Condo of the Day: 119 St. Marks Place
We’re surprised (okay, disappointed may be a better word) at the number of developers who manage to convert old brownstones into condominiums without capturing any of the charm the buildings originally had. Sure, sometimes a building has already been gutted, but a little creativity and respect can go a long way. Along those lines, today’s…
We’re surprised (okay, disappointed may be a better word) at the number of developers who manage to convert old brownstones into condominiums without capturing any of the charm the buildings originally had. Sure, sometimes a building has already been gutted, but a little creativity and respect can go a long way. Along those lines, today’s two-bedroom condo at 119 St. Marks Place in Park Slope just leaves us limp. It’s yet another personality-less jobs, certainly not old-school and definitely lacking in any impressive modern twists. Recessed lighting? Check. Exposed Mr. Slim air-conditioning? Check. Odd bathroom fixtures? Check. And all for the price of $749,000? No thanks.
119 St. Marks Place [Brooklyn Properties] GMAP P*Shark
Though it is hard to stomach the fire escape as a marketing feature. Are developers forced to put these out front when they convert to a 3 fam condo? Aren’t most postioned in the back?
WTF is wrong with recessed lighting? Doesn’t seem like an obviously bad move. Most people prefer to have lamps and use the recessed for take lighting. If there was some sort of crazy overhead fixture, B’stoner, wouldn’t you complain about that too? What is your preferred alternative? Italian plaster with a bare fixture socket?
the fireplace hearth looks less than (I think code req) 18″
anyone else hate how the building looks with the fire escape on the front?! it’s bizarre to me… and makes me glad i dont live in the slope
I think the kitchen is very well done.
What are Mr. Slims? Heat pumps?
Better than window a.c.’s.
A trip to a salvage warehouse can get you a great mantle and overmantle. Period light fixtures. crown moldings -or not, depending on your taste. Considering some of the decrepit flea-bags I have seen featured here this isn’t half bad. The ugly fire escape on the facade turns me off, but I’m picky.
Two baths are a great divorce-avertors for couples.
These 2BR floor-through condo conversions are usually tiny anyway. BP doesn’t include a floorplan, so it’s hard to tell, but I’m guessing it’s tiny.
went in a bidding war
Agreed, and what’s with the always dark cherry and stainless kitchen (ugly to me in these buildings – it looks so suburban), the so-neutral-as-to-be-disgusting bathroom tiling, and small victorian baths just cry out for pedestal sinks (you can squeeze in the storage you lose from the vanity elsewhere if you are creative.)
But this is what you get when real estate prices are so high that only developers can afford to purchase and renovate them. When things were cheaper, you could get an owner renovation, which, depending on the taste of the owner, could be quite nice and could be sort-of horrible. I got one done by an owner that was to my taste (simple and suited the brownstone building) that everybody loves (though on close inspection, the craftsmanship should have been better – this place probably has better craftsmanship, though it is hard to tell from pictures.)
But a developer does this stuff because, frankly, this size apartment at this location won’t sell for more than that – whatever the finishes – and they save by doing every apartment just like others and not choosing soemthing with some style.
Or maybe I’m wrong, and the developers are making such a killing given the market that even if they could afford to do nicer, they just either have no style, aren’t interested in cutting into their profits to put some in, or both.
Totally stripped bare. Even the fireplace.
But it does leave room to work your personal taste and creativity. It’s super easy to add crown mouldings and baseboards and mantels. I have a friend with an 80’s condo in CA that was a bare box when she got it and she added everything I mentioned. Made even 80’s construction look great.