4th Ave. Buildings Have a Date With the Wrecking Ball
A row of Fourth Avenue buildings is about to bite the dust, clearing the way for a fairly massive development site. The properties, between Butler and Douglass, have been boarded up for awhile now, but the DOB just issued demolition permits for all of ’em. We got word of their coming demise via a tipster…
A row of Fourth Avenue buildings is about to bite the dust, clearing the way for a fairly massive development site. The properties, between Butler and Douglass, have been boarded up for awhile now, but the DOB just issued demolition permits for all of ’em. We got word of their coming demise via a tipster who noticed they were sporting tell-tale big boxed X’s and who opined I wonder what crappy 20 story eyesore will go up in its place. All that nice brick…all gone… Last we heard, a developer was planning to put a 12-story condo in their place. We’ll reserve judgment about the shape of things to come until we see some renderings, but like our tipster we’ve always had a soft spot for the old school tenement look of these buildings, and it’s gonna be sad to see them go. GMAP DOB
It would!
Why does it matter who made a statement? Facts speak for themselves and eveyone is entitled to their own opinion. Usually, generally, maybe, sometimes,when convenient,,,I guess.
I like the link with the picture of the exact same buildings in the exact same state back in the 1930’s. The reality that these have been sitting around as an eyesore for some time remains a fact. That you don’t like someone tearing them down for another condo is your opinion. I don’t personally like some of the architecture and may agree with you about how Fugly some may get, but I also believe in a Free Market and buyers should dictate that not a focused group with an opinion. These are private purchases not public works projects.
Train of thought? Let’s see: As a currently vested property owner who has lived here since the 1960’s and has seen many changes, I benefit greatly from the increased rental income relative to original cost. The more people here will support finer retail establishments for myself to frequent. I look forward to the day when I can say I am going to 4th ave for dinner and say I have reservations. I look forward to the day that I can walk to see a professional sports franchise, the Brooklyn Nets, play a game which hasn’t happened in over 50 years. Great to have free concerts in Prospect Park again. I do not miss the open drug dealing and other criminal activity. I do not miss the auto chop shops and stolen cars being lined up for spare parts removal. 7th Avenue from 9th street on south was all boarded up buildings beleive or not back then. You didn’t want to get off the bus on certain sections. If this is what it takes to get there, so be it. There are some negatives to this, that is understood. Parking, cost, people pushed out, etc. It isn’t all great. But if you gave me a choice between this and what it became up through the 1980’s, it isn’t much of a choice. How’s that for train of thought Carol Gardens?
I’ll make one consession. I will get a handle if it makes you happy.
As to the registering – I would love to but the damn thing never sends a verificaton email – I used to sign my name and people ‘knew who I was and track my (usually) controversal’ train of thought. – Personally I think this new “system ” is the worst of both worlds.
I havent seen too many buildings that use ‘panelized’ brick – virtually all the buildings I see are buildt with ‘real’ brick – albeit in some strange colors. As for the “florishes” – I hardly see one row of rounded windows and a cornice as anything grander or more impressive then the fancy glass windows or odd-shaped balconies adorning the newer buildings going up on 4th Ave.
Frankly neither the old or the new deserve much in the way of architectural praise (all are built for function rather then form) but so many people love to pray to the godess of ‘old’. Which is nice but totally out of touch with – 1. the reality of how badly designed, built and layed out these ‘old’ tenement buildings are 2. The complete economic impossibility of buying and renovating four story buildings on lots that have been re-zoned for 12 stories 3. The economic impossibility (and stupidity) of trying to retain the banal fronts of these building within a building built to zoning. 4. The enviromental benefit of increasing density on a major mass transit and surface transportation artery like 4th Ave and 5. The benefit to ‘affordability’ by increasing the overall number of units in Brooklyn – even if the units specifically being discussed will be ‘market-rate’
David
“to suggest taking that away suggests to me that you are unable to listen to viewpoints other than your own.”
NO, I’d just like to have some semblance of whom I am talking to, real name or pseudonym.
OK, I’ll back off. Next topic.
How bout that 4th Ave ladies and gents? All ideas, other than my own, are suggested.
What the folks so quick to dismiss this tenement row don’t get is that the quality of the existing brickwork — subprime in its day, to be sure — is still head and shoulders above the panelized brick screens being hung off of most contemporary condo buildings. That is, architectonically speaking, the replacement building’s materials and construction will (probably) be of lesser quality, in toto, that a fixed-up row existing.
New construction cannot afford even the most minor flourishes that already exist in this row: the rounded window tops, the cornice. Nor will more than three hours of design time be spent on the facade massing: after all, the bulk will be a (maximizing) function of what zoning allows, and the facades will be designed as if they could be silk-screened on, because protrusions and non-standard parts (things that add depth and shadow) are labor-intensive, and not just that, skilled labor-intensive.
Of course, not everyone cares about the quality of brickwork when raw unused FAR is at stake, and that’s fine. What rankles, though, is the silly arguments that new construction will always trump old — the reverse is, sadly, almost always the case. Why should any of us celebrate a developer’s lowest-common-denominator effort at turning a buck, when the result will certainly not be “affordable”?
But really, since all guests show up as “guest” it really does make it difficult to keep track of how many individuals are posting and to follow a particular guest’s train of thought.
3:15, so kinda like Brower Park so that every time he/she posts a REGISTERED comment, he/she comes on and says that the comment wasn’t made by him/her.
no thanks.
the guest posts add a benefit unatainable by a registration only blog. it’s called as many viewpoints as possible.
to suggest taking that away suggests to me that you are unable to listen to viewpoints other than your own.
“Whether you are anonymous or have a name like Action Jackson, you remain just as anonymous.”
Exactly!!
But at least you can develop a report with fellow posters, and extended debates…preservation, new building vs. rehab, the market, etc.
It allows me to see the big picture on “Carol Gardens” posts as he/she participates in this forum.
All of the “guest” stuff merely perpetuates much of the trollism that continues on this blog.
By knowing MY handle, you may know my POV, agreed or not.
My 2 cents.
and PS, perhaps less traffic on the site, but more astute posts, might be better…of course not for Mr. Brownstoner, I realize.
But no need to start this debate again, right?
I think you’ve probably never set foot in France.