Illegal Paint Job on Landmarked Block of Clinton Hill
We just got a tip that someone just started painting one of the brownstones on Grand Avenue between Gates and Putnam white this morning. (Yes, a certain blogger does live on this block.) Something tells us the Landmarks Preservation Commission didn’t sign off on this. If any readers are nearby, we’d appreciate a photo asap….
We just got a tip that someone just started painting one of the brownstones on Grand Avenue between Gates and Putnam white this morning. (Yes, a certain blogger does live on this block.) Something tells us the Landmarks Preservation Commission didn’t sign off on this. If any readers are nearby, we’d appreciate a photo asap. If anyone from LPC is reading, please get on the stick! Update 7/27: Here’s the photo from about 11:20 this morning. The address is 373 Grand Avenue. LPC confirms that there are no permits out on this.
Update 7/29: As the Daily News article reports, it turns out that—luckily—the owner was only repainting the area around the door. While we understand that some people feel it was an overreaction on our part to post about this before all the facts were known, here’s why we think it was warranted: First of all, had the painters been intending to paint the entire facade, every second counted when we got the tip (we were in fact in Dumbo, and not just across the street, when the tip came in, so popping over for a friendly chat was not an option); secondly, we were on the phone with LPC within five minutes of getting the tip, and LPC told us that (1) the owner had no permit for the painting and (2) that he had racked up, and failed to cure, several other landmark violations over the years. All these factors led us to conclude that, on balance, it was not worth taking the risk that something really destructive might happen. You know, better safe than sorry. With 20/20 hindsight, this was clearly the wrong call. Apologies to the owner—our obsession with historic brownstones may have gotten the better of us on this one.
Bottom photo by Rosier for the Daily News
Oh God….. Suburbanites!!!! – RUN FOR YOUR LIVVVVEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
JeBus!!! …Save us all
Oh God….. Suburbanites!!!! – RUN FOR YOUR LIVVVVEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
JeBus!!! …Save us all
How can an old man not be grumpy with such useless buttinskis for neighbors. Who would be stupid as to think it was anything but primer? Brownstone is a Triassic Age sedimentary sandstone, as such it is around 200,000,000 years old and will not be harmed by painting (It isn’t very pretty, IMHO, and would seem to obviate the reason the buildings were clad with it in the first place.) The thing I find most depressing about this whole incident is the eagerness of some to “call the po-po”, as it were, on one of their neighbors over someting that is not life threatening, hell, that doesn’t even affect them in any way (except their sense of rich, New Yorker, entitlement.)
I feel like a celebrity quoting my “gift basket” quote:-) …However, he’s an old man..we should be blessed and grateful if WE can live to 82 years old and REALIZE we need to paint the front of the house! God Bless Him! Well, at least send a card 🙂
Thanks, Mr. B
From the daily news:
The owner leaves us with a suggestion as to why people in this crazed and teetering world would concern themselves with a splash of paint on a brownstone.
“THEY HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THE REAL PROBLEMS,” he said.
Thank you, Mr. Wise 82 year old owner.
You could teach these people a lot, because it seems like they don’t know jack about what’s real and what the battles they should be fighting! Hmmm- shame!
From the daily news:
The owner leaves us with a suggestion as to why people in this crazed and teetering world would concern themselves with a splash of paint on a brownstone.
“THEY HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THE REAL PROBLEMS,” he said.
Thank you, Mr. Wise 82 year old owner.
You could teach these people a lot, because it seems like they don’t know jack about what’s real and what the battles they should be fighting! Hmmm- shame!
LOL…3:13 He’d probably enjoy that more than a gift basket…nothing beat a good piece of ass @ 82 years young!
I’d be grumpy too, if Im in my house house and a knock @ the door is a reporter asking me questions about the “primer”!
“And many of you irate posters here might ask yourselves one simple question; what have I done to make my community a better place to live?”
I got to know my neighbors, for one. I’m preserving my own house, number two.
It’s not that I (or anyone condemning the landmark nazis) have a problem with preservation. I have a problem with this kind of witch hunt.
I think you should all go over and help this guy paint his house. No need for me to go since I was the one sticking up for the “poor schmuck” to begin with.
My 2cents, I can’t tell you how bummed I am that you used the “assume” quote before I got to! I was just going to write that. D’uh!
LOL…3:13 He’d probably enjoy that more than a gift basket…nothing beat a good piece of ass @ 82 years young!
I’d be grumpy too, if Im in working on my house and a knock @ the door is a reporter asking me questions about the “primer”!