Horror Show Friday
These two charmers hail from Bed Stuy and Canarsie, respectively, and can be yours for the low, low prices of $439,000 and $550,000. Any takers? BEAUTIFUL 2 FAMILY IN THE HEART OF BED STUY [Craigslist] Huge 2 Family Brand New [Craigslist]
These two charmers hail from Bed Stuy and Canarsie, respectively, and can be yours for the low, low prices of $439,000 and $550,000. Any takers?
BEAUTIFUL 2 FAMILY IN THE HEART OF BED STUY [Craigslist]
Huge 2 Family Brand New [Craigslist]
I know those homes- I always thought they were a great effort. Is it too prohibitive cost-wise to do those anymore, I wonder?
Chaka;
I am not familiar with the homes on Malcolm Ave Blvd, but I am familiar with those near the Atlantic Center (which were built by Bruce Ratner, by the way!).
I don’t disagree that these homes are nice,and respect the surrounding brownstone aesthetic. I discount those homes in this discussion for one reason: they were built with government subsidies. I am not saying that as a knock against government-subsidized housing, I’m saying that the builders of these homes operate in a completely different world than that of the private builder. For example: they usually receive the land already cleared by the city, and it is sold to them at some low nominal price. Also, government-subsidized builders of homes can build in a way that private builders can’t. For instance,in the homes near the Atlantic Center, the cars are not parked in the front of the homes, they are relegated to a common lot. This is not an option for most private builders.
What I am asking about is the situation for privately-built homes.
Bxgrl: you’re reading too much into my “4 QOTD” insert. It was just meant as a joke!
Do you really think these developers/architects really give a rat’s patooty what a group of folks here think about their buildings? The bottom line is that they make it, it sells, they make their money. Period. When I look at these buildings I’m not particularly offended by their appearance inside or out. What I do think about is people like my parents. Coming from a situation of true poverty, the likes of which many of you probably have never experienced first-hand, my parents scraped and saved to buy their first home (which they still live in to this day). That home (which is not in NY by the way) will never win any architectural or design awards but it’s theirs. They are proud to have been able to obtain something to call their own. That sense of pride manifests itself in their upkeep of the property, etc. They cannot afford what a majority of people would call aesthetically outstanding. That did not stop them, nor should it stop others, from getting their piece of the ‘American Dream’ of home ownership. The folks who buy these properties may or may not be coming from a situation not unlike that of my parents. Regardless, they choose to buy these homes and very likely experience a surge of pride from being able to do so. Why devote an entire thread to belittling that?
“Not everything needs be PC.”
It’s not about being PC, it’s about not sh*tting on something that doesn’t appeal to a certain aesthetic sensibility. Again, why not be positive, if crap design and construction is an issue – why not do something positive?
Come on people, it’s a blog, this isn’t award winning news. Not everything needs be PC.
How about it if it’s labeled:
Ho-Hum Show Friday
Bland Show Friday
Not a Pretty Brownstone Friday
Brick Box Friday
While I too am bored with looking at the same stuff. Maybe Mr. B can mix it up with photos of some hideous renovations / add on’s…..we’ll have a field day with those!
My snobbery is in full display!
Hey! A good idea! Something with a positive and interesting practical and educational bent!
Schultzy, I love ya – you’ve brightened my day!
“Still- the developer for that building could have and should have done better.”
Most definitely. There are developers who have tried though. The homes that were built in Bed Stuy on Malcolm X Blvd near Greene Avenue are an example. They are similar to the swath of homes that were built between Fulton and Atlantic before Atlantic Center mall was constructed. Those homes were designed with the aesthetics of their Brownstone neighborhoods in mind and were built for middle income buyers to boot.
Alright — another way to tackle this is to ask architects, developers etc to submit work they have done that is budget conscious and meritorious design. It could even be a competition with budget parameters for the entries! A number of architects have said to me that hiring an architect (and not any old schlock architect) does not mean a building has to be expensive — there must be examples?
Benson,
I did read your post. And like I said, I agreed with some of your points BUT I don’t want to comment because I’m really not in the mood to compose lengthy posts today.
Here’s what I agreed with:
‘some folks actually like them!!’’
You’re probably right, otherwise these types of homes wouldn’t be occupied.
‘the key lies in changing folks’ tastes and values’
I think you’re absolutely right. Peoples views on architecture and the standards that they accept needs to change.
But I also believe that the majority of the masses don’t understand aesthetics and let’s face it, are influenced and accept what others promote. So there should be some responsibility of the architect / developer to provide better solutions.
It’s almost like what came first, the chicken or the egg.
Who’s going to force a change in Fedder architecture, the buyer or the developer?