Horror Show Friday
These two beauties come to us from Crown Heights and Canarsie, respectively. It almost looks like they could have been designed by the same person. Love those doors and peaked roofs! Condos in Crown Heights [Craigslist] 1280 E 100th St [Craigslist]
These two beauties come to us from Crown Heights and Canarsie, respectively. It almost looks like they could have been designed by the same person. Love those doors and peaked roofs!
Condos in Crown Heights [Craigslist]
1280 E 100th St [Craigslist]
Montrose: Spot On!
This monthes issue of Architectural Digest – cover: Brad Pitt Makes it Right in New Orleans.
I haven’t read it yet, I can’t get past looking at the pictures of him.
benson- before you stick your neck, read up on this first. You might be pleasantly surprised, and Pitt does have a good reputation regarding building homes for the disadvantaged.
Calm…down…. Benson
Montrose….is…actually…tauting Brad….Pitt…as …a …serious….builder
Dave, he could be Brad Pitt, himself, and he’d have a hard time selling these houses. Midwood and Albany is hardly the best part of Crown Heights, and may actually be in Flatbush proper. If not, it’s certainly on the fringes of CH South/PLG.
Speaking of Brad Pitt, it would behoove builders everwhere to see what he and his group of architects, builders, and funders are doing in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. They did RESEARCH! before running in to rebuild. They discovered that the classic shotgun cottage, the classic 9th Ward house, was perfect for the climate – cool breezes could circulate from front to back unhindered. With tight budget mandates, as well as must have 6′ from the ground, raised construction, and roof hatches, the international teams of architects were told to design new homes, that also had to conform to green building and furnishing precepts.
The architects came back with their designs, which ranged from traditional wooden shotguns to post modern steel and concrete homes, and presented them to members of the 9th Ward community to get their impressions. One of the things most requested was larger, deeper verandas. This is a porch culture, where people socialized and spent a great deal of time on their porches. The committees came back with bigger porches, and other changes, and the building has begun.
Point being, they took the time and effort to see what worked, and to consult with the community about what it needed. These are not the houses of the rich, they are bare bones houses. Anyone building new construction in “fringe communities” who wants to actually sell their houses should take heed. Do some research before putting hand to shovel, or before cranking out these cookie cutter places. Do the houses with large windows sell before those with tiny windows? What works in the community surrounding these houses? What was there before, what will complement the surrounding area, and make these places attractive to potential buyers. If I was building for this market, I can guarantee you, my houses would sell. It doesn’t take more money to make a better house, it takes some forethought, some planning, and some consideration for the neighborhood you are creating.
Biff- I’m shocked (shocked!) to learn that someone of your refined aesthetic tastes and love of historical houses grew up in one of these Mr. Blanding Builds His Scream House structures. We won’t talk about my parents architectural tastes- I adored them but I can’t bring myself to go there right now 🙂
funny- I was getting a Mondrianish vibe myself.
Does anyone have any contacts at HGTV or Bravo? This feature is really screaming for a new makeover show –with a hunky architect and crew — like “Curb Appeal” but urban. Really, if any of these buildings were in a great location, it would not cost that much to make the exteriors acceptable at minimum and even very cool.
And yes, thes houses look like where I grew up too.
simply stunning. these beauties remind me of some of Le Corbusier’s earlier work.
Not to mention, some of us actually feel a sense of love and nostalgia for these places in the sense we can compare them to places we knew growing up. The interiors and design of these homes is unfortunately much closer to the taste of my parents than the more upscale, historical homes featured on this blog. I’ve at times playfully compared some of the more hideous elements to my own childhood home.