House of the Day: Midwood Not Mid-Priced
This four-story limestone on Midwood Street in Lefferts Manor is the real deal but, man, $1.495 million is a lot of dough for this nabe, isn’t it? It looks like the extensive woodwork in the house (including several fireplaces) is in excellent shape. As usual, we’re not loving the kitchen reno, but that is what…
This four-story limestone on Midwood Street in Lefferts Manor is the real deal but, man, $1.495 million is a lot of dough for this nabe, isn’t it? It looks like the extensive woodwork in the house (including several fireplaces) is in excellent shape. As usual, we’re not loving the kitchen reno, but that is what it is. The house, which is of a grander scale than many in the area, also boasts inlaid parquet floors, pocket doors and stained glass. Still, $1.495 million? What do the locals think?
Update: This is 68 Midwood Street–the identical twin of #55. Both were built by W.A.A. Brown and were originally priced at $11,000 when they hit the market a century or so ago. According to Bob Marvin, the reason for the dumbwaiter is that these houses were built with TWO dining rooms–an informal one in the ground floor front and a formal one, over the kitchen, in the parlor floor rear.
Midwood Limestone [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
anon at 2:46pm,
I can appreciate everything you’ve said. I am one of Ed’s detractors, but I find absolutely nothing offensive in what you’ve stated.
No doubt there are some folks who prefer PLG for various reasons, as well as many folks who may have been priced out of other areas, but are vested in making it their home. Likewise I could afford to live anywhere, and have chosen my Bklyn nabe for reasons that might differ from your priorities. Like you, I’ve chosen a lifestyle and I’m extremely fortunate that I don’t have to make too many compromises. All neighborhoods have their pluses and minuses. My sense is that PLG-ers want their area to evolve somewhat along the lines of PS, but without losing too much of its character and “diversity”. Maybe some of you think that you’ll be able to control the gentrification. Good luck (LOL). If bstones in PLG were to start routinely selling for over $2mm, I seriously doubt you’d be able to “control” the gentrification process, or maintain the diversity. Part of the reason the diversity exists is because PLG has been a much more more affordable community. These are economic realities you have no control over.
At any rate, thanks for a somewhat civil perspective on what’s happening in PLG. Now if only you could give Ed some diplomacy lessons.
Have I missed something on the real estate front? You all keep talking about these tremendous price increases, and I’m really not aware of that. We bought our renovated 2 story brownstone in 2001 for $525,000. A nearly identical one just sold for $950,000. That’s a nice increase, but less than double and far less than the 300% increases in the last 5 years in most of brownstone brooklyn. The other houses we looked at in the 500’s in 2001 are now all worth 1.5M to 2M. Am I missing something, or are you all just a lot less greedy than I am?
we own a lovely townhouse in Lefferts Manor though we could afford to live somewhere else–but PLG is the place we wanted to be–it struck the right chord for us–. in time–like other popular, more expensive nabes that are the threads of this blog, PLG will become (if it hasn’t already) “a destination for many folks”
–. afterall, it is a great place despite its issues…which most are being addressed as we speak.
The people who live here–especially in the THs–have always been proud of their community and have contributed in their own way. now with more diversity and changing demographics, the “young and old”, “black and white” have formed a coalition(s) to evoke more positive change and make PLG an even better place to live…work…and play.
the RE in LM has always been special but due to recent ‘positive’ press, many more people are now aware of “our little hidden jewel.” the boom in lefferts isn’t by accident…it has been long in the making. PS is a great community…but different and it is where a lot of young folks want to live. but what people should understand is that it was once a struggling community just like ours; the nabe achieved its first $million sale approximately 10 years ago, and took another year or two to reach a similar sale… i think our nabe too is setting a precedent that will hardly go unrecognized…not only because of high quality RE (that’s literally taken ‘our world’ by storm) but more due to the strength, purpose, power, intent and compassion within each of us that will help us beat the odds.
Wow – now I’ve become a subject for debate! Hey Brownstoner, can you make me the topic of a thread?
To which I would add, so freakin what?
How is it that whites living in predominately black neighborhoods should be accorded some morally superior status, when in fact, the real motivation for moving to said nabe is typically that they were simply priced out of the yuppier nabes, and are buying into a situation they hope will evolve more to their liking. Let’s face it, gentrifiers usually result in the displacement of the very “diversity” they like to brag about. Perhaps the displacement can’t be helped, but please don’t brag about it under the guise of being more open-minded [gag].
At least buying a bstone in PS only results in the displacement of a some poor lawyer moving to Westchester.
If memory serves, the white/black demographics of PS and PLG are exact mirror images according to the last census. PLG is 80% black, 10% white, PS is the exact opposite.
“Haitian domestics” are not the only black people in Park Slope! There are a lot of black families either owning or renting townhouses all over this neighborhood. PS gets unfairly bashed as a predominantly white, liberal, affluent neighborhood (not that there’s anything wrong with that…). It’s actually more diverse than you all seem to realize.
Why is it just PLG that ignites this kind of heated discussion?
Because PLGers always tend to compare it to PS in a backhanded putdown, perhaps because of the similarity of housing stock (i.e. bstones vs. freestanding homes), and also perhaps because they share proximity to Prospect Park, plus, I think maybe the PLGers see themselves as resembling what PS once was, a more bohemian, liberal, “diverse”, kinder, gentler form of genetrification.
Victorian Flatbushers don’t tend to put down other nabes as justification for their own choices. Again, perhaps there is enough difference to avoid the comparison.
For as long as I can remember in the 20 yrs I’ve been in Bklyn, PLGers have been a tad defensive, not exactly wanting to let the secret out about the excellent value to be had, but also somewhat envious of PS’s longrunning r.e. boom. Not much has changed except that now PLG has a r.e. boom of its own to brag about.
PLG and Victorian Flatbush have a lot of similarities in terms of amenities or lack there of, demographics, proximity to park, great housing stock, house prices, etc… Why is it just PLG that ignites this kind of heated discussion? Both PLG and Vic. Flatbush attract Park Slope defectors…