Condo of the Day: 129 Clinton Avenue
We feel a little bad about being hard on this listing, as it’s obvious someone put a lot of work into trying to make it special. Unfortunately, we think they missed the mark, in some places by a lot. First, the good news: This lower duplex in a brownstone on Clinton Avenue between Myrtle and…
We feel a little bad about being hard on this listing, as it’s obvious someone put a lot of work into trying to make it special. Unfortunately, we think they missed the mark, in some places by a lot. First, the good news: This lower duplex in a brownstone on Clinton Avenue between Myrtle and Park has some great bones, most notably the stunning front parlor room complete with incredible woodwork and original pocket doors. The developer’s attempt to make the kitchen contextual with custom mahogany looks pretty successful. But then there are the missteps: The fireplaces, bathrooms, the exposed brick (especially above the mantel in the parlor) and the new wood floors (blindingly blond) don’t jibe. It’s not easy to do a renovation that respects a house’s history while adding modern look and convenience, which is why it’s generally safer to pick one aesthetic and stick with it. None of these problems are irreversible, of course, but when you’re asking $1.1 million for a duplex north of Myrtle, there’s not much margin for error. Has anyone been inside?
129 Clinton Avenue [Urban View Realty] GMAP P*Shark
Photo by Nicholas Strini for Property Shark
This property is 3 1/2 blocks from the G train (i.e., $h*tty commute) and 1/2 block from the BQE (i.e., pollution and noise round the clock). I don’t care how nice the block is, these people are out of their minds charging so much money!!!
How it got on TONY’s best blocks list, I have no idea.
I have lived on this block since 2002 and it is in fact #31 in Time Out NY’s Best Blocks issue (jealous Park Sloper who refutes this, look it up on the TONY website). I have never been mugged, threatened or scared and neither has anyone I know in my building, on the block or in the neighborhood. Maybe we’ve been lucky. Like a good nosey neighbor, I meandered over to check out this apartment, and while it isn’t my style (I’m more of a modernist), I think they actually did a nice job. It looks better in person than in the photos. To me, the blonde wood on the garden level lightens up what is usually a dark dank feeling floor. Although they’re weird, the fireplaces were cozy during that storm and the kitchen is really grand, again, not my style, I have a small galley kitchen and I like it that way. But by NY standards, this place is big and deluxe. Not for me, but maybe for some Steiner Studio exec–there goes the neighborhood.
Timeout did refer to this block specifically. Don’t hate, lol.
http://www.timeoutny.com/newyork/Details.do?page=1&xyurl=xyl://TONYWebArticles1/576/features/the_rankings_31_40.xml
Saw it yesterday. This place was a very decent mix of old-fash and new reno. Some minor details need to be addressed, screws don’t match and inconsistant details, etc., but all in all it was nice. They tried. Seems fairly priced per square foot than other condos closer to Ft. Greene. Was a wet walk from the G train, but I’ve travelled that route from the L train a number of times to visit a Pratt Professor-friend and I never felt at all threatened, let alone mugged or stalked. Those big buildings nearby on the upper blocks of Clinton are not projects – they look like it – but they are ugly Co-ops. Agree that the fireplaces are a bit “much”, but gas fireplaces always are. They heated the big space well. Why doesn’t someone invent a gas flame-emitting statue or something rather than those stupid phoney logs. Maybe a cool bronze burning dragon or something. Bet the garden is nice in good weather. We thought the place looked better than most. Wish we could afford it.
And every person I’ve ever asked tells me they know someone who has had cancer.
Point being, with all due respect BK anon, that your broad generalization is simply inane.
I have to agree with the last poster. everybody who lives or has lived in clinton hill, and to a lesser extent in
fort greene, has his or her horror story about being mugged.
it has gotten a lot better over the years, but not a million dollars better. sorry.
I’ve seen this place. I’m a total layperson in that I know nothing about period architecture or design, so perhaps my comment is of limited value. But I will say that I thought it was a very beautifully done condo. The only issue I saw was the entrance situation. The parlor floor entrance consists of large sliding doors, not ideal in terms of privacy or security. (I think the idea is that people would enter through the lower floor entrance instead.) But the location was the more serious turn-off for me. With all respect to Brownstoner, every single person who I’ve ever asked about Clinton Hill tells me they know someone who has been mugged there. So while the architecture is beautiful, it just doesn’t yet seem safe yet.
much much nicer than my house.
i have friends who live on that exact block of clinton between myrtle and park and two of them have been brutally mugged walking from the train NOT late at night in the past month.
like followed and beat to the ground.