What Happened on Brownstoner This Week: Renovations, Vision Zero, Boilers and More

Renovations: Mermaids, Skinny Brownstones and Vintage Curiosities

Down in Sea Gate, our renovation diary continues with a game of musical porcelain thrones as a bathroom is gutted, a claw-foot tub is brought down from the attic and a fabulous etched-glass shower door with a mermaid is moved for safe keeping and later use.

Meanwhile, up in Park Slope, Cara Greenberg took us inside a narrow 1880s brownstone, where architect Kimberly Neuhaus opened up the space to make it feel wider than its mere 17 feet. Commenters loved the modern kitchen and the painting of the house’s woodwork.

And farther north, upstate in Stone Ridge, And North gave us a glimpse at The Manor, the home of two designers, one of whom passed away last year. The 11-room house is “a museum of things once loved,” a collection of vintage curiosities.

Happenings in Downtown Brooklyn

Commenters this week had a lot to say about this post about de Blasio’s Vision Zero plan and the recent crash that killed Cobble Hill business owner Muyassar Moustapha. They discussed traffic dangers on Atlantic Avenue and beyond, with Brownstoner reader soundhoner pointing out another danger zone: “I’d like to insist that the entire corridor of Broadway from the Williamsburg Bridge to Broadway Junction is a minefield of deathtraps for pedestrians and cyclists. The elevated tracks have columns that block views, but that doesn’t stop cars from speeding when they can and turning into intersections at high speed without regard.”

One of the biggest stories of the week was the news that the downtown Brooklyn Macy’s is getting a facelift, thanks to a $270,000,000 deal with Tishman Speyer. Thankfully, the historic building at 422 Fulton Street will not be sporting a giant condo tower on its roof anytime soon. Tishman Speyer will acquire the top five floors of the building and add five more floors above that, to be used for “architecturally distinct, headquarters quality” office space for “today’s creative workers and new economy companies.”

Also going through changes is Brooklyn Bridge Park, which just added a tidal salt marsh, lawns, a dog run and a climbing wall. Field Condition gave us a preview of that. And while we’re on the topic of bridges, here’s a look at the Manhattan Bridge seen from Dumbo over the course of the last century.

Sound advice

It’s summertime, so obviously you should be thinking about…winter? At least that’s the case if you’re a homeowner and your boiler needs some work. Check out Brownstoner’s new guide to expert boiler installation tips.

In more obviously seasonal home issues, a Brownstoner reader spotted four raccoons in her garden and doesn’t know what to do with them. Have any advice to give? Head over to our forum and help her out.

On the Market

Readers were torn over whether or not $2,150,000 is a reasonable price for this four-family Bed Stuy brownstone, and some of them went quite in depth speculating the rental income it could generate.

There were also a couple of properties with slightly lower sticker shock (key word slightly) — a three-story, two-unit house in Ocean Hill for $899,000 and a duplex condo with a great yard in Greenpoint.

Collage by Mary Nesrala