Karma Is a Bitch: 185 Ocean Developer Sucking Wind
One of the galling chapters in the now-waning development boom of this decade was when a developer paid 33% over asking price for the turn-of-the-century brick house (above left) at 185 Ocean Avenue and proceeded to waste little time in tearing it down in order to put up an eight-story apartment building. (Dollar signs in…
One of the galling chapters in the now-waning development boom of this decade was when a developer paid 33% over asking price for the turn-of-the-century brick house (above left) at 185 Ocean Avenue and proceeded to waste little time in tearing it down in order to put up an eight-story apartment building. (Dollar signs in their eyes, the greedy neighbors tried to cash in but were too late to the party.) After paying $1,200,000 for a 30-by-150-foot property with a beautiful house on it, the developer now is trying to get $2,500,000 for the same piece of land with a big hole in the ground (above right). Where do we sign up! While the developer may lose some money on this deal, the real losers are the community and appreciators of Brooklyn’s architectural history.
185 Ocean Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP
PLG House Razed, 8-Story Building Planned [Brownstoner]
Ocean’s 13: Landmarking Against a Ticking Time Bomb [Brownstoner]
PLG Shocker! 185 Ocean Closes 33% Above Ask [Brownstoner]
I liked reading Brooklynista’s tale. She’s obviously quite passionate about those little houses. It was one of the more entertaining stories I’ve read on Brownstoner in awhile.
The ending, however, caused my to look for a bag to puke in.
What the hell does Obama have to do with anything?
That guy doesn’t give a hoot about little historic houses. He lives in a McMansion in Chicago. He’d be the first person to change the zoning to allow an enormous housing project to built on that hole.
It’s funny – I just realized what the perfect solution is to historical preservation laws. Since clearly class and money has nothing to do with the situation, I propose a new law.
Since the public loses so much from historical preservation, the city should recoup the losses through a special sales tax on homes in historical districts. I propose a tax of at least 50%. The homeowners get half, and the people get the other half.
The proceeds should go directly into a fund that specially builds low income housing for the poor.
I think that is very, very fair. Since everyone is in agreement people don’t want historic districts for financial reasons, I can’t imagine anyone will have a problem with this.
“I’m afraid my support will automatically make Poley carry on even more.”
Honestly, I can’t possibly top that novel written previously. But, since you insist – what the hell?
“Polemicist, as usual, has no idea what he is talking about, and having failed to come up with a decent argument, resorts to name calling and obtuse verbiage.”
Yeah sure, it’s just SO crazy to state that these houses are nothing special and that multifamily dwellings should be clustered near public amenities like parks and subway stations. Who on earth would EVER agree with that?
” He is way out of line, and wayyy wrong.”
I’d absolutely LOVE to hear what I have said in this thread that is wayyyy wrong. Please, I’m dying to know.
“This row of houses is, as far as I can tell, the only row on Ocean Ave, the rest is entirely apartment buildings. For that reason alone, they should be cherished and protected.”
Oh sure, THIS is going to rally the people! Every house in Manhattan should be protected! It’s so freakin’ weird there are still houses in the middle of office districts!
How can you possibly think this is a sound basis for a legal society?
Whats the big fuckin deal ? Why didn’t any of you ASSHATS buy and preserve the house ? Fuckin bitches all of you
Brooklynista, you go. Since I know you, and the struggles you have been going through, I can endorse your statements, and verify that they are factual, without rancor or exaggeration. I’m afraid my support will automatically make Poley carry on even more. Polemicist, as usual, has no idea what he is talking about, and having failed to come up with a decent argument, resorts to name calling and obtuse verbiage.
Benson, I’m afraid you are soused to agreeing with Poley that you missed the forest for the trees on this one. He is way out of line, and wayyy wrong.
Babs, good to see you back, you too, Bob. This row of houses is, as far as I can tell, the only row on Ocean Ave, the rest is entirely apartment buildings. For that reason alone, they should be cherished and protected.
Brooklynista, more of us are wi’ ya than agin’ ya. Don’t let Polemicist keep yo
LOL P. Are the residents of Ocean Avenue (or Lefferts Manor) the ones regressing to a primitive state, or are you? Congratulations–you’ve outdone yourself!
babs:
It’s simple really. When the rule of law ceases to treat all people equally, people will simply cease following it.
In much of the world where the rule of law doesn’t exist, most people live in shantytowns. It is the natural state of a formerly civilized society regressing to a primitive one.
Such is the fate of this republic, and we see it in a small way right here.
“People like you are going to end up in a shantytown sooner than you think.”
What kind of nonsensical threat is that? Talk about nutjobs. And since Brooklynista is a “long term homeowner” on this strip I somehow doubt there’s a shantytown in her future!
And, polemecist, since you’ve now descended to name-calling in order to push an otherwise baseless line of argument, let’s be clear that I have a name for you as well: troll. Since I don’t believe in giving trolls the ammunition of the attention they so desperately crave, I’ll also admit here that I should’ve known better than to address you directly in my post. But not to worry! Go onto the battlefield by your own bad self. From here on out, I have no intention of wasting anymore of my time responding to the nonsense you spout.