House of the Day: 52 South Oxford Street
Um, no. An unrenovated SRO, five stories or not, on South Oxford Street for $2,500,000 in this market? Don’t think so. There’s some nice detail left and, according to the listing, 6,000 square feet of space, but given the headaches and delays associated with the SRO status and the time value of money, we think…
Um, no. An unrenovated SRO, five stories or not, on South Oxford Street for $2,500,000 in this market? Don’t think so. There’s some nice detail left and, according to the listing, 6,000 square feet of space, but given the headaches and delays associated with the SRO status and the time value of money, we think the sellers of 52 South Oxford Street are going to have to come down in price to get a deal done, especially given the unfortunate facades of its two neighbors (both of which serve as useful reminders of the importance of landmarking).
52 South Oxford Street [Clinton Hill RE] GMAP P*Shark
this seems like a good deal on a sheer volume per dollar basis. Someone could live very large here with ample space for family and entourage. Best to check with an attorney whether the non-harassment issue is certifiably dead.
I used to live in this building in the early 90’s. The owner was a delightful lady named Pearl; I believe she inherited it from her parents. I had the room at the back on the 2nd floor and most of the original details were intact, including a marble fireplace with a fantastic cast iron firebox that looked vaguely like a suit of armor. I’m pretty sure it did have sprinkler pipes on the ceilings. The building was shabby and in need of a new roof & windows, but it was always kept clean– I remember a Polish woman used to come in every other weekend and scrub the stairs & hall floors on her hand & knees (I can still smell the cloying lemon scent of Murphy’s Wood Soap). The brass statue pictured in one of the photos used to be mounted on the newel post in the foyer. I’ve been in many buildings on South Oxford & South Portland, and this one has more original detail intact than most. Too bad about the facade.
Yes, I will write. Solly. Weekend was hectic. I finally made it to the “Flea” and, of course, managed to spend dough…impulse buy for which I will “have to hear it” (“Why do you have to bring more stuff into this house?”).
Did you check out any FG open houses?
Hi 11:21,
Don’t know if you’ll be back here, but thought I’d try.
Would love to continue this discussion in a more private forum. Particularly given that I use my “nom du email” ;).
If you see this, drop me a line.
Best,
“…though I’m reasonably certain that no one else is coming back to this old thread to read what we’re saying!”
…who knows…only Brownstoner and co. do…I’m sure there are all them lurkers reading our conversation too!…yikes! 😉
Anyway, we’ll email this weekend.
I’m just curious, why are you guys are so keen on FG? Are you renters in FG already? From what you wrote it does not appear to be so. Do you have good friends here? That is often the way people get introduced to the nabe. Is it just the convenience (esp. subways), certain amenities (way fewer than PS or course, but BAM is close), and the scale and look of the neighborhood that attracted you?
I’m sorry you haven’t found anything as yet. What about buying a duplex in a townhouse?
I guess it’s a small neighborhood so not too many things come on the market. There’s more in Clinton Hill but there a huge difference in terms of access to subways. I don’t care how much anyone touts CH. I think some of it is very pleasant but it is too poorly served by subways, end of story. If you drive or bike everywhere I guess it’s not such a big issue. I would rather live in genteel poverty in FG than genteel poverty in CH.
Listen, if you guys end up living in FG, I wouldn’t worry or be too self-conscious about ruining any vibe. Trust me…don’t worry about it. You hardly sound like you and the family would be some sort of shocker! 😉
From my perspective I see the benefits of living in Park Slope and some of them living in FG (oops! I hope no one comes back to start a fight between PS and FG on this thread! But wouldn’t that be funny?!). I’m a member of the PSFC and wouldn’t mind being nearer as well as to nearer to the “residence” (assisted living) where my almost-90 y.o. great-aunt is headed soon…but parking is brutal in PS and there are fewer train options…and WAY more ways to spend money which is a curse… ;-)…and yes, some “annoying” people, I guess, but “whatever”–that is way, way overblown.
I like FG probably mostly because I’m simply used to it and inertia is easy. I have my roses and grapes out back (though getting more and more shaded by a growing tree, community garden and friends there, neighbors, some good friends, the park, farmers market (much more friendly than Grand Army Plaza’s), BAM (which I used to go to non-stop but got turned off), thinking about doing classes at Urban Glass…
Who knows. I keep thinking that if we do decide to sell I’d almost rather end up in some rental or coop in FG than elsewhere. Don’t know if there’s anything really that decent though to rent and as convenient as our current location. I just don’t like the idea of having to walk block after block at night from the subway–I get car sick in cabs and towncars when they speed across the Manhattan Bridge after they’ve already barreled down to Canal. In fact, I got kind of seasick the other night in a cab…I’m kind of joking and kind of not (!). Anyway, right now we’re convenient. Really prime FG convenience-wise and NOT south of Fulton but in landmarked FG. Thinking of moving half time out of NYC, I still would want a place just a couple blocks from the subway if we stayed in FG.
We had friends visiting from Switzerland last month (I’m still exhausted!) and took them everywhere including the Promenade for the kids of course. The kids were less enthused than the parents in the end. Anyway, we really went around NYC and I got a bit of a feeling for nabes I hadn’t spent much time in for ages (or ever)
I realized that BH is a just too austere emotionally (in fact, it’s blechy on that level…the residents eye you with suspicion!). PS is a lot more relaxed but can be pointy, edgy and kind of big-city-ish. It definitely feels like NYC. When we got back to FG, I found it the most welcoming and easy-going. It somehow feels like a village. I guess it has a little lower density than the commercial drags in PS..dunno…and there’re all the 20-somethings making it feel more exciting and buoyant (and not to the extreme as in WB where I feel like I’m some sort of social pariah or a freak dropped in from another planet).
