New Rowhouses for Bushwick Nothing Special
A reader drew this latest batch of new-build townhouses to our attention. The locale? Scenic Bushwick, subject of last week’s Village Voice close up column. “They’re not pretty but they are an improvement over the garbage strewn half-of-a block that preceded them,” he writes. He was also struck by the racially-tinged quotation from the Voice…
A reader drew this latest batch of new-build townhouses to our attention. The locale? Scenic Bushwick, subject of last week’s Village Voice close up column. “They’re not pretty but they are an improvement over the garbage strewn half-of-a block that preceded them,” he writes. He was also struck by the racially-tinged quotation from the Voice that now adorns the Photos page on the development’s website: “Bushwick is increasingly inhabited by a white singles crowd that sees itself as progressively pioneering.” Something tells us this is going to turn off a lot of folks. Of course, it’s hard to tell what the target demographic of the rowhouses is, given some of the aesthetic choices. Offense #1: Utility meters on the facade! What’s going on? Is there a building code that requires this? Argghhh! Stop the madness!
Progress Photos [Brooklyn Rowhouses] GMAP
Yup, we got the same line from con ed as well — couldn’t get remote meters.
i think you need to prove that one of the residents is handicapped if you want the remote meters. at least that’s the line i got from Con Edison when i had new meters put in last spring.
A well placed shrub can, in time, alleviate the eyesore.
I agree that these are an improvement over vacant lots, but what is with the advertising? YUCK. The whole ‘pioneering’ phrase just turns my stomach. And why are they so much money? Who is the target market for these? We bought in Bushwick(2 years ago) because first – it was what we could afford, we wanted a single family with a yard and we wanted to stay near our old ‘hood of w’burg where we had lived for 8 years. Then we saw the house and fell in love with it. The price was right. The neighborhood is not perfect but we are very happy. But I don’t get how these new places they are building are going to appeal with the high price and the ugly, cookie-cutter factor. And the locations are not so great either. It will be interesting to watch.
Coned, keyspan and water can all be setup to read your meter from the outside without moving your meter. They setup some sort of wireless device or little wired gizmo that goes in the front of your house (looks like a 2 inch square box).
Con Ed can install remote sensors to your meters so that all you have outside is a small black plastic remote reader (about the size of a deck of playing cards). Very common, just walk around the neighborhood, you’ll see them all over the place. Also, KeySpan can install meters in your house (basement or otherwise) that can be read remotely too. I have both. Convenient and not ugly.
How about creating some simple, attractive wood boxes that conceal the meters but easily flip open to allow meter-checking? And maybe set them a little close to the ground so they are on the level with the lovely fedders boxes…
I know at least one of the companies will scan from outside even tho physical meter is not outside – but cost money to set up.
And even if meter is outside….. a few bucks to construct something to hide it for crying out loud.
B’stoner – I generally appreciate your aesthetic values, but I want to weigh in on the utility meters. Ok, they aren’t pretty, but they are pretty convenient. I was thinking about having KeySpan/ConEd do something about the meters in my basement so they can be checked more easily and save me the inevitable multiple phone calls every month to resolve my bills. Any compromise suggestions?