Pride of Home: Greenpoint Goodie
We were at a gathering at the architecturally grand Explorer’s Club on East 70th Street earlier this week when a woman we had just been introduced to said to us upon hearing that we were renovating a brownstone in Brooklyn, “Oh, you just have to check out this blog called Brownstoner.” Well, that’s the first…
We were at a gathering at the architecturally grand Explorer’s Club on East 70th Street earlier this week when a woman we had just been introduced to said to us upon hearing that we were renovating a brownstone in Brooklyn, “Oh, you just have to check out this blog called Brownstoner.” Well, that’s the first time we’ve had an unknowing stranger give us props, so we were attentive when she started telling us about the beautiful building she inhabits in Greenpoint on Lorimer between Norman and Meserole. She sent us a photo and we agree it’s quite a looker and fairly unusual for the area. We were unable to unearth anything about its provenance. Any ideas?
It’s great to see this. I lived on the top two floors in this building on Lorimer from 1999-2003. People would often stop outside of the building and ask to come in as they had been curious about it for a long time. The inside is a bit outdated – very 70’s in the kitchen and bathroom but otherwise, it is in a lovely condition.
My wife lived in the ground floor back apt. in the one on Leonard and it was beautiful. A crazy mint green fixture (circa 40’s, I think) bathroom to the right off the front “hall” as you enter. then a smallish eat in kitchen further down on the right. To the left a good sized bedroom. The back of the apartment juts out into the garden a bit. It’s a big, beautiful room with dark wood moldings, deep window ledges. Totally not ruined like 80% of the buldings in Greenpoint that I’ve been in. Even an old now-fake fireplace in the building foyer. Can’t tell if it was ever real.
The owners have done a bit of renovation in the bathroom and kitchens in the upper floors (they live on the second and third floors) and tossed some of the old fixtures but I don’t think they did much else.
This building always gave me hope that maybe there were other buildings/apartments in the neighborhood that hadn’t been destroyed by the sledgehammer and the drywall-happy.
sd
I live one block over and took a walk to check this place out. Absolutely lovely!
I can’t tell you how pleased we are to live there. I too wish we owned it. The only things I know about the place besides how happy it makes me to live there are:
– the tree is dogwood blossom and I believe the current owners planted it
– the current owners bought the building in the early 1970s and will likely never sell
– Not only is Grace’s Day spa by the same architect, but my husband told me that there is one more building in Greenpoint by him. When we have time he’ll show me
I live on the same block and frequently wonder about this beautiful house, an oasis amongst the vinyl siding (gorgeously constructed and maintained, too.) The tree– peaking this week!– is also my favorite in the nabe.
Did I mention that there’s a lush little lawn and patio in the back, with rose gardens on either side? Kill me.
I’ve long enjoyed this little squeeze-play tudoresque place, as well as another example that’s even more detailed and luxurious on Leonard Street between Norman and Nassau (it has Grace’s Day Spa in the bottom). My guess is that the same builders/architects are responsible.
The interior of the one on Leonard is lovely — I’ve been to the spa many times, and to an apartment as well. (I think it’s five apts and the “storefront.”) Rich mahogany moldings and trim, great parquet floors, little stained glass pieces in the corners of the windows, awesome bathrooms and kitchens in yellow and seafoam green. All old, no renovation, and impeccably kept.
When Grace told me that the current owners — a nice Polish family — bought the place in ’97 or so for a paltry $300K, I dropped to my knees and wept. Then again, I was only making about $25K in 1997. But still…