Lost Opportunities: More Butchering of the Hood
In our rant about 1067 Fulton yesterday, we mentioned how we had hoped the building would have been able to raise the bar a bit for new developments further east. In this post, we’ll look at little further east–into the center of Bedford Stuyvesant–to show how quickly and on what a scale the neighborhood’s architectural…
In our rant about 1067 Fulton yesterday, we mentioned how we had hoped the building would have been able to raise the bar a bit for new developments further east. In this post, we’ll look at little further east–into the center of Bedford Stuyvesant–to show how quickly and on what a scale the neighborhood’s architectural future is being squandered. In particular, we’ll look at the area surrounding Tompkins Park, which we would think would hold great potential (despite the existence of communist-era-looking projects).
260 Tompkins GMAP
352 Lexington GMAP 53 Van Buren GMAP
697 and 699 Lafayette GMAP
You know how some business owners advertise by standing in front of their product declaring “I make/sell this, and I stand behind my product.”? Well, if developers had to show their faces, or if their architects did, would they? If you pass these places while they are being built, even a novice can see they are using the cheapest construction materials, and building methods. (I just don’t trust metal framing. If you can bend it with your hand, how strong can it be?)
There are organizations, such as Neighborhood Housing Services, with citywide offices, which has first time homebuying classes, and also home repair classes. They are specifically geared to middle income people in what are now termed “emerging neighborhoods”. I took their home repair class about 10 years ago, and it was priceless. The class took place in the Roosevelt Savings Bank on Broadway/Gates Ave, convenient as I lived in Bed Stuy at the time. We had men and women of all ages, and experiences. We had people who didn’t know one end of a hammer from the other, and people who were working on their houses. We learned basic tools,(power and hand)and techniques, such as framing, tiling, painting, putting in a toilet, sweating pipes, basic electricity. The idea was that even if you weren’t going to do it yourself, it helped in working with a contractor, if you had a clue how renovation worked. That would help you not to get ripped off, or would help you if you were doing it yourself.
Point of this being that education can help a first time homebuyer who doesn’t have a lot of money, get the best bang for their buck, especially if they buy an older home. They would also be able to determine the quality of new construction, and ask intelligent questions, and look for quality, or lack thereof. Their first time homebuyers club was also great, although I didn’t participate. They guided members through all the pitfalls and explained all of the complications of points, inspections, mortgages, etc, etc.
These are the kind of programs that need to be expanded and the word needs to get out about the good work they do. Local preservation organizations such as Brownstoners of Bed Stuy, and Crown Heights North Association need to begin to do whatever they can to influence both politicians and people in general in putting pressure on developers to do better. If you live in one of these areas, you need to join organizations like this, and do something. We may not succeed, but we can’t just sit here and watch them destroy what we worked so hard to keep together when no one with a dime would think of living in these neighborhoods.
Sorry to be so long winded.
the row of newer townhouses on greene? between washington and st.james and the places mentioned on fulton (they even have meters on the front i think) across from 1 greene sushi- they’ve been discussed here before and can’t remember how affordable they are now but they are relatively new and relatively attractive and I can’t believe they were that much more to built- if there was atleast a mandatory brick style, that would solve half the eyesoar- there’s nothing like the fake brick look or the cinder block look to turn your stomach- the best point here about it is if you wouldn’t want to live in it yourself then don’t build it
Well put GardensGal.
anon 1:34:
What is wrong with these developers has been aptly explained over and over by previous posters: it’s utter contempt and disrespect for the community in which these shoddy developments are going up as well as for the people they anticipate will buy them. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, etc., I would venture to say that most of these developers do not come from the communities in which they erecting these monstrosities and, as such, they have no sincere investment in neighborhood improvement. The only investment at play here is in a quick and cheap return on their benjamins at the expense of the most vulnerable consumers in the society. It’s both a very old and very sad story.
Right on– I will protest Fedders any day, because it seems like a very practical kind of activism_- not arguing against all development, just against crappy development.
I mean, why doesn’t some developer come into our neighborhoods with a good-design-for-the-masses approach– I’m thinking of the way Target gets Isaac Mizrahi or H & M gets Stella McCartney– or even Ikea. I mean, some of their furniture has particle board inside of it, but a lot of it is well made in the end– and there’s an underlying idea that *everyone* wants their home to look good, even people w/o piles of $$$.
And we don’t have little children in poor countries working their little fingers to the bone to make it happen, either. WTF?
these pictures make me want to THROW UP. what is wrong with these designers/developers?!??
I know all about these Fedder homes first hand…I owned one until last May. They’re not only ugly and without character, but the moment you close everything starts falling apart. These developers have no regard for the potential buyer, the neighborhood, etc. because they don’t live in this communities. Five months after purchasing the house, the roof was leaking the doors shifted and wouldn’t close properly. You might say why would you buy this type of home, well I’ve always loved older homes (especially brownstones w/ details), but at the time the bidding wars were so fierce, that I was getting priced out and I just sort of gave in and purchased one of these new construction. Thankfully, I was able to sell it. I will be closing on a brownstone/townhouse in Crown Heights; it will need major reno, but there is nothing like original details, a piece of history.
Joempire, it’s Clinton Hill, and no, I don’t know what you mean, please explain. And since Classon in the border of Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy, what is it that you don’t like about Clinton Hill?
Hi,
New to this….I’ve been reading a lot, but haven’t commented.
I own a townhouse on Classon. I too resent other people’s disregard for history. I’m either a snob or a sucker, I honestly can’t tell right now with all the money I’m speading restoring my house back to it’s original self. But I definitely know that community activism doesn’t take place on a blog. So, count me in for any mobilization to thart the spead of the Fedder disease.
I’d hate to see the neighborhood turn into Clinton Hills……if you know what I mean