The Luxury of the Garage
The bar for “luxury real estate” continually rises in New York these days—wine cellars, heated pools or screening rooms are increasingly par for the course. But perhaps the most coveted amenity continues to be the parking garage, says the New York Times. Their recent tally of listings in Manhattan and Brooklyn with garages included a…
The bar for “luxury real estate” continually rises in New York these days—wine cellars, heated pools or screening rooms are increasingly par for the course. But perhaps the most coveted amenity continues to be the parking garage, says the New York Times. Their recent tally of listings in Manhattan and Brooklyn with garages included a dozen from $1.195 million, for a Crown Heights brownstone, to $18.75 million for a Greenwich Village carriage house. A garage, according to Jonathan Miller, chief executive of Miller Samuel Inc., can easily add five percent to a house’s asking price, and sometimes as much as 25 percent. One Bedford-Stuyvesant resident moved into a Crown Heights four-bedroom brownstone with a garage, which he’s now selling for $1.195 million — apparently having all that storage space for rakes and such resulted in an insatiable desire for the suburban life. The article comes on the heels of a Transportation Alternatives study called “Suburbanizing the City,” which critiques the Bloomberg administration’s policy of requiring developers to build off-street parking with new buildings, which, they say, will add 170,000 new cars on city streets by 2030. Might make the buildings more desirable and valuable, but, according to TA, garages and off-street parking could add 431,000 tons of CO2 per year by 2030.
The Ultimate Luxury: A Garage [NY Times]
Suburbanizing the City (PDF) [TA]
Oops- just wanted you to clarify if you would – does your property tax assessment specifically mention the curb cut? Not trying to start a back and forth with you but I’ve been curious for a long time about this.
Every homeowner pays property taxes. I don’t know what the situation is in Ditmas Park, but buying a house and property taxes doesn’t entitle you to a piece of public property. What does that say for others who pay high property taxes but have no curb cuts? You bought a house with a driveway and a garage,and of course you spent more because of that, but if as steve says, the DOT is the owner of the curb cut, you’re essentially getting a freebie.
It’s obviously not a big problem in Ditmas Park, but in brownstone areas like mine it is.
Townhouse lady
you seem like a boring old scold
go screw yourself -I’m sure you have few alterntives
you write like a homely person.
Cheers Chaka! That was exactly the point I was trying to make.
And to sad little “Gary Cooper” I give you the same response I posted on the HOTD thread:
Your brazen attempt to bait and anger the posters here with the mention of race is as pathetic as your previous endeavors to assert your family’s wealth and social standing.
It’s blatantly apparent that all you really are is a covetous fraud.
Brenda,
I am in Ditmas Park and I have a legal driveway that could probably fit about ten cars deep. I sure as heck don’t take it for granted. There are only two cars in my household and we don’t put either in the garage which is of course filled with kayaks and other camping gear. I certainly would not appreciate having my curb cut condemned because I don’t use my garage as a place to park my car. I paid for that curb cut first when I purchased my home and I pay for it every year in the form of property taxes. Our property taxes wouldn’t be as high without the garage or driveway. In this area there is still plenty of on-street parking and it is mostly used by people who drive to the area and hop on the train to get to work. The streets are virtually empty on the weekends because people who live in the area have driveways.
However, illegal curb cuts, especially in densely populated areas are a problem because they are not taxed and make on- street parking almost impossible.
“Why should a family be entitled to use their own property for their own selfish needs?
In North Korea, fourteen families could live in one curb cut.
What’s wrong with America?”
In a word? You.
Curb cuts are on the public part of the street. You know- the part we ALL pay for? You know- the street that other homeowners (without curb cuts) and residents also PAY for?
As to how many families can live on a curb cut in North Korea- could you possibly post any more stupid, irrelevant or racist comments? Honestly- how did you grow up to be such a smug, self-satisfied jerk? Ain’t based on merit, fer shure.
here’s Mr. “Marx Brothers-owneship is crime” Lurker.
Why should a family be entitled to use their own property for their own selfish needs?
In North Korea, fourteen families could live in one curb cut.
What’s wrong with America?
Well, not to make everyone run screaming from the room but explain to me why homeowners should be entitled to a curb cut for a one time fee? If a store in Manhattan has a basement that runs beneath the sidewalk, rather than stopping at the property line, they pay the city for that space.
Hmm…if they got a yearly fee for the curb cut they could use it to improve public transportation.
I know, I know… just a thought. (damn good one in my humble estimation).
I have never heard of the city eliminating a curbcut in any residential district. DOT loves cars. They’re into driving and cars. It’s their thing.