CG Atrocity: There Goes the Neighborhood
Carroll Gardens better get off its ass and create some historic districts pronto. Here’s the poster child for the cause: The addition to this house at 3rd Place and Clinton Street, made all the worse by its corner location, has to be one of the greatest bastardizations of a beautiful old brownstone we’ve ever seen….
Carroll Gardens better get off its ass and create some historic districts pronto. Here’s the poster child for the cause: The addition to this house at 3rd Place and Clinton Street, made all the worse by its corner location, has to be one of the greatest bastardizations of a beautiful old brownstone we’ve ever seen. May their condos languish on the market indefinitely. Do you think it would be possible to organize a buying strike against this place? Picket the open houses? GMAP P*Shark
Here’s the rendering of the finished product:
People!…haven’t any of you see the new Hearst building? It’s a great combo of old and new and so is this. You all sound like a bunch of old farts.
naomi:
“this addition isn’t finished. It is going to look much, much better (and way more contextual) as soon as the cinderblock is stuccoed over and the whole house is painted the same color.”
then— “In its present state (and probably beyond), this is *not* a sensitive addition.”
wow! make up your mind.
Hodge: I don’t think anyone is disputing Jane Jacobs’ vital ideas re: the importance of diversity in the urban streetscape. But the fact is, if you’re adding onto a historic building you’ve got to be sensitive to that building– you can’t just throw up anything (like unfinished cmu, as you imply) for diversity’s sake. You mention Venturi’s “both-and” — his best historic projects are good examples of additions that are sensitive to the original buildings without being stylistically enslaved to them. In its present state (and probably beyond), this is *not* a sensitive addition.
10:36: Hee, hee, “Mr. Developer”? I’m actually a preservationist. I don’t think this is a great addition– my point was that it will be way less of an outrage-inducing eyesore once it is finished.
I’m with Brownstoner on the Landmark thing. All the Place Blocks should have Landmark status by merit of having the gardens which give the neighborhood its name.
“Hold your horses, folks– this addition isn’t finished. It is going to look much, much better (and way more contextual) as soon as the cinderblock is stuccoed over and the whole house is painted the same color. (I’m withholding judgement till then.)”
Hi Mr Developer.
No, It won’t look better. A paint job won’t help. It is awkward, unbalanced, a style mish-mash nightmare, and screams out profit motive.
I’m for a mix of old and new, but not at the expense of essentially destroying the architectural heritage of a neighborhood – build on an empty lot or a derelict building that needs a complete overhall, not literally on top of a rare corner house such as this, sheesh.
Hold your horses, folks– this addition isn’t finished. It is going to look much, much better (and way more contextual) as soon as the cinderblock is stuccoed over and the whole house is painted the same color. (I’m withholding judgement till then.)
If you go to propshark.com (45 3rd Place) you’ll find photo rendering of finished product. Not encouraging.
Such as pretty house before this.
Looking at nyc.gov buildings dept. seems to indicate will only be 2 family. $1.4M orig purchase + all these extra costs. Will be very very pricey 2 family condo (double duplex).
if only concrete block were the finish material. looks like it may be covered with something else (stucco?) long-term.
i believe it was jane jacobs (god rest her soul) who advocated the vital mix of old and new to make our city neighborhoods vibrant. we need more mix and less homogeneity. thumbs up to the both-and crowd!