Slowing to a Crawl, Taking Time to Reflect
This being the deadest week of the year save the one between Christmas and New Year’s, we’re going to take the opportunity to start unpacking after our move last week. As a result, all we’re going to serve up this week are the morning links to give you something to chew on. That, and one…
This being the deadest week of the year save the one between Christmas and New Year’s, we’re going to take the opportunity to start unpacking after our move last week. As a result, all we’re going to serve up this week are the morning links to give you something to chew on. That, and one discussion question.
As we start to approach our one-year anniversary in October, we think it would be a good time to solicit feedback about the site. We’re happy to hear any criticism as long as it’s given in a respectful tone, so please let us know what you like about Brownstoner and what you don’t as well as ideas for new features or services you’d like to see in the months ahead.
Thanks,
Brownstoner
Brownstoner, your site is terrific. I would be thrilled to see the site grow – I think it’s a valuable resource and I like your insight. Would you try to keep it free or rely on a subscriber fee or advertising? I think most would be more inclined to donate $ than pay a subscriber fee fyi.
I think you’ve been very respectful of the fact that owning a brooklyn brownstone is a privelige and a responsibility. Unfortunately it also generates resentment. Please don’t let any recent nastiness deter you. Readers who care about the site and read it religiously need to make a concerted effort to IGNORE any nasty comments posted. That’s the only way they’ll go away.
I read brownstoner every day, and I don’t like the vitriolic turn some threads have been taking either – no fun to read at all, and not exactly informative or enlightening either. I think having other people contribute is a fine idea, especially since I’ve found the renovation and salvage aspects of the site very helpful, and would like to see more in those areas. But I would hate to see Brownstoner’s own POV disappear from the site.
I love the site, too. I use it mostly to find out what’s happening in the neighborhood–to get tips on new restaurants as well as new buildings.
I also like the discussions about the financial decisions involved in owning/buying– about the various kinds of mortgages one can get, when to refinance, etc. As a first-time owner, I’ve had to work hard to ramp up my financial chops, relying heavily on sites like bankrate and mortgage doctor– but hearing what other people do in similar situations is really helpful.
Thanks, Brownstoner! This is a great community service.
Brownsloper,
You raise a very interesting point, one that we’ve been struggling with. How much of “me” should be in the site? This is relevant not only for the end-user experience, but also because the amount of work it is taking to do 6 or 7 posts a day in addition to a full-time job is becoming unsustainable. (And, frankly, as some of the comments have gotten nastier and more personal–i.e. wishing that we’ll get broken into and robber–we’ve begun to think about depersonalizing the site a bit.) At Curbed, for example, they did a very good job of transitioning from having Lockhart Steele write the whole thing to him only doing occasional posts and focusing more on the bigger picture.
From our perspective, there are two ways the site can go: 1) It can continue in roughly its current form as a hobby; or 2) We can try to build out the brand into other related areas so that it actually has a chance at supporting the Brownstoner family and allowing us to quit ye olde day job (our preference but quite risky financially!). In either case, at some point, a significant portion of the editorial content would have to be generated from someone (or maybe multiple people) other than myself. So bottom line question is: Do people think the site would be improved by a slightly broadened range of editorial voice and perspectives?
You lost me at “respsectful tone”
Hey Brownstoner – Love the site. You do a great job with it and I read it several times a day. Some ideas to make it even better:
1. Enhance the “My Brownstoner” feature. Let people have more control of it and add a comment section so people can give their feedback;
2. Invite guests bloggers. Maybe people who post frequently with interesting/well thought out posts. This would diversify the perspective often expressed towards development and the market;
3. I’m going to go against the grain on some of the posts and suggest that now that your reno is done – make the site less about you. Maybe that was your plan all along. Of course – this is your blog and we are just invited guests;
4. Keep up the good work talking about other things that impact Brownstone Brooklyn. Namely the arena development in Prospect Heights, BB Park, Downtown/FG commercial development, etc.; and
5. Count me in favor of the weekly restaurant review (in ANY Brownstone neighborhood).
Brownsloper
Love the site. I’m a brownstone owner upstate, but a lot of the old-house issues and challenges are the same. I’ve enjoyed and learned from the reno blog and dig the realtor listings with good pictures. Of course the one glaring difference is the housing prices. What I paid several years ago for a four-story 1894 brownstone upstate was absurdly low compared with Brooklyn prices. And, not to rub it in, but we live in the whole house. No need for a rental unit or changes to the original 19th century floor plans.
Anyway, love the site. Keep up the good work and best of luck in your new digs!
We’re in discussions with someone who’s just embarking on a renovation and has the added bonus of also being a writer to do the next installment of the renovation blog. Anyone else who is interested should get in touch as well–there may be a way to have more than one reno blog going at once…
I think the occassional restaurant reviews are fine. Surely they fall into the neighborhood and lifestyle aspects of this blog, no? Some of your “fluffier” posts seem to be a tad controversial (celebrity sightings, ahem), but I say keep ’em comin’.
And while this is often discussed throughout the various posts, maybe a more comprehensive link on tips for first-time brownstone buyers?
Also, I really like when you pick a theme for the week and post pics from various ‘hoods. I especially enjoyed the “gate of the day” posts. Little things like that really capture the character of the neighborhoods in NY.
Otherwise, I think this blog is terrific. I read it religiously. Keep up the good work!