Co-op of the Day: 191 Willoughby Street
Located on Willoughby Street between Fort Greene Park and Flatbush Avenue, University Towers was originally built as rental apartments but went co-op in the late 1980s. The building boom around it in Downtown Brooklyn has to bode well for prices of the 549 non-descript but reasonably-sized apartments in the three-building complex. This two-bedroom co-op is…
Located on Willoughby Street between Fort Greene Park and Flatbush Avenue, University Towers was originally built as rental apartments but went co-op in the late 1980s. The building boom around it in Downtown Brooklyn has to bode well for prices of the 549 non-descript but reasonably-sized apartments in the three-building complex. This two-bedroom co-op is now on the market for $560,000, compared to a similar one that was priced at $530,000 earlier this year. Another comp: A 750-square-foot one-bedroom sold earlier this fall for $340,000, or about $450 a foot. A lot cheaper than the Oro!
191 Willoughby Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP
Co-op of the Day: University Towers 2 Bedroom [Brownstoner]
NYC is a very interesting place. I call it the great equalizer. Classes mix often and realistically crime runs throughout the entire city equally. There was a rapist on the upper west side not too long ago that was climbing through peoples’ windows. There were also a lot of B & E’s in Manhattan not too long ago. In Fort Green there is an occasional shooting as it is everywhere in NYC and drugs are sold from the corner in East NY to Wall Street so don’t let that scare you. Brooklyn is changing rapidly. Get in now or you’ll be forced to live in NJ or Connecticut.
Just is case anyone checks out this blog… I have an apartment in UT for rent or sale. 191 Willoughby. Its a 1 BDRM. Sale price is 420K (asking), rent is $2,250/month. More info is available.
I remember when these things were going for 50k at the high end. Unbelievable!
I have nothing but postive things to say about the residents and the neighborhood area. My only complaint is how ugly the building is and how it doesn’t interact with the sidewalk. It has that fortress stance – distanced from pedestrians and a lot of wasted space for development. No stores, bodegas, shops, etc.. There are plenty of people to support it but due to very bad designs it won’t happen unless the whole building is bought out and it is torn and redeveloped.
I live here and have never heard a gun shot or seen drug dealers on the corner. The reno apartments are beautiful, the parking is great and people are friendly. It’s steps away from Fort Greene Park and the area surrounding the towers is being built up at a staggering rate. Just b/c it’s not ORO or Forte or Bell Tell doesn’t mean it’s not a nice place to live. The nabe is changing people….
Also, the last thing I want to emphasize about University Towers is how damn convenient it is. 10 train lines (B,Q, R, M, A, C, 4, 5, 2, 3) within a five minute walk. 7 minutes via taxi to soho. I worked in midtown and it took me 20 minutes to get home via taxi and 25 minutes via Q train. People always talk about how great Clinton Hill is….but transportation wise…it’s a bit of a haul. To each his own..
Again, before we sold our place there (for $530k), I lived there for 8 years. To dispel some of the commentary about University Towers that people have stated in this thread:
(i) There is no flip tax;
(ii) The common areas are actually very nice. They do an excellent job with the gardening, maintaining the parking lot and two years ago installed four gas grills for common use; and
(iii) I never heard gun shots while I lived there (to that end the infamous “fort greene projects” are basically empty at this point).
Given where I work and play, you would have to give me a discount to choose the far more attractive Hudson View Gardens over University Towers.
Good point 4:43.
Good point 4:43.