Brownstoner: donatella's Profile

donatella's Profile

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Author's Comments

I have a skinny brownstone and have the kitchen in the same spot as you. I love white, but I don't love Thermofoil. I got bisque colored cabinets (Kraftmaid) which are OK (would have preferred white though). I also got mullion cabinet doors (glass) and it adds dimension to the room, so I echo 4:39's comment about paned doors. If you want white painted wood and don't want to get thermofoil or get custom made white wood, Diamond brand sold at Lowes now makes a white painted shaker wood door.

Good luck.

Posted by: hemspa at April 17, 2007 11:53 PM in response to What Cabinet Color/Stain Do You Suggest?

Thank you, Mr. B.

Posted by: hemspa at April 17, 2007 11:41 PM in response to Forum Update

Thanks for telling that story. I highly recommend PC Richard. I bought many appliances at the Astoria store (has huge showroom) and was very grateful to an energetic, helpful man by the name of Mohamed, who works in appliances in that store. I bought a refrigerator, dishwasher, dryer, and microwave and stove at great prices. Mohamed has an encyclopedic knowledge of appliances (I was amazed at his product knowledge) and went the extra mile to help me out. I had one of those nightmare consumer experiences with a Kraftmaid kitchen I got through Home Depot which delayed my taking delivery of kitchen appliances by several months.
Mohamed held on to the appliances, calling periodically to check how things were going and did I need delivery. PC Richard has excellent customer service and Mohamed was really wonderful.

Good luck.

PS I had similiar experiences with both Home Depot and Slomins. (Took off almost 1 week in total due to Home Depot nightmare - stay away from them).

Posted by: hemspa at April 17, 2007 11:36 PM in response to Appliance Repair Nightmare - DO NOT USE SEARS!!!

I second William Barnett. He replaced my staircase, and for an internal staircase he made a bannister system. He did a lot of other custom millwork. His prices are excellent and his work excellent. He is also a very fast worker.

Posted by: hemspa at April 16, 2007 10:31 PM in response to Is a $19,000 quote for new stairs too high?

I think that maintaining this website means sometimes having to put hip boots on to wade through some of the sluge that makes it to this site. I admire Brownstoner's fortitude and persistence to produce the site which contains so much valuable information and which provides a forum for Brownstoners to weigh in with their own information, experience, suggestions, etc. He even continues to dare to post on PLG. Imagine! Thank you.

Posted by: hemspa at April 16, 2007 4:14 PM in response to House of the Day: 250 Lefferts Avenue

Ditto on 11:39. July 2005 I think I fixed my water problems. I had masonry over brick in the back of the building, but the top of the building did not have masonry completely covering the brick, so whenever it rained heavily, water found its way into the brick where the original pointing had worn away. Essentially there were little tunnels between the bricks which then allowed water to seep into the house, wetting walls and floors.

Horrible. I had that fixed by cementing over the bricks on the roof and waterproofing the back of the house.

I eliminated the backyard hatch to the basement.

I had the gutters replaced and covered with mesh.

I had the drains cleaned out.

I had a sump pump installed in the basement too.

However, yesterday debris covered the backyard drain for long enough for water to pool by the back door and make a nice big puddle on the wood floor in my kitchen. Thank God I was around.

Now to check my parents little beach house in Staten Island. The last Nor'Easter in '92 caused a complete collapse of half the houses in their little beach community. Things could be worse for us Brownstoners....

Posted by: hemspa at April 16, 2007 3:59 PM in response to Rain, Rain, Go Away

Thanks, BrooklynJon. We DID hoot in derision when the nuns called us bold-faced liars, but privately since they liked to swing rulers and throw things. But when they called us bold pieces, it was much harder to contain. Thank you for your research and what's a dangling participle between friends?

Posted by: hemspa at April 16, 2007 9:15 AM in response to Open House Picks

Yeah, I am not sure the Caribbean or Southern world has a corner on using "bold-faced" as in liars etc. I remember this from Irish nuns, eyes bulging and yelling at their unruly charges. Also, liked to call us "bold pieces," which I always thought was very funny.

Posted by: hemspa at April 15, 2007 11:30 PM in response to Open House Picks

Good luck. I guess you know why and where the water is coming from -- this water is unusual but July is the other time for heavy rain. Gutters might be full and diverting water away from drains or your drains might need flushing, but you might consider having a sump pump installed for times like this. I bought one and had it installed for a few hundred dollars.

