duckwalk's Profile
- Don
- 1993
- 2006
- Brooklyn
- Cobble Hill
- Condo
- Educator
- Male
- 40 Something
Author's Posts
July 25, 2008
Outdoor painting needed
I'm looking for someone who can tackle an outdoor paint job on a 9-unit brick condo building in Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens.
The building was built in 1988, so it's not old but there are parts of it that haven't received a coat of paint since it was built.
The paint work would include cornice, railings, fence and gate, window frames, door frames, and some woodwork in the back of the house.
The biggest problem is the rear elevation is almost 4 stories high and I don't know how anyone will get to it unless they are a mountaineer.
If anyone can recommend a good exterior painter to give an estimate I would appreciate the lead.
Thanks.
January 8, 2008
Where to Start with Renovations
I am the owner of a floor-through condo in Carroll Gardens. It's a top floor unit and I've owned it for 11 years. I'm finally in a financial position where I can start to consider upgrading the place (it was built in the mid-1980's and has the original bathrooms, kitchen, floors, etc. All of these were nice in the 1980's but look a little tired and dated today.
The way I see it, there are 5 possible projects I can invest in, knowing that I see myself owning the place for at least 6 - 10 more years. I'm looking for advice on which order to do things and/or which project will hold the most value at resale.
A. Replace Master Bath off of larger bedroom. Con: The smallest square footage and the one that is least likely to be seen by friends/visitors. Pro: I'll get the most use out of it.
B. The main bathroom: Pro: Friends will be impressed and construction will be the least disruptive to my day-today life. Con: It's used mainly by the cats and the occasional guest.
C. Redo the kitchen: Pro: The cabinets are awful (I hate them), the stove and fridge are at least 20 years old. The countertop is beige formica. Con: We have an open-plan kitchen-livingroom and it will be hell to live through the work. And I could probably spend as much on the kitchen as I paid for the condo 11 years ago.
D. Install central air and get rid of three wall units. Pro: I have roof rights, so I have a place to put the compressor and the apartment has high ceilings, so ductwork won't be a problem. Con: I don't know anyone who has done this yet so I don't know what I'm getting myself in to.
E. Invest in a roof deck. Pro: The roof is mine, I might as well use it. Con: Why should I think I want to sit on the roof now after 11 years in the apartment.
I'd be really grateful for any comments you have on where I should start. I'd love to do it all at once, but that's not practical.
Author's Comments
duckwalk wrote a review about El Pitayo on October 5, 2009 7:26 PM
My wife, who went to college in Texas, swears by this place and thinks it's the best in the 'hood for authentic Mexican. The guacamole is excellent and the place avoids putting too much jalapeno and cilantro in everything.
I, too, wish the drinks were a bit bigger but their white wine sangria has always been an excellent choice if we are thirsty.
The staff is friendly and the redecoration is wonderful. Considering they had taken over from a sushi restaurant and not done much to it the improvement is outstanding.
I've been glad to see more people dining in recently.
Now, I do have to admit that we only live about a block away. I don't know if we would ever travel to get to a place like this but with 9 places to eat in the two blocks closest to our house this has got to be our #1 or #2 choice for something quick, hearty, and inexpensive.
Downtown Brooklyn, where I happen to live and work, is primed for an influx of decent places to eat, provided that someone can afford the rents.
The Marriott now has 600 room and the Mortons is gaining traction. Two more hotels are coming to Duffield Street.
At least 3 other hotels are under construction in downtown.
BelTel Lofts are over 50% sold and Toren and Avalon are rising pretty fast and those people need a place to eat (God forbid they cook in their apartments).
You are going to see more useful places come to Downtown in the next few years. Look at the article in last Sunday's Times about Wall Street becoming "livable" and realize that MetroTech is just a few steps behind.
Posted by: duckwalk at February 25, 2009 7:25 PM in response to Rumor Mill: Gage & Tollner Space Leased?
duckwalk wrote a review about Pete's Waterfront Ale House on February 13, 2009 5:11 PM
The Waterfront Ale House, which all of my friends just call Pete's, is one of the first restaurants I discovered when I moved to Brooklyn 16 years ago. (They were across the street then.)
The pluses are delicious and adventurous food. I am often surprised by a unique and different offering on the menu. Sometimes there is game, fresh-made pasta, or some other tasty treat. And their Oktoberfest menu is amazing.
If I have one criticism, it's that it is difficult and sometimes impossible to find a light lager if that's what you are in the mood for. People with unsophisticated beer tastes are often left staring at the board in bewilderment and then order a mixed drink.
I am constantly amazed by how kid-friendly this place is.
The two booths in the back are the only marginal seating location but if you want to focus on food and conversation they are fine. The booth right by the door can be drafty (duh).
And while there are only a few desserts, the bread pudding is about the best in Brooklyn.
Something that downtown Brooklyn needs is a Bed Bath and Beyond. I don't care where it is and there are a lot of possible retail locations available but there is a need.
I was in the Tribeca location today and it was empty... which isn't a good sign for them expanding anytime soon but they were doing their Zip Code quiz at the registers, so there is hope if enough 11201's and 11231's and 11217's start to show up in the computer.
I also wouldn't be surprised to see Modells move into the Circuit City space where it would get more traffic. Until the arena is dead, Modells won't abandon a presence in this collection of buildings. It's too valuable a location if/when the Nets ever get to Brooklyn.
With regards to Circuit City, the particular location had a terrible selection of merchandise, was always sold out of what I was looking for (I always found it funny that Office Max had a better selection of computer supplies). I had good luck with their Firedog service the once I really, really needed it.
