IMBY's Tour of South Slope Frames
Blogger IMBY takes a break from chronicling the shoddy construction practices at 406 15th Street to document a restoration revival in the South Slope that has sprung up amidst, inspite of and against the encroachment of predominately low-quality, ugly new construction. While there are plenty of unremarkable houses in this area, seeing photos of so…
Blogger IMBY takes a break from chronicling the shoddy construction practices at 406 15th Street to document a restoration revival in the South Slope that has sprung up amidst, inspite of and against the encroachment of predominately low-quality, ugly new construction. While there are plenty of unremarkable houses in this area, seeing photos of so many beautiful woodframes in one place is a great reminder of what a strong architectural heritage it actually has.
South Slopes Got Wood [IMBY]
Anon 3:13–screw you. There’s just no nice way to say it. This is our home and has been for generations and you’re lucky you found your way to our nice community, and you’re welcome here. But it’s a nice community because of the old-timers, who didn’t flee to the suburbs but stayed and looked out for one another. BTW, we look out for the nice new people, too. Any problems you’re having with your neighbors probably begin and end with you.
Hey arsenal:
Thanks for the compliment regarding our house renov. on Hall between Myrtle and Willoughby. We waited 2 yrs for the guys to do the work and now we are looking for someone to do the steps. Sorry the house is a little dark for your taste, I let my husband pick the colors. 😉 If anyone knows anyone (mason, etc.) who is reasonable (we do not an unlimited budget) that can redo cement steps please email me.
Please ANTI-SIDING FAIRY come rescue Windsor Terrace from the blight of vinyl siding! And while you’re at it, ship off all the old time WT-ers to Florida. The neighborhood needs new blood!
I am working on a post about a new condo development that is being built as of right, according to the new R6B zoning, that I think will be a nice addition to the area. In order to build this, old houses needed to be torn down. In my opinion the houses were rundown and had many building violations that made them lost causes. The new condos will be sold at the market rate, meaning I personally wouldn’t be able to afford to live there. On this project, contrary to what “18th Street” has described, everyone concerned, the original owner of the property, the builder, and the developer, all stand to make a substantial profit AND at the same time provide quality, aesthetically pleasing, housing for twenty new families.
What I may not have been so clear about in my original post is that this domino effect works both ways. When someone on their block renovates their facade it inspires, for lack of a better word, others on the block to take on their own restoration projects. Many of the examples I posted are located on the same block if not side by side, to another recently restored home. Restoration is a virus. Ultimately, these restored houses will continue to make the area desirable and also increase the value of those homes that are no longer salvageable. That means “18th Street”, simply by existing, without adding any $$$ improvements to your home, the land may still continue to increase in value and be of interest to a developer. Tear down offers are as high as $4, $5, $600,000. If I were you I would encourage your neighbors to continue to renovate. It will only help you in the end.
Anon 6:31pm
Feel like a broken record here, but let’s walk down “Realistic Development Blvd.” for a moment…
Assuming you do live on 18th St, I assume your lot is the typical 20X100 ft. If so, under the new “nimby zoning” you can build approx. 60X20 foot, 4 story, then a set back with a 10 foot high bump on your property (of course, to further have you lose $$ you need to match the adjacent street wall, and God forbid leave a 30 foot back yard…total hardship).
So, with my nimy FAR of 2.0 you get a 5 story, 5600 sq. foot building. Can you walk me down “Rational Street” and tell me how the new zoning is “making it economically unfeasible” for you? Really, I’d like to know.
Sheat, if you sold each floor (with the top as a duplex) say for $500-600K, you’d make $2-3Mil, minus your building expenses.
Quit yer bitchin’. Build a perfectly “economically feasible” building under the new zoning and give us all a break.
BTW, if you are at the house with the green & yellow aluminum siding, very cool, very retro. See, there are folks who appreciate your “aesthetically blighted house.”
Or are you living on “Greed Lane?”
there is a very nice restoration on 18th street that was done all by the owner. that said the only thing that can revitalize my house on 18th street is to knock it down. oh it could be fixed by jacking it up and redoing the outside etc, etc. that would cost maybe 250k to do it really right. i was on the verge of knocking it down and building a nice looking condo (they can be made right?) but lucky me nimbys squashed my far/ zoning making it economically unfeasable. before you go on and say i’m crying because i lost x amount dollars ,don’t i think i will survive. my point is i would have knocked it down and built something nicer. so now you nimbys can come see my ugly historic aluminum sighted aestheticly blighted house any time you want. it will be there for years to come. besides who doesn’t like green and yellow siding . thank god for preservation! these are the circa 1920 fedder homes you are preserving. i won’t say that all homes are in the condition mine is but quite a few are.
Abe — You obviously have never gotten caught in a bidding war for a well restored frame house in this area. Good stock will move — just like with the brownstones. Price differentials, I suspect, have more to do with location of these properties.
No, not replace with cheap housing. I said they remind me of the cheaply made homes b/c they are wood frame with ugly siding. I suggested ripping them down and putting in place more architectually significant homes. The value of these areas are maxed out. Why do you think these homes stay on the market longer and sell for alot cheaper. Mow and GROW!
Having put $100K or more (and rebuilding a window this weekend) my wife and I can attest it is worth every penny and every bit of sweat equity.
Our house was a mess of vinyl floors (now red oak), paneled walls (now new drywall or patched plaster & lathe) and brand spankin’ new kitchen, 1/2 bath (just updated the circa 1940’s main bath) and finished basement. Heck, we even fixed up our 12X18′ shed in the back…and the garden, so much concrete to remove.
So enough about my abode, point is, with some $$, love and time YOU CAN CREATE A NEW SPACE FROM AN OLD ONE without a bulldozer and cement truck in our great nabes of South Park Slope and Greenwood Hts.
Off to Home Depot!