Posted by: hemspa at April 15, 2007 5:32 PM in response to Flooded Cellar

It gets a little strange to sign in and step innocently into some oddball fracas or other, but Bob is right. It just gets pretty funky sometimes on this site.

Posted by: hemspa at April 15, 2007 4:26 PM in response to Open House Picks

Nice to hear recognition from Ted on Graziella's. That place is wonderful and I agree about the pizza. The best!

Posted by: hemspa at April 14, 2007 3:23 PM in response to 'Queer' Guy Snags Washington Avenue B-stone

Yes, Ted was always very kind to those guys - very sweet. Good luck to you both and congratulations!

Posted by: hemspa at April 13, 2007 9:33 AM in response to 'Queer' Guy Snags Washington Avenue B-stone

I wonder if the city will take a coordinated approach to buildings in landmarked areas which are a threat to public safety, i.e certain buildings which have been determined to be structurally damaged and have been all but abandoned by owners. For example, Brownstoner featured a property recently on Clermont Avenue which is on a landmarked block and is one good storm away from falling down - the Landmark in Park Slope is an egregious example.

Posted by: hemspa at April 12, 2007 9:49 AM in response to City To Get Tough On Negligent Landlords

Back to rent control. When I first read the comment about buying out the tenant for 50 to 100,000 dollars and then the place being a good deal, I thought that nobody is giving up a rent control apartment for that money. No way. I believe Serge and Scarab.

Posted by: hemspa at April 8, 2007 12:39 PM in response to Open House Picks

Uhuh,

I'll take your word for it and I am on your side. I want good retail on Fulton and while these appear to be unsavory and unattractive characters, I myself just never witnessed the drug dealing. And let me tell you, I am not following any druggies to witness drug deals either, I believe you. I am also interested in doing whatever possible to encourage an environment which supports the development of a thriving retail district there. For God's sake, we need it. In fact in our area, that is the thing that we need most. I want a green grocer, some useful stores like a good pharmacy, more restaurants. There is very little useful retail in my little trip home from the subway. If I need shampoo or some other thing forget it-- I spend most of my money by getting into my car. I shop for food at Fairway, I get my shoes fixed near work, I can't even get a pair of emergency stockings near my house. So, bottom line I am on your side and if you can think of some practical action to help develop the area, let me know and where to sign up. I just had a glimmer of hope when I saw Country House Diner renovating and the grungy Yemeni bodega on Fulton and Clinton (if you can call it that) cleaning up its act ... I am grasping at glimmers of hope.

Posted by: hemspa at April 6, 2007 10:57 AM in response to Foreclosure of the Week: 931 Fulton Street

It is interesting to read about the population increases in New York City. The article states that on a net basis more people are leaving NYC than moving to NYC, but that the population increases are due to natural increases due to births, largely from immigrant communities. I had thought that they were due to a net increase from people moving into the city. Very interesting.

Posted by: hemspa at April 5, 2007 10:56 AM in response to Thursday Links

Call Peter from Sunburst Studios,
Address: 584 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 768-6360

He made a very nice stained glass window for me.
Also you can check with Eddie Hibbert who has an architectural salvage company on Greene and Grand Avenue in Clinton Hill. He gets lots of great stuff from old buildings in the area. I know he has some nice stained glass windows now. Eddie can help you assemble a marble fireplace complete with cast iron inserts, (or a wood one), sell you front doors, internal doors, door knobs, pier mirrors, well you get the idea. Tuesday-Saturday 12-6.

Good luck with your new house.

Posted by: hemspa at April 5, 2007 2:56 AM in response to Stained Glass

Dear Sam and Joe Show,

I got that loud and clear from some of the others, who seem to be extremely PO'd at the city agencies and I do know that policy regarding RedHook has been bungled and it has suffered a history of confused initiatives from NY City from Moses on down. And probably having a real stake in the real Red Hook, you are very sensitive to wiseasses like me. So, I am sorry OK? Peace.

Posted by: hemspa at April 4, 2007 3:25 PM in response to Red Hook Un-Modern: CB6 Dings Townhouse Proposal

Sometimes preservation becomes false religion with its own fear inducing rules. Why is it a mortal sin to paint wood? Why is "original" inherently better? Beautiful is inherently better and sometimes old is just old.

