The Horror, The Horror: New Build in The Stuy
Aw, man, seeing this ruined our day. Crap construction is a greater long-term threat to Bed Stuy than crime or racial tensions, in our opinion. The latter two problems can be improved over time, but an eyesore like this lasts a lifetime (or two). Does anyone know if this Lexington Avenue development is part of…
Aw, man, seeing this ruined our day. Crap construction is a greater long-term threat to Bed Stuy than crime or racial tensions, in our opinion. The latter two problems can be improved over time, but an eyesore like this lasts a lifetime (or two). Does anyone know if this Lexington Avenue development is part of a government-subsidized program or is this just the worst side of the free market in action? Who’s going to shell out $700K for this, anyway? Surely for $350 a foot one could do a little better. Heck, why not move to Gravesend.
Lexington Avenue 3-Families [Ardor NY]
Bed-stuy Gal. I hear what you are saying but my fear is that the substandard housing that is not occupied will not be redeveloped. Rather it would be filled with squatters or drug dealers if left unoccupied for years, creating an assumption that Bed Stuy is not worth investing in. Dramatic scenario, yes, but that’s what I’d worry about if there are new properties lying vacant and unused, especially if they are unattractive and from the outside look bleak and ghetto like.
Bed Stuy Gal I really dont think you want these developments to deconstruct as the implications for Bed Stuy are very bad. But assuming they are economically viable (as investment property) or Bed Stuy remians desirable for private residential, your hope to be rid of this construction in the near future will not be reached. Despite the fact that much of the new construction is “shoddy”; the reality is that from a structural standpoint it is far sturdier than the vast majority of “vintage” housing. As many of the people here can tell you, the amount of structural issues that plaque your average brownstone are mind numbing. So I have no doubtt today’s builders are cutting corners wherever possible (you think they didnt cut corner in the early 20th century?) and new owners are bound to find leaks, defects and problems galore – in reality the engineering and materials used in todays structures generally make them fundamentally stronger than virtually anything built 100 yrs ago.
Thanks Brownstoner for pointing this out and getting a conversation going – I always appreciate when Bed-Stuy is mentioned on my favorite blog. Houses like this are a HUGE problem in bed-stuy, and whether we like it or not race plays a big role in that, and YES, it does contribute to larger issues of crime and racial tension to be surrounded by, or living in, substandard housing – bushes in front or not.
On the “light” side…it makes me lighten up when I remember the poor craftmanship I witnessed when these buildings where being thrown up (!) all over my neighborhood, and too often “built” over our community gardens! They are built so poorly that they will self destruct within years and hopefully we will have got some better “development” sense by then! I’ve also noticed that the ones in my immediate area have stood empty for up to two years since they have been built (which is a huge problem also!) but indicates that people aren’t being stupid enough to buy them which will hopefully show the builders that they are a bad idea and they will do better.
If anyone knows any of the builders please let me know, I have a genuine (not rude or sarcastic) proposition for them that I hope will benefit them and our communities.
Brownstoner, you have never impressed as being anti-Bed Stuy. If anything, I have always appreciated your consistent sharing about properties in the less than hot-hot Brooklyn nabes, including Bed Stuy, Crown Heights and my own ‘hood, Prospect Lefferts Gardens.
While I certainly don’t think your comment about crap construction being a greater long term threat to Bed Stuy than crime or racial tensions is the most brilliant thing you’ve ever said on this forum, I also don’t think it deserves this much deconstruction.
Let’s lighten up, folks.
Not necessarily. When any one racial, ethnic or religious group is dominant in an area and then another one begins to move in, there are bound to be tensions. The Hasidic Jews in South Williamsburg have certainly been vocal about the threat that encroaching hipsterdom poses for their community. The sentiments in that case have closely mirrored movements in Bed Stuy, for example, to encourage black homeowners not to sell to whites. If we were somehow anti-Bed Stuy, as you suggest, why would we even care that its landscape was being marred by this type of construction? It’s simply not the case.
many have made good points about this and I must admit I do feel that this is crappy construction and that the current rent roll doesn’t look too tempting because I highly doubt that the rents will out-weigh the cost in the near future (approx 2000/mo) as someone pointed out. I may be playing the advocate here, but I’m sure there were many naysayers about the “modern brownstones” that were built in ft.greene for that gov’t project a while ago. add a target/path mark conglomerate and a bit of change and suddenly these things are going for about a million dollars when you can get a prestine brownstone with orginal details and history for less than or about that much. at the risk of comparing apples and oranges allow me to acknowledge the fact that its highly unlikely that this will be the exact same sitaution but honestly you never know this could be an upswing (albeit very large) for this area so in comparison this could, optimistically, be a good investment if the stars align and someone puts a cafe or two. it could happen.
Good grief, people, get a grip. I took the “terrible construction worse than racial tension and crime” comment as funny and a little sarcastic.
Besides, shoddy construction will definitely hurt the hood in the long run. Condos and apts selling for $700,000 can easily become future tenements and hellholes in 20 years.
Anon at 10:54,
Agreed that at any given moment crime and racial tension are much bigger issues–our only point was that over the longer-term, those issues certainly aren’t helped (and are much harder to improve) if this kind of housing is being put up. We didn’t mean to sound flip about those issues at all.
B
clinton hillbilly,
i think the 4 front doors are for 2 houses.