When The Music's Over, Turn Out the Lights
While existing homeowners have received most of the attention in the media’s coverage of the sub-prime mortgage fallout, there’s another effect that’s going to haunt neighborhoods like Bed Stuy and Bushwick for years: The spectacularly ugly and cheaply built spec homes that short-sighted developers slapped up on in-fill lots. Take this pair of three-family homes,…
While existing homeowners have received most of the attention in the media’s coverage of the sub-prime mortgage fallout, there’s another effect that’s going to haunt neighborhoods like Bed Stuy and Bushwick for years: The spectacularly ugly and cheaply built spec homes that short-sighted developers slapped up on in-fill lots. Take this pair of three-family homes, one for $739,000 and one for $629,000. Who’s gonna buy this crap? No one. They’ll just sit there and atrophy, gradually attracting trash, loiterers and probably worse. Huge bummer.
$739000 Gordeous 3 Family Bldg in Bushwick [Craigslist]
$629000 Great New Construction 3 Family in Bed Stuy [Craigslist]
Is ginger minger racist too?
High culture has only been imposed upon the masses by dictate of the state or other elites with the financial power to implement them.
The masses will accept whatever scraps are thrown their way as long as it provides shelter and they have access to sufficient bread and games.
Historical preservation laws are of course necessary, but you would be surprised how inexpensive high-quality facades would be if they were mass produced.
Mandating aesthetic standards is a reasonable course of action.
The legacy of communism and socialism is one of barracks style housing throughout the world. Civilization is more than providing the basics of life. We have a large surplus workforce and abundant raw materials for creating high quality homes. There is no shortage of men and rock on this earth.
I’d rather see the masses be used for something that creates a lasting legacy, rather than be mere pawns in buying votes.
The important group that seems to love these buildings is the AIA. The AIA zoning proposal would make it much easier to build on small lots. This is only part of their proposal, but the gist of it is to cut down costs for their clients.
Well, if the prices go down a bit more, places like this can be a godsend for a middle-class working family.
It will allow someone to own, stop wasting their money on rent.
And with a rental unit, helps with the monthly payments, etc.
The houses are pieces of s**t. But in the end, owning your home can give you a stake in the community. And get out of a situation in which you drop all your salary into a landlord’s pocket.
I HATE THESE HOUSES I WISH I COULD BURN THEM ALL DOWN!!!!
$739,000 is “affordable”?
And now….a word to the contrary.
I certainly agree that the aesthetics of these homes leave something to be desired, according to my taste. Having said that, there is a market for these homes. That market is not well-represented on these posts, nor did the builder have the Brownstoner crowd in mind when he built them.
For many folks, there are other considerations besides aesthetics. Like it or not, there are folks who value the ability to pull up a car to their driveway. They also value a private entranceway to their home. These are the homes for those folks.
I caution those who would like to legislate taste. The landmark preservation laws were not passed for that purpose, but some of the posts one sees on Brownstoner or Forgotten New York skate awfully close to that thought. If this law is abused, there will eventually be a backlash. If one looks at the “Forgotten NY” website, one sees this attitude bubbling up. In one recent post, Mr. Walsh said that he “spits” on people who buy such homes.
There is much talk about “affordable” housing these days. How will affordable housing be built if all homes must meet a requirement for high taste?
Finally, if I look at the older homes next to these spec. homes, I am not sure sure that they are much better, aesthetically speaking.
Benson
“R E D
H E A D E D
S T E P C H I L D”
This is as bigoted a remark as nappy-headed ho.
WHY??????