Posted by: hemspa at April 4, 2007 12:24 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 916 8th Avenue

Dear 11:22,

That was a gentle joke, my friend, please don't be offended. It wasn't meant that way.

Have a good day.

Posted by: hemspa at April 4, 2007 6:33 AM in response to Red Hook Un-Modern: CB6 Dings Townhouse Proposal

Dear 10:44, Thank you darlin' for paying attention.

Posted by: hemspa at April 3, 2007 11:00 PM in response to Red Hook Un-Modern: CB6 Dings Townhouse Proposal

Contextual in Red Hook? Hello? What are these guys smoking? Contextual materials are quonset, linked fence, rusted cars.. For contextual design, what you need are movie set designers, not architects. Planet of the Apes.... Mad Max.... Blade Runners... Excape from NY....

Posted by: hemspa at April 3, 2007 2:08 PM in response to Red Hook Un-Modern: CB6 Dings Townhouse Proposal

I have comments for Bob999, Serge and Martha Stewart. Bob, I really think the same way about kitchens on the parlor floor, unless you have a very wide brownstone. Mine is on the skinny side, and I didn't want to mess up the flow, so I kept mine downstairs too. It works. I am going to put in a little wet bar in a little alcove on the Parlor Floor with sink and one (or two) built in hotplates (and little frig) so that I don't have to run up and down if I have people over and we hang out in the parlor. For Martha Stewart, I'm with you. I probably will never buy something with lots of mahogony woodwork, especially in a naturally dark brownstone, because I hate the feeling of lots of dark wood. I hate the gentlemen's club, cigars and brandy ambiance. And I find Victoriana period stuff oppressive and fussy. Of course, what I bought was late Adams family so who cares. I know I will be hunted down and arrested after this admission, but I like to paint wood too!!

And for Serge, I'm with you, man, I am happy that my place has appreciated but I absolutely cannot process what places are going for now either. I am very fortunate that I got my place when I did.

Posted by: hemspa at April 3, 2007 10:09 AM in response to House of the Day: 112 Prospect Park West

If I had 4 million to spend on real estate in Brooklyn, I'd buy the Pfizer mansion at 280 Washington. http://www.corcoran.com/property/listing.aspx?Region=NYC&ListingID=760180

Posted by: hemspa at April 2, 2007 4:13 PM in response to House of the Day: 112 Prospect Park West

You could get out of this. If you want to. But chances are that Mr. Seller doesn't want to pay tenants to move. Sure he could evict them (assuming no rent stabilization) but that takes a lot of time and is a battle royale and costs money. Talk to whoever you want to talk to but definately a good tenant landlord lawyer to understand the options. If you still want the place, you need to renegotiate price. Then with the savings, you could compensate the tenants. Big hassle though....

Posted by: hemspa at April 2, 2007 12:57 PM in response to Buying vacant or not?

Obviously it can't be done now - the question is, how much more would it have cost?

Posted by: hemspa at April 2, 2007 12:40 PM in response to (New) Condos of the Day: 244 North 5th Street

I think that it wouldn't take much to
really improve the exterior -- some simplified lintels, cornice or simple detailing around the door.

Posted by: hemspa at April 2, 2007 12:39 PM in response to (New) Condos of the Day: 244 North 5th Street

Do a search of this fall's Forum Archives since the cold weather brought mice (and bigger cousins) inside. Even Mr. B's Main Blog has spots on mice. Big winner was Rat Zapper, an electric battery run trap which kills mice and rats instantly inside the trap with a zap of electricity. Check out the archives, there was lots of discussion.

Posted by: hemspa at April 2, 2007 9:39 AM in response to MIce! Mice! MIce!

There are two sets of condos belonging to this assocation, one on the southwest side of Clermont and one on the southeast side of Clermont. I know they have been around for some time and have had to deal with them for some joint neighborhood issues. They are cooperative as a group, though they have had some issues (since addressed) with rats, not unique to them, but excerbated by their garbage handling. They have fixed it though and they maintain their grounds very nicely. I am not sure what kind of info you need, but go to Property Shark for more.

Posted by: hemspa at April 1, 2007 12:35 PM in response to Clermont and Fulton

Try Stone Depot in Greenpoint. SMC has a wide selection but they are very expensive. They have a big showroom but significantly higher than other dealers. You can get ideas from them and then shop around for the best price. But look into Stone Depot.

