A Mediterranean Makover
We spotted this building on West 9th Street, near Smith, the other day. Before its makeover, it was just a humble but proud Italianate townhouse like its brothers and sisters on the block. Now, well, we can spot several influences: some Spanish tile for the roof; a stucco-looking facade reminiscent of Greece; coral-colored Doric-ish columns,…
We spotted this building on West 9th Street, near Smith, the other day. Before its makeover, it was just a humble but proud Italianate townhouse like its brothers and sisters on the block. Now, well, we can spot several influences: some Spanish tile for the roof; a stucco-looking facade reminiscent of Greece; coral-colored Doric-ish columns, and those mini-balustrades. Looks from this DOB file that they added height and depth to the building back in 2007, and decided to make it stand out from its neighbors as well. Your reviews? GMAP
Photo from Property Shark.
I am a neighbor of this house, too: the construction period was hellish for many reasons that you can well imagine, the design is not meant to be Greek but rather Spanish (the tiles are Portuguese), and they recently had an interior fire which was also hellish for the neighborhood and most likely for them. Sometimes I think the Christmas display is a bit garish and, yet, I admire their spirit… and the extra light on the street in the evening.
One of the reason this house has such a high monetary value is that it had a huge backyard – as do all the homes on this block. Or should I say DID have huge backyards. Much of the construction on the street has involved extensions into the backyards. Our apartment still has a huge yard. (Thank you, landlord!)
Hacienda House may be a bit over the top, but rather that then a crack house.
I live on West 9th Street, and I walk by this house every day on my way to the train. Our street isn’t the nicest, but the people who live in this house are kind, invested in the community, and have really festive Christmas decorations, unlike the rest of the street. They have put more effort and pride into the block than anyone else– clearly. It is a nice place to walk by every day.
“Taste” is highly subjective, and is mediated by cultural and economic elites. You can tell that they have built a very specific house that they have wanted for quite some time for their own reasons. Furthermore, I would wager, they have been in Brooklyn longer than many of the people disparaging their efforts on this comment board. I, for one, appreciate the quirky things that make Brooklyn Brooklyn, and this is one of them.
It’s the Palazzo Chupi of Carroll Gardens.
Lasties.
3:42? Boy, this thread ended early.
Not to let Biff and the bgirl have the last word, I think that this house is really interesting on many levels. The colors are almost right for the Caribbean (the blue is “La Habana” blue) but a real house of the tropics or semi-tropics would not have those straight-line windows and straight line balconies. The window openings would be curved…there would be ellipses…arches….the balconies would be lengthy, romantic…not uptight. It is a failed attempt at cultural symbiosis.
You may as well try to build a red-brick and brownstone house in San Juan. The locals would be appalled. It wouldn’t go.
I thought I had written more than this…but ok.
And yes you are 🙂
Keep guessing.
Ok, since I like you, I went back to get your comment…
“Chocolate ice cream is heavenly! Cupcakes are the best!!! If you delight in the sinful pleasures of chocolate, you won’t be disappointed. Eat them there or take them home and enjoy them privacy.”
Hmmm, sounds pretty straightforward to me. I guess I AM naive!
Biff, you naive boy…do I have to spell everything out for you!
DIBS…of course, I meant a harley.
“BTW – you two didn’t comment about Chocolate Room yesterday, or comment about my comment.”
I did read your review but having not gotten anything from that place (yet) other than a coffee, I didn’t submit a rating or comments. Although I was tempted to razz Ppark for his review, but I think we already got back at him pretty good for his comment the other day.
BRG…as much as one would like to, one cannot comment on everything on brownstoner.
As far as your spelling and grammar don’t take our comments seriously.
I will leave the comment about dating a guy with a hog alone for now. You did mean a Harley, right?