This was hardly a controlled study of course! I mean, I’m biased. It’s just that I feel FG is more relaxed (I’m still a touch nervous walking home on Cumberland the one block from the subway at night…probably needlessly nervous)…and even though I don’t feel as nervous in PS at night on, say, 7th Avenue, I find the neighborhood a bit impersonal with too many people periodically flowing out of the 7th Avenue station like a damn opening the sluice gates from time to time.
I used to live on the UES and I grew to h-a-t-e it. I love the park and certain “things”, but hate it generally.
Oh, yes, and we took our fiends to the Cloisters (like they really needed to see that coming from Europe…though Geneva is rather blah and not like other cities with lots of gothic). I thought it’d be less pressure than the Met for the kids but the café wasn’t open as yet which was a m-a-j-o-r bummer for them. The Cloisters has some famous masterpieces ..probably one of the top 5 Flemish paintings in the world and you can get up close to it…I always like going there.
Anyway, as we left the Cloisters we got kind of turned around (I’m a terrible back seat driver) and ended up a little detoured in the neighborhood just south of the Cloisters’ main entrance. I have to say the square we drove around had a lot of charm. It’s probably a nice place to live. Who knows where to live these days. I keep thinking of heading to the country though there are readers on this blog who write that the urban setting is the only way to go (Yes, you, Mr. Polemicist! You!)…I’m not so sure about that; at least not for me.
I feel lucky to live in FG when I see the visual atrocities in NYC, the indifferent dry-walled apartments in Manhattan, insta-condos and, of course, the poverty and suffering in so many places.
We’ll talk.
We’ve not had solid parameters because we’ve not been able too! We’ve had to roll with the peculiarities of the FG market.
We are definitely thinking that a renovation is likely, and are ready to take that on. (only seen one home in FG that was move in ready) We’ve already figured we’d need to budget for rent somewhere else while we do the house (we have two small children, so we can’t do that living in a construction zone thing)
Ideally, we would find a Brownstone, 4 to 5 floors, (with potential for a garden rental) somewhere on South Portland, South Oxford, Washington Park, Carlton, Adelphi, Clermont, or Vanderbilt between Willoughby and Lafayette. Of course as you know, there are big variations between charming, tree lined brownstone-y streets, and ones that aren’t. Then we just go by feel. And of course these parameters are not in stone.
But like I said, we’re losing steam in FG. Maybe its a good thing, maybe we are precisely the thing that so many people hate that is “happening” to it, changing it so drastically.
And too many of “us” would indeed kill the vibe. You know, white, upper middle class families with kids. Bleh. WE love us, but many on Brownstoner and probably in the community decidedly don’t. And I have to admit, I dislike so many of the stroller moms and their kids that I come across too. I always tell myself, well, I’M not one of THEM! Yeah. Sure.
Anyway, hope this helps. Would love to touch base by email this weekend, or whenever you get a chance, and in a less potentially public forum, though I’m reasonably certain that no one else is coming back to this old thread to read what we’re saying!
Best,
Nokilissa,
Okay, I’ll write this weekend. It is really crazy at the beginning of a month for me (when is not busy, right?)!
I hope you’re thinking of renovating! (or at least finishing one…)
What have your house search parameters been?
Hi 8:35,
My ears are perked up. Actually, we (my family and I) are the “friends” of which you speak. We have been looking in Fort Greene for some time now and have had zero luck.
Everything is overpriced or didn’t work out.
We have just about resigned ourselves to having to move our sights back to Park Slope, (which is just fine too… all you Park Slopers – simply voicing a personal preference here!) but we would prefer FG.
Would like to know more about your place, and would likewise love a low-key fsbo situation. No question it could save both parties money and frustration.
Anyway, email me at Nokilissa@nyc.rr.com
Best,
“Some good posts in this thread.
Posted by: Polemicist at April 30, 2008 9:24 AM”
Polemicist, coming from you that is a real compliment! I hope you were referring to my comments! Where you been?
Nokilissa, if you’re still checking back, I would love you to hook us up with any friends you have who want to buy a 4-story FG prime location house that needs some (a lot?) work. We are thinking of selling and permanently moving our lives more to our other place (we live between two East Coast cities) and only renting something in Brooklyn.
I don’t want to list the place but would prefer a FSBO, low key deal, not a long string of endless open houses because Corcoran or some other outfit overpriced our house. I would rather sell at a moderate price and get on with life. Who needs to overprice a house to get only a couple of bids and then battle it out with the buyers, a lawyer couple or whatever. Peace of mind is valuable.
A couple of Fort Greene neighbors with houses like ours are still trying to get top dollar (noticeably north of 2m for a 4-story house) and they’re sittin’. Hhhh…seems like KorKordumb can’t let go of their overpricing reflex. These houses have been sitting for some time and have had near misses (in contract but some glitch ends the deal).
Oh well…I guess we can ride out the downturn and if real estate rises in 10 years (it may not…yikes!) will be able to sell and move to a grape ranch or cohousing community in the country or somesuch. I’ll be too old at that point I’ll bet to start that farm I dream about!