Posted by: hemspa at April 1, 2007 12:21 PM in response to who has the best prices for marble countertops?

yes, sirree, Ms. Brenda. Firemen trump etiolated hipsters anyday.

Posted by: hemspa at March 30, 2007 4:17 PM in response to Open House Picks

Mr. B -- Re: Salvage fair, I have lots of stuff from my renovation - extras, things purchased that I changed mind on, things I removed, collected etc. Also, there are things I still need... I am sure I am not alone - the fair is a dynamite idea!

Posted by: hemspa at March 30, 2007 1:58 PM in response to Own A Piece of Brooklyn Heights for Only a Grand

The Windsor terrace house is beautiful, really lovely. I am also surprised to see a Sunset Park place top 1 MM. Don't know if the market can bear that (yet?)....

Posted by: hemspa at March 30, 2007 1:35 PM in response to Open House Picks

The Windsor terrace house is beautiful, really. I am also surprised to see a Sunset Park place top 1 MM. Don't know if the market can bear that (yet?)....

Posted by: hemspa at March 30, 2007 1:33 PM in response to Open House Picks

Mr. B, any details on your salvage fair?

Posted by: hemspa at March 30, 2007 10:17 AM in response to Own A Piece of Brooklyn Heights for Only a Grand

I think it could work either way. About your case I am sorry about the termite damage to your house. I got my inspector from a neighbor; how would I know if he would be good or not? He was pretty good I think but there were still issues with the house that my contractor found upon ripping out walls that the inspector didn't find (non-vented sinks -- so THAT was the disgusting smell!), we needed to put in a support beam to replace a weight bearing wall which had been removed by a previous owner, we found that under a couple of layers of "floor" (cement to even it out!!) was a bowed floor due to joists which had been cut into for pipes, water seeping between masonry over brick which had caused damage to floors, plaster, and ceiling of basement. He missed all of the above but found many other issues.

I don't think I am too different from others buying these old houses. I know you feel horrible and you want to blame yourself, but know that you will work this out. Every single brownstoner with an old house has had these kind of surprises.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck and trust that you will get past this and do a beautiful renovation.

Posted by: hemspa at March 29, 2007 8:27 PM in response to Realtor Recommendations: Never?

These tunnels were part of the underground railroad, connected with several of the churches in the Heights, I believe.

Posted by: hemspa at March 29, 2007 1:01 PM in response to Witnesses To Sell Standish Arms

Looking very good. See? It can be done...

Posted by: hemspa at March 29, 2007 12:25 PM in response to Development Watch: 239 Cumberland Street

I think Brooklyn Heights made its peace with the Witnesses a long time ago, but blocked allowing them to add more residences about 10 (?) years ago. They have been a part of the Heights for many years and are housed in several residences, some of which were hotels in the area. I think that it probably makes sense for them to cash in and I don't think that the Heights cares very much either way, though I don't think they will be missed particularly.

I also think that those places would make fantastic condos and that it is a good thing for the neighborhood.

Posted by: hemspa at March 29, 2007 10:54 AM in response to Witnesses To Sell Standish Arms

Thank you 5:15, I am in recovery.

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 5:21 PM in response to House of the Day: 348 Clermont Avenue Shell

4:46 was me; thought I was logged in...

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 4:47 PM in response to House of the Day: 348 Clermont Avenue Shell

Dear Jack, that would cost more than 500,000 I think. The place has to be completely rebuilt if it can be, including a complete refacing and rebuilding of the facade, lintels, etc which are crumbling. Making money is wonderful but this house is a career. Maybe I'm just a wimp but I went through this with a house in way better shape and I get chills down my spine thinking about doing anything like that with this. I think the price has to drop to make it work.

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 3:53 PM in response to House of the Day: 348 Clermont Avenue Shell

You need an exterminator to come in right away - sombody who deals with termites. You can probably help if you can catch one of these and put it in a jar or baggie for an exterminator to tell what he is dealing with. It may just be flying ants but you don't want to take a chance.

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 2:47 PM in response to Termites?

They say on the ad that it is 21 feet wide, hmm. I don't know. But I forgot to say that getting a certificate of non harrassment in this case is probably the least of the buyers troubles. You need to put a public notice in newspapers over a period of time announcing the conversion and advertising to former tenants to come foward. Usually you don't have SRO tenants combing the law journals and public announcement sections of the classified, so it is just a time thing. It's been empty so long it shouldn't be a big deal. By the way, there is another wreck down the block on Clermont.

