conversations out on our stoops while the kids play. Maybe the newer folks will catch on that this is the pleasant urban life they came looking for, and in time will fit in better. Who knows? Maybe in a few years they'll be the ones complaining about the unfriendly people who don't say hello.

Posted by: brikenny at September 8, 2008 6:31 PM in response to Quote of the Day

In the last 2 weeks I've had two "No flyers, menus, etc.." posters torn off my front gate by people leaving the same banned flyers, menus, etc. This must have taken some effort since these were laminated in plastic. It would be great if they could finally enforce the law, but how can they, if they perpetrators themselves can get away with vandalizing the sign that they can later say wasn't there?

Posted by: brikenny at August 4, 2008 10:45 PM in response to Closing Bell: Fighting Unwanted Fliers

Long story short: mosquitos don't travel far from where they breed. If you, or anyone who's on your block, have stagnant water anywhere: old buckets, clogged gutters, an old tire laying around for example, you will ALL have a problem. It takes neighborhood eradication. One of my neighbors drained standing water on his neighbor's flat roof and, you guessed, no mosquitos until the drain clogged and the roof refilled in September.
And bats are great at eating mosquitos! The only problem is that you have to install a bat house 5 years before you want the bats to move in. They don't take to anything new in their neighborhood so you have to wait until it's been there at least one bat-generation.
Good luck this coming summer! More than one summer has been ruined for me by these satanic beings.

Posted by: brikenny at February 5, 2008 9:23 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens