In addition to the BPL Central Library's Brooklyn Collection's Digital Sanborn maps (which has limited hours - check their website first!) the Business Library on Cadman Plaza also has the paper versions updated regularly.

Posted by: brookelen at August 20, 2008 10:47 AM in response to Sanborn Maps

Hurricane Kate,
Just leave your email and I'll drop you a line (and could probably attach the jpg to the email. Sorry I couldn't figure out how to do it here in the post.

Posted by: brookelen at August 12, 2008 1:40 PM in response to FREE butcher block cutting board

Thanks. We're not landmarked yet, but the City Council will vote on our neighborhood in October. We wanted to be at least started by then. Oh well!

Posted by: brookelen at July 17, 2008 10:50 PM in response to refacing facade permits

Thanks for the input so far. Yes, food4us, I'm very curious about your favorites. We're only doing 3 rooms at this point (including the nursery!) and have an obvious limited time frame. As long as he's not awful we'll probably go with him anyway and reconsider when we get around to the rest of the apartment.

Posted by: brookelen at July 15, 2008 2:51 PM in response to anyone used Fred Becker painter?

Silly me, I thought this was an uncontroversial topic. I appreciate all the advice, both from folks who have done it themselves and those who have not. Even though our apartment is in an 1890's brownstone building, there were drastic changes in the mid-1980's conversion. We still luckily have much of the lovely molding on the doorways and unfortunately have icky laminate cabinets/counters and cheap tile floor. In a million years I could never make enough money to restore anything to it's former historic perfectness. I am hoping to keep all our minor renovations simple, clean, and (maybe) charming, all within our budget.

Posted by: brookelen at June 25, 2008 1:12 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Thanks for the honest opinions! My brother, who is a fix n' flipper in the Midwest, assured us tile is easy, but my brother-in-law, who is an actual architect, has tried to steer us away from DIY tile. The books make it look so easy, but hearing real stories make it seem so hard!

Posted by: brookelen at June 23, 2008 2:26 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Hi darwinjackson,
My husband and I are in the same boat. I'm 6 months pregnant and we've got to do work in the kitchen and some closets. I'd love to see your after pix. My email is jennymuse [at] yahoo.com. Thanks!

Posted by: brookelen at April 29, 2008 8:05 PM in response to CO-OP Reno

Bummer, I thought Lowes carried the Olympic Line which has some great colors. I did stop into Sherman Williams on 3rd and Baltic (or somewhere around there) and they carry their own zero VOC brand that runs about $30/gallon, but goes on sale regularly. More color choices than 4, but not nearly so many as Benjamin Moores Aura brand. Pintchiks on Flatbush carries Aura, about $40/gallon I think. Plus, there's a place on Atlantic, near 4th Ave that carries many green products, including a paint line.

On Apartment Therapy there were some similar threads you could search on this topic too.

Posted by: brookelen at March 31, 2008 1:59 PM in response to Low/No VOC paint

Thanks for all the quick comments. Of course we would go through our coop board, I'm just trying to feel it out first. Plus, the airshaft was covered up decades ago so it is now just a shadowy, dusty space, not providing much light or air for anyone.

Years ago, the 1st floor apartment (not the current tenants) had built out into a different airshaft so when they built their ceiling, they also built our potential floor. Unfortunately, it's at the opposite end of the apartment so wouldn't be in the right place for this laundry room project.

Posted by: brookelen at February 5, 2008 8:07 PM in response to building over an air shaft

The couple at Bob & Judy's once recommended "Mr. Wood" to me. He's on Pacific right off Flatbush, near the furniture store that always has Grand Opening flags hung. I didn't use this business myself yet.

Posted by: brookelen at January 18, 2008 12:10 PM in response to Need Furniture Restoration recommendation

Affordable housing is defined by the City as a % of the Area Median Income. So "affordable" would different in Brooklyn Heights than it would be in Bed Stuy.

Posted by: brookelen at January 17, 2008 12:31 PM in response to Two Affordable Housing Developments Planned in Bed-Stuy

Why not go to the Central Library at Grand Army Plaza and look at books like, Residential landlord-tenant law in New York or Landlording?

Posted by: brookelen at January 9, 2008 10:56 AM in response to Rental Forms Question

Rasmalai, I was planning on painting with the husband. We were going to do it at the rate of just a room a month, not the whole apartment and not our bedroom at all. Probably go with the Sherman Williams Harmony brand.

I'm still wondering if it's worth it to strip all the lead probably paint first (like with Peel Away) or just paint over.

Thanks for all the advice. We're new at the pregnancy thing and the renovating thing!

Posted by: brookelen at January 4, 2008 11:44 AM in response to paint and pregnancy

Thanks for the advice. I've been wary of the Park Slope parents board. I heard that they can be meaner than some of the comments on Brownstoner ;)

Posted by: brookelen at January 3, 2008 11:24 AM in response to paint and pregnancy

We are talking tiles... not toilets, dishwasher, or heating...

I will not grant you that authenticity is an arbitrary standard. The reason that these houses have stood proud is because of their scale, style, and grace. By replacing (needlessly) historical detailing with product designed for tract housing, you are failing as steward.

Are you so bitter from your experience with hex tiles that you have become blinded to the fact that there are things beyond the scope of the DIY-niks. Comfortable to live in you say..."I laid my own hex tile, and I think it looks terrible, and I am really really handy--I make things for a living and have laid quite a bit of tile before. It's hard to keep it flat and keep the seams tight at the same time". You should have been working to make money to pay professionals to do what they do best.

