House of the Day: 465 Clinton Avenue
We’re in love! This limestone Clinton Avenue mansion is just a few blocks from Brownstoner HQ so we get to pass by almost everyday. Until we checked out the listing, however, we’d never seen the interior. While we wish there were more pics, the two shots of the inside reveal some truly killer woodwork. Because…
We’re in love! This limestone Clinton Avenue mansion is just a few blocks from Brownstoner HQ so we get to pass by almost everyday. Until we checked out the listing, however, we’d never seen the interior. While we wish there were more pics, the two shots of the inside reveal some truly killer woodwork. Because this is a corner house, it was able to be built out on the entire lot, resulting in 6,300 square feet of living space plus a two-car garage. This results in the property’s only downside as far as we can see: The lack of a real backyard. With a price tag of $2.5 million, the big question is whether someone will step up to convert the 12 existing units back into an owner-occupied two-family or whether this has condo conversion written all over it.
465 Clinton Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
I think that you are agreeing with me Igor. This is exactly my point. The reason I make this point is that the tenants come with the house and that the process of doing any kind of renovating means working with/around them. I think that some posters get the impression that it is an easy process to “get rid” of tenants and begin a complete conversion. Also, I think it is important to maintain a tone of civility on this site. It is not easy, but I do believe it is possible.
I was pretty sure that whacko in Virginia was Ed. I guess his fuse is still burning.
Fran, like I said before, if you have the money (which you do, if you buy a place like this), it takes around a year (total) to rehab a building like this and bring it to its original grandeur, assuming too much damage wasnt done. And surprisingly, these giant places are very conducive to dividing into apartment without much destruction, because each room is literally manhattan apartment-sized. In fact, back when these buildings were built, and occupied by large families, that is precisely how they were treated — each persons room served as their domain. Yes, bathrooms and kitchenettes are a nuisance, and a lot of exposed waste pipe will probably have to be removed, but from experience I can tell you that it isn’t hard at all. Just expensive.
And worth every penny.
You can renovate this place in stages around tenants with the idea of gradually consolidating apartments. This is not the deal of the century, but something that involves many years of hard work. On the surface, the price seems good for this elegant old aristocratic building, but the ACRIS records show some serious deferred maintenance problems. You will not be able to just “eject” tenants as one poster put it. If you want the place, it will be a very long process and if you don’t want to lose your mind or your humanity, you will have to really love the place, hang in there with the tenant situation and have the patience of a saint. It also doesn’t hurt to start out with a pile of cash as well. Don’t mistake the price with anything near your cost for this place. But it really is gorgeous.
What’s with all the name calling? Are you people 5 years old? It’s getting pretty tiring.
“Because this is a corner house, it was able to be built out on the entire lot, resulting in 6,300 square feet of living space plus a two-car garage.”
Brownstoner, can you please explain the FAR rule regardig corner lots? In addition, do corner lots adhere to different rules regarding fence heights too? I have a corner property and would very much like to build either an extension or garage. Does anyone have any info with respect to these two issues?
Thanks so much! All the best!
I love all of you. Even you Fran.
Wow…. some seriously hostile sh*t today.
Are we debating the future of humanity? a cure for MS? mass murder at Virginia Tech?
This is a real estate blog…. how about some perspective.
Go watch CNN for 20 minutes.
oh my god. i just bought a place on 35th street and no one told me that it’s near the empire state building!
must sell now due to lack of sunlight!!!!!
do you ay psychos have any idea how idiotic you sound?