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 2:38 PM in response to House of the Day: 348 Clermont Avenue Shell

This is in my neck of the woods and so I have had an interest in this -- well more like morbid curiosity. I checked it out in the past on the LPC website and they say it is structurally damaged. I do not know at what point safety for attached structures and people in the neighborhood trumps historical value, but this place is a complete wreck. The lintels and the facade are crumbling and coming off in huge hunks. To get a sense of the pricing, you need a structural engineer to get in there. Sometimes when I walk by that place, I think about the sequence of construction i.e. how to go about restoring it and how long it would take, if in fact it is possible. It has been exposed to the elements for a long time; the second and top floor windows have separated from the frames and were tilting inward (I see now that there is plywood on the second floor), exposing the house to rain and the elements. This is one step up from being a lot. Assuming that a beautifully restored 18 foot 4 story, three family Italianate brownstone on this block would go for 1.65 - 1.75 and let's say it costs 600,000 to completely gut it, rebuild it and reface it, let's see after 2 - 3 years of work, how much would you make? Assuming it doesn't fall down first.... I really hope that it is salvageable. Would somebody pay 1 million bucks for a shell? Could it be a shell? Or a lot? It's funny, the other day when I passed it I thought in some cities, you could buy that place for $1.

Oh and by the way, I wish that owner would do something about all the garbage that collects around that place....

Posted by: hemspa at March 28, 2007 2:33 PM in response to House of the Day: 348 Clermont Avenue Shell

2:45 was me. I was so distressed thinking about that pink plastic house, I didn't log in.

Posted by: hemspa at March 27, 2007 2:47 PM in response to House of the Day: 621 Morgan Avenue

I think what 12:59 was referring to was a period during the downturn in the NYC real estate market in the early 90's which lasted a few years. The recession killed the real estate market in NYC and there are many scenarios where people lost equity and had coop imposed restrictions on subletting. Buying a coop is buying into the rules of the coop and having restrictions on subletting really limits your flexibility during a market downturn. That maintenance is crazy though and you wonder about what kind of decision maker the board there is to negotiate that kind of mortgage with prepayment penalties which prevented them from enjoying the dramatic lowering of interest rates. There are small brownstone coops in the area where you can get much greater value, in my opinion.

Posted by: hemspa at March 27, 2007 1:37 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 111 Hicks Street

I used to live around the corner from this building, so I am familiar with it and its high maintenance. Sure it is a full service building, but the only reason for that size maintenance is a huge underlying mortgage on the building -- without seeing the financials. They have service, but not that much.

Posted by: hemspa at March 27, 2007 12:32 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 111 Hicks Street

That's a good idea. Next, to figure out a way to ticket merchants who distribute literature and menus, drop it on stoops and wait for mother Nature to distribute. Thanks to one merchant, about 1500 dollars worth of tickets were written on my block this month.

Posted by: hemspa at March 27, 2007 9:20 AM in response to Council Philistine Tackles A Topic He Knows - Trash

Just to clarify (not bashing Clinton Hill which I love) -- a run down brownstone there might go for the same amount of money....

Posted by: hemspa at March 26, 2007 1:03 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 25 Bergen Street

Responses to Author's Forum Comments

I, too, would like to pay the year's rent up front. My husband is in computers and makes good money, but he doesn't handle his very well and a realtor used both our credit history and denied us because of him. However, I'm the one who writes out the rent checks, and I have good credit. We always pay our rent faithfully and first, because it OUR HOME and we always made it the TOP PRIORITY, occasionally causing the other bills to not get paid on time, sometimes only a day late. So, by paying our rent on time and not our credit cards, we're screwing our chances to rent, which makes no sense. We could have paid our credit cards on time, screwed our landlord, and looked like angels on a credit report. In any case, I figure the only way to get around the bad credit history is to pay it up front. Does this make me a bad tenant? No; in fact, our landlord said he would give us a good reference. But by being bureacratic and looking only at what some third party like Experian says about us, we'll be denied an apartment. Please look at all the possibilities.

Posted by: guest at January 16, 2008 10:04 PM in response to Whoa... a year's rent upfront!!!

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Posted by: guest at April 1, 2008 3:14 PM in response to Best source for tile?