House of the Day: 177 Rugby Road
This house at 177 Rugby Road in Prospect House South is a beauty (we’re sold on the basis of that staircase alone!) but it’s been on the market longer than just about any house in the borough that we can think of. We featured it has a House of the Day way back in 2006…
This house at 177 Rugby Road in Prospect House South is a beauty (we’re sold on the basis of that staircase alone!) but it’s been on the market longer than just about any house in the borough that we can think of. We featured it has a House of the Day way back in 2006 when it was listed for $2,500,000; after a year off the market, the house just came back on again with an asking price of $1,800,000, but obviously they started too high and didn’t cut fast enough. Now what? Where does it end?
Colonial Revival Home [Mary Kay Gallagher] GMAP P*Shark
House of the Day: Rugby Road Mansion [Brownstoner]
Again, Traditionalmod, I think there is more drama in this house than meets the eye in these photos. Take the bedroom, for example. You get a hint of the oval stained glass panels in the windows, but you need to actually see it in person order to appreciate the dramatic appeal. Same with the bathroom off the master bedroom — it’s a gorgeous, detailed space. The woodwork, lots of it, and although painted, is also detailed throughout. The uppermost floor has that wonderful little terrace off the front of the house. And the curves of the rooms that play to the curved staircase are special. While it’s true this house may just not be for everyone, I think most lovers of old houses will find lots to like in this one. Damn! I feel like I’m working for Mary Kay or something! Can’t wait to cop on my portion of the commmission when this one sells higher than where the Bstoner pricing widget is likely to land. LOL!
That’s the thing though, I don’t even like the fireplace. Boring, even ugly, and again, weirdly non-special and non-dramatic for what I would expect seeing the exterior and the staircase. It can be lost without being a loss to the house.
I haven’t read the comments thus far…so it’s probably not fair for me to post my own…but, frankly, cleaning 55 windows sounds like a nightmare. Fifty-five windows?! Can you imagine if they’re still single glazing? The cost to replace them…and to do it properly??? The heat you lose through all that glass???
Anyway, the price is too high. The interior needs a lot of updating and the house is not that special in my opinion. Goodness gracious…hhh…yes it’s nice, but it needs a bit of an overhaul to make it really nice. And for “that money”…?
Oh, just took a second look the above photo. It looks like ugly-ish replacement windows were installed in the house’s facade. I’m sure the house had 6-over-6 windows when it was built since it’s Colonial Revival.
And, having glanced at some of the above comments: the people moving from Park Slope (and yes, there are a lot), seem to me to be renters who cannot afford to buy a brownstone/rowhouse in Park Slope so they look farther afield. For the asking price on this house, you might be able to settle in Park Slope and be decently “situated” (as my grandfather used to say).
I agree with those who said the house has nice curb appeal and a great staircase. I also agree with those who said you have to look beyond the owner’s furnishings. If you ignore the Leave It To Beaver bedrooms and dining room, there appear to be nice fireplaces, and nice built-in cabinets with glass doors. Staging would’ve helped. Clearly has to be seen in person. Floorplan can always be opened up a bit. But the asking price is still way too high.
The total lack of drama and detail to the rooms is such a letdown and mismatch after seeing the dramatic and unique exterior and staircase. Those are seriously the only two details worth saving. If you don’t like a closed-off parlor then knock down walls. Do a modern, open layout and just keep that amazing staircase.
I love how folks consider victorian flatbush a shabby second banana to park slope.
The running joke in the neighborhood is that every new family that moves there moves FROM park slope.
Someone’s going to buy this house for $1.5 million, put $200,000 into it and live like nyc royalty.
Oh, definitely don’t visit, we shoot folks on site out here in the badlands! Jes’ fer lookin’ at us the wrong way!
But seriously…yes, it is Flatbush, of course, one could even say (if one had been drinking a bit) The Jewel in the Flatbushian Crown, but it’s pretty legit to describe it as Prospect Park South because that is a circumscribed historic district (within the glorious realm of Greater Flatbush).
Seems like just a few years ago that folks were SHOCKED the first time a PPS house was listed for $1 million or over. These mansions were actually quite undervalued for many years, then reality caught up. Now after the boom I guess it’s catching up again, the other way. I’ve never been inside on the tour, but the exterior is kind of curious even by the eclectic standards of PPS: a sort of chalky, blank “expression” on its neo-Classical face, not quite the same vibe as any other house down there. For some reason, it reminds me of the old Colonial Hotel (now renamed something else, I believe) in Cape May, NJ.
remember that house about half this size that sold for 1.2M, to that couple with the chinese daughter – its was a NYT & brownstoner write up. this house is way bigger & in that same hood. granted prices have dropped but i still think this will go for at least 1.5. Ebinger bakery house is “in contract” with an ask of 1.599M.
Prospect Park South is architecturally and planning-wise rather different from the rest of the Victorian Flatbush neighborhoods and is designated as such by LPC. Pretty much the whole area was laid out by Alvord along different planning ideals than other parts of Flatbush.