303 Park Pl: If You Don't Like Old Houses, Don't Buy One!
You’d think that people who have no appreciation for older architecture could find a house that’s already missing its original details when it comes time for them to buy something. Instead, some people (like the new owners of 303 Park Place) buy a gorgeous historic home and proceed to strip it to the bone. Here’s…
You’d think that people who have no appreciation for older architecture could find a house that’s already missing its original details when it comes time for them to buy something. Instead, some people (like the new owners of 303 Park Place) buy a gorgeous historic home and proceed to strip it to the bone. Here’s what the Craigslist ad (which expired over the weekend) said:
Due to remodeling of a 100-year old Prospect Heights 1-family brownstone, we are offering selected antique Victorian architectural items. This is a one-time chance to improve your home with gorgeous authentic details that are seldom on the market. Items include Victorian oak fireplace mantels, redwood staircase complete with 3 stair runs, curving railings, balusters, Tiffany-style stained glass window panels, Victorian solid gingerbread entrance doors, antique tin ceiling tiles, ornate glass ceiling chandeliers, hinges and doorknobs and more.
Can any neighbors let us know what the couple plans to do with this place? Ugh.
House of the Day: 303 Park Place [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Victorian Antique Architectural Items [Craigslist]
11:40.. so true. i bought a modern condo, but added significant built-ins using interesting woods, added wool runners, custom furniture and paid a decorator to do the paint colors, wallpaper choices on several walls along with handmade window treatments, and it feels pretty unique now. decorating well is always significant no matter what the exterior is… in general many lofts and condos have bigger, more open spaces and then you have the ability to customize it.
About historic detail in general, I only get worked up about saving it if it’s special. If it’s exactly like the other 5 million early 1900’s houses’ banisters in Brooklyn then who cares. Sorry. However, I can’t stand no detail at all. Even in a spectacular modern glass house or condo that should feel dramatic, I feel bored. The only thing to counter the dullness of that is to have huge, important art on the walls. It’s why I like Neutra or some of the smaller case study houses, because the houses are intimate not cold and sterile, and closets, built-ins and kitchen cabinets are hand crafted custom wood which is warm. People think modern means a machine-edge or machine-finish and that’s just false.
Again–can’t help it: Yeah, yeah, yeah, these buyers have every right to buy a historic house dripping in priceless, rare details that many dedicated people labor for years to find or restore, and then to rip those details out.
That doesn’t change the fact that they are idiots for doing it.
Only the fact that they’re willing to find buyers for these artifacts saves this owner from being a Grade-A Asshole. He’s still rocking a Grade-C, easy.
hey – i am not a fan of old world at all, but i agree with brownstoner here. i do think it’s hysterical actually to buy this and dump the insides. you can get great new condos with this space at this price point in many areas and even better areas.
fyi – if you want to understand how well your condo building was built, just get in an inspector. i did this with our condo, and the inspector raved about the building quality but pointed out some issues with the finishes. i got the sponsor to correct those problems for free before moving in.
i care way more about my actual interior and layout and neighborhood than having a brownstone exterior, and have zero time (or patience, or the money to rent and pay a mortgage), so i went for all new.
in this case, the owners probably did like the outside and the hood, but wanted a new interior.
in NYC, you don’t need everyone to buy your place anyway, just one buyer, and in the end, they are usually out there.
Oh shit!
5:25 re bottom line #3 – I live there and you are quite right.
Bottom line: It’s their house, they can do what they want to it.
Bottom line, version 2.0: Houses with this much historic detail are, as many posters have pointed out, increasingly rare. We can’t do anything about it, but it is heartbreaking to see this happen.
Bottom line, Sopranos edition: There’s a very tight block association on Park Place. The new owners won’t win themselves any friends with their neighbors after word of this spreads.
and since when are message boards for people who want to mind their own business??
Bottom line, you didn’t buy the house so mind your own business.