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]
“Why buy this if you’re not going to restore?”
Because brownstones look nicer from the outside than they do to live in from the inside. Brownstone exterior with updated interior. Why is that hard to understand?
this is borderline stalking, mr b
live and let live
I think this is really sad. I’m going nuts trying to find a house with as much of this beautiful woodwork and original detail as possible, and they’re rare. If you do want a modern interior, buy something else that’s already been stripped–there’s tons of those houses. It shows zero appreciation for the craftsmanship that went into creating these interiors. They might have been cookie cutter houses then, but they were still built with much more skill and care than today. I think it’s really tragic. You all suck.
But, but, how could this house sell *above* asking price when it’s so close to the eeeeeeeevil Atlantic Yards? I thought everything in that vicinity was supposed to be worthless.
The trend now among the highly-moneyed is to rip out all the historic finishes and put in open-plan minimalist interiors . It really does not work well in most rowhouses, you wonder why these people do not buy a loft instead, but they want something “different” and “fresh” their designers smell money and are more than willing to take them for a ride. The shame is that real historic stuff gets destroyed. But most designers have absolutely no appreciation of other people’s work even if it is over a hundred years old.
Restoring a historic home (if you go all the way) costs and extreme amount of money and time. Its hard to find contractors that are qualified in this type of work and when you do- it costs. What if you have a banister missing a few posts- easy to replace? No- you have to get them custom turned. You have 3 custom light fixtures but the floor has 5 light fixtures? Do you get replicas for the other 2?
Why buy this if you’re not going to restore? For the space- for the lot- and the buiding itself could be in great shape. I’m always surprised when I walk in to a brownstone that’s been tastefully updated with modern conveniences. Fact is- I agree with the above. Not really our business and if some are really peeved- you should find other like minded people, invest your own money and buy places like this, restore and then sell it.
And to respond to 10:13: yes, there are plenty of modern new-construction options, but many, many of them are crap in terms of structural (and aesthetic) quality. Also, if you want an entire house (rather than apt.) in certain neighborhoods, there are no new construction options.
these type of interiors steadily dissappearing makes your own interior more and more valuable.
Now – can anyone told me why the city ripped up the huge cobblestoned plaza at the top of Manhattan avenue in greenpoint and “improved” it by laying tarmac?
I’m agnostic about period detail. In most cases it represents a quality of craftsmanship way out ahead of what most people can summon from their contractors today, so therefore in most cases it should stay.
But if something truly excellent replaces what’s being removed, I’m all for it. I think when you remove detail you’ve upped the anté: your skill and vision better be really good.
The Victorians themselves were all for new styles and incorporating technology as it developed. We’re not so different from them as we might think.
Now it’s true someone looking to live “modern” might want to look for an already-denuded property, but of course, one buys a property based on opportunity, location and price. Period detail as a pro or a con can be pretty far down the list comparably.
When I renovated my brownstone most of the detail had been stripped in its conversion many years before into apartments — sad, really, as the detail was unusual even for Brooklyn. What was original I kept. But I also made assumptions (learned, I hope) about what wasn’t original — stuff that was just plain awkward — and out it came. For us, there was a sense of relief that in the end we wouldn’t need to live in an encrusted jewel box, or a dark wood mausoleum.