Don't get me wrong, this could be a stunning house, however, be prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on it. And I am not just talking about design choices and updated bathrooms, I'm talking basic maintenance type issues. At this price range I don't expect to do basic maintenance that has been neglected for twenty years and pay top price.

Posted by: cls2000 at October 7, 2009 2:48 PM in response to House of the Day: 212 8th Avenue

I went inside this house a couple of weeks ago and it is a bit disappointing. The pictures certainly don't tell the whole story. There are plenty of nice intact details but some have been removed and replaced with some odd store bought paneling. Pocket doors were removed and in general the house was not in good condition. Especially not for the asking price. The walls were in serious need of paint and spackle but the realtor told me that the owner wanted to let the buyer make those design choices for themeselves. Fixing a decomposing wall is not really a design choice. Also, if you go to see this house, be prepared to remove your shoes, the owners do not want you walking in their house with shoes.

Posted by: cls2000 at October 7, 2009 2:32 PM in response to House of the Day: 212 8th Avenue

Well regarding the house---I went to see this house yesterday and it is a gem. However, not without its faults. At $3.2 you expect perfection, this comes close but still has a ways to go. The pictures on the website do not do it justice. The dining room is beautiful with plenty of quarter sawn oak and a fireplace, but it is hardly shown. The African granite, not so hot. The three wood burning fireplaces - nice. Not a big fan of painting the woodwork white- thank God for paint remover. The center stair is stunning and the view from the second floor down the stairs is something I wouldn't mind taking in every morning. The deck off of the second floor is a very nice touch, as is the bathroom on the landing. The baths were all nicely done, the kitchen was OK, not a stunner. Overall a very nice package, but that price tag is scary. I guess I"ll never be able to afford one.

Posted by: cls2000 at September 14, 2009 3:35 PM in response to House of the Day: 591 2nd Street

For more interesting Coney Island artwork- check out the following website:
www.brooklyndreamland.com
and relive Conery like it used to be!

Posted by: cls2000 at March 25, 2009 4:26 PM in response to Closing Bell: Miniature Sized Coney Island

FYI- anyone looking for a diversion today- check out the Brooklyn Dreamland website. It has lots of artwork of Coney Island and take a look at the Around NYC and Portraits tab-

www.brooklyndreamland.com

Posted by: cls2000 at March 18, 2009 9:52 AM in response to Open Thread

Great photos. Yet more haunting images from Coney Island. Check out this link for more hauting images from Coney Island's past:
www.brooklyndreamland.com

Posted by: cls2000 at March 13, 2009 5:24 PM in response to Coney Island Boardwalk: What Lies Beneath

As a resident of Marine Park and an avid visitor to Park Slope I would have to say that they both have their merits. To classify Marine Park as a "whitebread" community would be wrong. It may not have the diversity of Park Slope but few places in the city do. It does however certainly maintain a neighborhood feel where people put down roots and raise families. There is an abundance of children and the Park an Nature Center are true gems in Brooklyn. Architecturally, Park Slope is hard to beat, but the homes in Marine Park vary greatly from modest semi-attached homes to grand Dutch Colonials and Tudors. Marine Park is not isolated from the rest of the city, but it does have that country in the city feel with plenty of green space. Lawns are neatly manicured and people take pride in their carefully tended gardens. Park Slope has many homeowners who take pride in their homes but many of the blocks are shamefully littered with trash which may just be a density problem. Also, I am a great lover of brownstones, but there is something to be said for taking what were once one-family homes and selling off each floor as condos for maximun profit. It just leads to overcrowding and nothing looks worse than eight garbage pails sitting outside of a $2 million house. Park Slope certainly wins the restaurant and coffee shop categories, but many people in Marine Park cook at home and share coffee with their neighbors on their stoops. One other plus for Marine Park is the wonderful sense of patriotism that is exhibited on many of the houses. Flags fly from most homes all year. Regarding traffic, I can't see how Marine Park could be seen as a traffic problem. You can hear a pin drop at night and outside of the main avenues, side streets are usually filled with children playing football or basketball. In conclusion, Marine Park is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, what it lacks in trendy shops, it more than makes up for in community spirit. Happy Thanksgiving.

Posted by: cls2000 at November 27, 2008 12:54 AM in response to Park Slope Can't Measure Up to Marine Park

I checked out the Open House on Sunday, November 23 and was similarly disappointed. The house was fine but certainly not as advertised. And the realtor was not very helpful either- when I inquired about the height of the ceiling she was cluseless (even though it was listed on the brochure). Also I asked about the floor on the parlor level and got the same clueless look, even though I tripped on the pocket door track on the floor. I then realized that what I was looking at was the sub-floor. Some very poor, very obvious patch jobs on the woodwork and extremely poor condition on the exterior. The missing posts on the staircase were equally unforgivable. Could be a beautiful house, but if this is a "complete renovation" I would hate to see what a fixer-upper looks like.

Posted by: cls2000 at November 24, 2008 5:37 PM in response to House of the Day: 141 Lincoln Place