Development Watch: 51 Woodhull Street
This Radusky-designed monstrosity at 51 Woodhull Street in the Columbia Street Waterfront District appears to be nearing completion. We’re not sure how many of the building’s ten units will have views of the BQE. GMAP DOB
I agree with dvockins: the project on Columbia between Summitt and Woodhull (west side, midblock) ranks as THE eyesore of the year, if not of all time on Columbia Street. What’s with that “ye olde brick” people?… and that kitchen clock built into the facade? It’s painful to walk on this block now and think of what could have been if a developer/architect with at least some education and vision had a crack at it. I was thinking it could be stuccoed over, but in the wrong hands, it would probably make matters worse.
The only hope in the short-term would be the addition of european retractable canopies on the storefronts and fast growing trees (and possibly vines) to hide the whole mess. Has brownstoner covered this one?
“The building will be around a lot longer.” I doubt it. It was a northern white cedar. They can live for 1300 years.
And you won’t be watching any people on the street from those balconies, unless the people are tow truck drivers hooking up broken down cars and the “street” is one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United States.
Sure, I can start rambling on about how the Brownstoner readers will pick on any supposedly questionable detail of a perfectly decent house/apartment and yet, when presented with this MONSTROSITY, quite a few of them will say nice things about it, most likely just for disagreement’s sake… Instead, I will simply state the following:
THIS BUILDING (and many, many buildings like this one – there’s no shortage of these in Brooklyn/Queens) SUCKS MY SALTY BALLS!
Feel free to alter the above statement by replacing “building” with “developer”, “architect”, and lastly, the whole reason why this MONSTROSITY was built in the first place, “future residents/owners”.
Not that I support cutting down trees… but trees do have lifespans ya know. That last little whimper about the poor 80-foot tree is silly. It probably only had another decade or so left anyway. The building will be around a lot longer. All the trees falling in Ditmas park with the storms?? It’s because the trees are old. They are 100 yrs old. They’re beginning their replacement cycle.
Anyway… this building is NOT a monstrosity. That’s an absurd statement.
Also, balconies on the front? Seems nice to me. I’d like to sit on my front balcony with a drink and watch people on the street… no?
The building juts out another 20′ feet from adjacent buildings in the rear. A 80′ tall cedar was cut down to make room for the extension. Unbelievably, this thing isn’t the worst development on the block. The abortion on Columbia between Summit and Woodhull is worse.
I think the proportions and styling were all done with sensitivinty to the neighboring buildings. It is taller, but reasonably so. There is nothing special about the building but I think it somewhat bizarre to refer to it as a “monstrosity”.
Now the destruction of historically important and/or interesting buildings is a problem – but but I would imagine that is separate from the criticism of the architect…unless this Radusky is both architect and the developer who demolished the other buildings “under cover of darkness”??
It’s a tragedy, but thank God for small mercies – no Fedders units.
When considering the surgical excision of TWO perfectly sound 1850’s Italianate rowhouses that were demolished under the cover of darkness ( We all saw the DOB stop work orders), this building stands as a primo example of the utter disregard and destruction of our architectural and social-cultural heritage that has run rampant and unchecked throughout the last wave of real estate development. We’re not talking vacant lots here anymore. Look no further today than recent developments on the brilliantly executed and perhaps unique low-stooped Greek Reveival 1840’s block of row-houses on DeGraw, between Hicks and Columbia (midblock-south side), and one can predict the dim future of the non-landmarked Columbia Waterfront!…if there is any doubt why developers are so reviled, look no further…
Good grief! I decide to take a peek into what’s going on in Brownstoner, and it’s business as usual.
“doesn’t line up with adjoining buildings”
Are you looking at the same picture that I am?
“casement windows”
The horror!! Yes, those windows that happen to be terrific for energy conservation. Maybe we should just call them “green” windows and then they’ll get your approval (and probably pay 20% more for them).
“no attempt at all to relate to surroundings”
Huh??? What in the world are you talking about? Does this look like some home in the Kansas plane or something?
“too tall”
We have certainly arrived at a strange place when a 5 story building in a central-city neighborhood is characterized as too tall!
Oh well, back to my hiatus. See everyone after the summer.