Kensington Townhouses: Affordable or Avoidable?
A group called Gracie Developers is finishing up its Kensington Townhouses project at the corner of Beverley Road and East 7th Street in Kensington. We haven’t seen a photo of how it looks from the outside yet (anyone?) but judging from the rendering above it’s a step up (just) from a lot of the crap…
A group called Gracie Developers is finishing up its Kensington Townhouses project at the corner of Beverley Road and East 7th Street in Kensington. We haven’t seen a photo of how it looks from the outside yet (anyone?) but judging from the rendering above it’s a step up (just) from a lot of the crap that’s being built on small lots in the area but a far cry from 14 Townhouses. We’ve talked about it a thousand times, but why do architects persist in designing these ridiculously-scaled stoops? The name of the development is a little misleading, too. From what we can tell, these are really just apartments within a larger building that’s designed in a kind of Disneyfied townhouse theme. Regardless, the interiors are unexciting, and for $600 a foot in this part of town we’d expect some higher ceilings, bigger windows and nicer doors. Corcoran is also its own toughest competition on this one. If we were a buyer in this part of town, we’d opt for the Park Circle over this place in a heartbeat. Cheaper by the foot and far superior views. If any of you check out the open house this weekend, please snap up us a photo of the exterior. Update: The developer sent us a photo which we’ve included on the jump. It looks a little better in real life, but we still don’t get those stairways and those slope-roofed entranceways. A lesson to err on the simple side if you’re not going to spring for real architectural talent.
336 E. 7th Street – Apt: C [Corcoran] GMAP
Wow, very interesting comments on both sides of the fence here. Well I just bought the corner unit in this development – so it goes without saying that I think this is a nice building. But apparently I do not have as refined an architectural eye as most of you “Brownstoners” lol.
At $325 a square foot for my nice 1,670 sq. ft. duplex apartment – stacked with 3 bathrooms, highline stainless steel appliances and a driveway for my car – this was a great deal and a great place for me and my fiance for the next 5 years.
Here is a link to my ofoto album of the actual building and the apartment we bought:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=34ol0lui.28ll64fy&x=0&y=-abinj8
so, I agree with David. Bob99 was not only able to name a Brooklyn project, but neither was he able to name a SINGLE architect, anywhere!!!
Let’s talk about the ‘green’ condo… VERY out of context for the neighborhood that surrounds it. And 14 State would be out of context in Kensington where this building is surrounded predominantly by small-ish single family frame homes.
Which context do we choose to respect? Only the aspects of the neighborhood we like? What about the people to whom the context of brick represents poverty and degradation and to whom aluminum siding, in its day was a vast improvement over neglected long-masonry.
Again, it comes down to subjective taste. And I happen to think my taste is superior to yours therefore you are wrong.
For what it’s worth, Scarano seems to believe his work attempts most of the characteristics you desire. Check out his website, see for yourself.
And to dispel and conspiracy theory: I’m a broker competing with the crew at the aforementioned project.
What about the condos at 270 21st street – Brownstoner featured them a while ago: the “Green” condos?
I think the design is interesting. The problem w/ Kensington condos…they look so horribly cheap and tacky – like the burbs. You would never see design like this in Europe (Holland/France) – It IS possible to combine good design/newness and still be harmonious w/ old world townhosues.
Okay, so based on the photo, they kept the goofy-looking stoop on the right-hand side, but flipped the staircase around on the left. Okay. All I’m going to say is that when I saw the picture, I started laughing. That, and the fact that planting a few more trees would make it more difficult to see. Just a suggestion.
OK, I feel better now. Have a good weekend.
Sorry sorry sorry about that. I’m unarmed, I promise. Shouldn’t post in the a.m. before coffee.
Dear Bob999,
Please, PLEASE, don’t shoot yourself in the face. I couldn’t concentrate on any of the other posts after I read that….
david 4:24 was me Pshark sux
here’s a development… the Park place side of the new condos on flatbush ave and Prospect.
Oh, David. Is this your development? If so, sorry for insulting you, and I wish you the very best of luck selling the units. However, the fact that I can’t rattle off a list of beautiful new houses in Brooklyn does not, at all, invalidate the point that Brooklyn would be a better place if there were more of them.