You want DIY... build a birdhouse.

Future generations=resale value... by sending the future generations off to screw, you are compromising your nest egg... "monsieur le spite... I think this is your nose"

Posted by: guest at June 24, 2008 11:30 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Silly me, I thought this was an uncontroversial topic. I appreciate all the advice, both from folks who have done it themselves and those who have not. Even though our apartment is in an 1890's brownstone building, there were drastic changes in the mid-1980's conversion. We still luckily have much of the lovely molding on the doorways and unfortunately have icky laminate cabinets/counters and cheap tile floor. In a million years I could never make enough money to restore anything to it's former historic perfectness. I am hoping to keep all our minor renovations simple, clean, and (maybe) charming, all within our budget.

Posted by: brookelen at June 25, 2008 1:12 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

I don't buy the "doing the right thing is too expensive" argument.We don't live in the 80's anymore, there are good options out there. Yes there is reproduction tile out there that is more expensive than DAL Tile, but how much more expensive is it, and as a percentage of total project, how relevant is the difference. Even if we are saying it is twice as much, then over a 50 sf area that may make a difference of $500 between the two... is this a significant difference if it repairs the cheesy taste of your previous occupants...

Part of the challenge of owning is researching... and learning about the materials... And once you have a material selected that will last, to select a bona fide installer who will set it in place to last. Note the order here... first find the product, then get the installer, installers have deals with local tile retailer that want you to buy the cheese because they make more money on your ingnorance.

Start with a visit to the Old House Journal and Traditional Building (both of which have their roots in Park Slope). Check in to the Tile Heritage Foundation...

I would wonder that the sale price would have been more than $500 if there was a well done bath.

Posted by: guest at June 25, 2008 11:01 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Your grandfather told you droll stories about the Red Army. My grandfather built his house with his own two hands, as did two of his sons. Those houses still stand in Denver today. So cut DIYers some slack.

Doing it yourself means you can afford to buy better quality materials. Moreover, it means you have the luxury of taking your time to do the job right, which contractors can't do unless they're working hourly.

A competent DIYer doesn't stop at researching the materials. He takes the next step and researches how to actually do the job.

Check out the incredible work this DIYer has done:

http://massiehouse.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Steve at June 26, 2008 1:04 AM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

I wasn't going to comment any more on this because one poster seemed to have a very specific picture of what exactly my house looks like and that just seems too tedious to fight against.

But the larger question you both are raising is whether there is such a thing as a "correct" renovation. I would argue no. That homes and taste are somewhat relative. That you could argue that any given renovation is successful nor not successful, but that there are very few "rights" and "wrongs" per se.

I think a successful renovation speaks well to both the character and history of the house, and may or may not slavishly reproduce the "original details." It might keep some historical elements that are definitely not original details, like "cheap" tin ceilings or 1950's kitchen. It may use really expensive materials, or the materials choice might be more innovative.

I've seen very clever modern brownstone renovations that kept a clear link to the past. I've seen renovations done by artists who have a knack for making an Ikea kitchen and the tile cheaper than dal tile look completely considered and fantastic.

I have also seen unsuccessful brownstone renovations that merely slavishly reproduced, without any sense of purpose or soul. I've seen rooms so full of trim and chandeliers that furniture literally looks stupid in them. I've seen friends go nuts over the history of their 'stones, to the point that they forgot about their kids or their dogs, and made showroom parlors that never, ever get used--that are laughed at now.

Posted by: vanburenproud at June 26, 2008 9:24 AM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Well said Steve.

Mr. Van, this is about Brookelen's house not yours.

The flaw in your argument is the omission of the notion of craftsmanship. In order for a renovation to be done well, it has to be well crafted.

I think 1101 is right, you have a chip on your shoulder about the tile job you put in...

Brookelen, this is beyond your scope, if you have to ask, don't do it, you will end up frustrated and bitter.

Call one of the historic architect/designers, bring them some cookies or take them out to lunch and ask for some sources for tile. It's worth your time.

Posted by: guest at June 26, 2008 9:31 PM in response to DIY bathroom tile?

Having him do one or two rooms is a good way to decide if he's right for you. Unfortunately one of my favorite painters was someone who lost their job and was painting until he found another job(which he did). I've also had good work done from a contractor of mine, but they won't just do painting. It's hard to find someone goof, but it's also hard to look at your walls everyday and wish they had been done better.

Posted by: food4u at July 15, 2008 4:29 PM in response to anyone used Fred Becker painter?

You don't need to by started by then if you're worried about the Landmark issue, just pre-filed. BTW, Prospect Heights, right? I live there too.

Posted by: Smokychimp at July 17, 2008 11:55 PM in response to refacing facade permits

George Architect a small practice in located Brooklyn will be happy to look at your project. Their work ranges from exterior to interior renovation of townhouses, apartments and commercial projects and includes expediting the DOB approval process.
If interested, their contact is 917 414 1511

Posted by: silverstar at July 18, 2008 2:01 PM in response to refacing facade permits

George Architect a small practice in located Brooklyn will be happy to look at your project. Their work ranges from exterior to interior renovation of townhouses, apartments and commercial projects and includes expediting the DOB & landmark approval process.
If interested, their contact is 917 414 1511

Posted by: silverstar at July 18, 2008 2:02 PM in response to refacing facade permits