The Atlantic Terminal/Atlantic Center is an improvement to what was located on this site before they built it (basically nothing) but it is as if there was no plan for how people would move in, around and through the spaces. Access to Taxis, buses and subways seem to be an afterthought which is surprising considering it's on top of a railway terminal.
Posted by: duckwalk at January 19, 2009 3:47 PM in response to Atlantic Center To Lose Major Tenant
I was told that those windows are temporary to create an area for the construction offices in lieu of having trailers. The site isn't suitable for the typical trailers.
I was by there on Saturday and was surprised to see them already unloading an entire flatbed truck worth of sheet rock.
Posted by: duckwalk at January 12, 2009 2:01 PM in response to 111 Lawrence Gets Its Glass On
I shop here for dog food because it is $6 cheaper than at the Met Food around the corner. Swiffers are cheaper, too. If I can walk to the store, buy two items and it saves me $8 from what I would pay at the Met, it is worth the walk, especially in this economy.
As others have said, first thing in the morning is when this store isn't a freak show.
I really think the worst thing is the used coffee cups that litter the shelves but that isn't the stores fault entirely.
I have met the enemy and it is us.
Posted by: duckwalk at January 6, 2009 5:55 PM in response to Closing Bell: FIPS Goes Undercover
One of the trade-offs that people make for living in an urban area is the proximity of other people and the noise, smells, waste, and other environmental impacts that this proximity contributes.
I wonder how the folks of Park Slope would react when they discovered that the impact of their attempt to curtail aircraft noise was that they had to travel to either Islip or Stewart Airport to get a flight to their all-important vacation.
Perhaps they would be happier on a farm. Of course the crop-dusters might be a bit noisy, too.
Posted by: duckwalk at December 15, 2008 5:15 PM in response to Closing Bell: Keeping Quiet in Park Slope
duckwalk wrote a review about Downtown Bar and Grill on November 13, 2008 1:27 PM
God, I miss Cousins! The staff was fun, the service was great, they treated regulars like gold, and it was a great place for bar food. I was just talking about Cousins with a neighborhood regular last night in our ongoing debate about where to get a good burger in the 'hood (Current winner: Ceol, but they are slipping).
The problem with Downtown is the service is some of the worst I've had in all of Brooklyn. Orders come out wrong or badly timed. We once got our appetizer exactly 1 minute before they brought out our main course. The beer selection, while huge, can be stale.
We've given this place multiple chances and we have never been satisfied.
Two doors down, Cody's is a more authentic sports bar experience and I think the food is a little better.
That said, the veggie burger at Downtown remains a hit with the missus.
Sam, I gotta disagree with you on this. I know a number of honorable and hardworking people in the middle and upper management at the MTA. The problem with the MTA is that they are not allowed to utilize the best practices of the commercial marketplace and operate the system like a business. It isn't the entirely the MTA's fault. The political pressure they are under is huge. Their union system is out of control. The financial realities that they face are staggering. The mandate to keep the entire system up and running 24/7/365 is problematic. Without going into a complete defense of the MTA, I believe that they are trying. BUT this doesn't excuse them from the fact that the Jay Street Station and the building above it are like an open sore.
Posted by: duckwalk at November 1, 2008 10:43 AM in response to No Love for MTA on Jay
I've worked across the street from this mess for 15+ years. There are a multitude of problems that need to be addressed here.
The station renovations, slow as they are, are a sign that maybe something will get better underground BUT that does nothing to address the dead streetscape above ground. It is criminal that the old Citibank has been vacant for at least a decade except for a Reduced Price Metrocard office. It seems to me that a bit of retail there would improve things. And, the scaffolding has been up almost long enough to get landmark status. It's a shame that it's what guests in one of the busiest hotels in all of NYC get to see on their way to the train.
Being so close to a major office of the MTA, this station should be a showcase for what the MTA wants the system to be. As the area becomes more residential and another hotel gets ready to open, I hope the MTA gets the message on this disaster area.
Posted by: duckwalk at October 31, 2008 5:35 PM in response to No Love for MTA on Jay
The building, now known as Wunsch Hall, was build as the 2nd Free Congregational Church in 1846. In 1854, it became home of the Bridge Street A.W.M.E. congregation which is the oldest Black congregation in Brooklyn. The Bridge Street A.W.M.E. Church was said to be a stop on the underground railroad. Oral history says that fugituve slaves were hidden in the basement on their way to the docks to catch ships to Canada. The Bridge Street Congregation moved to Bed-Stuy in 1938 and the building was used for a number of uses, including a Baptist church, postcard factory, warehouse, and political meeting hall, until Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn bought it in 1968. They used it as classrooms and the headquarters for ROTC until 1979 when it became the school's student center. It was completely renovated on the inside in 1995. Today it is NYU-Poly's admissions office. It is a NYC landmark and on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Posted by: duckwalk at August 11, 2008 8:11 PM in response to Closing Bell: The Rebranding of Polytechnic
In order for a park to be sustainable (in these modern times) it has to have a revenue stream and a reason for people to want to go. There is little doubt that the Brooklyn Bridge Park is well located and will probably be popular BUT it will need amenities. A store like Garden of Eden or Dean and DeLuca would be a very practical addition for both the residents and users of the park. I can think of a lot worse things they could put there (like a liquor store or yet another Rite Aid).
Posted by: duckwalk at January 11, 2008 12:38 PM in response to Latest BBP Brouhaha: A Supermarket in the Park
I can't believe how badly you got this one wrong.
It's all new construction and not an addition and it's nice to have an interesting building on Smith Street.
I'm getting a little tired of the sidewalk shed, though.
Posted by: duckwalk at November 10, 2009 10:47 PM in response to Development Watch: 311 Warren Street