Watch Out for Falling Objects
We walked out of our house on Sunday morning to find this sight in front of our (all too-close-for-comfort) neighbor’s house. As the photo on the jump shows, a huge chunk of brownstone had fallen off the exterior of a second floor window and crashed on the stoop and sidewalk below. While a little chilling…
We walked out of our house on Sunday morning to find this sight in front of our (all too-close-for-comfort) neighbor’s house. As the photo on the jump shows, a huge chunk of brownstone had fallen off the exterior of a second floor window and crashed on the stoop and sidewalk below. While a little chilling given what could have happened had someone been walking by or entering the building at the time, this incident isn’t too surprising given what kind of shape the landlord keeps the 8-family house in. (You should see the backyard.) This got us thinking about what recourse one has to force a neighbor to fix a hazardous condition like this. In this case, you’re talking about making the guy cough up $50,000-$60,000 for a new brownstone facade. Anyone know?
Nothing says “classy” like blood red ironwork and chunks of freshly fallen architectural details. Must be one of those multi-million-dollar row house blocks in Brooklyn that have become so exclusive and hot.
Oh, for crying out loud, why do we always end up talking about race and AY, here? A 500-pound chunk of crap fell off the guy’s building because of his neglect, and it could have killed a child–of any color. So he should have to fix it! Sheesh.
Yeah, this sounds like the work of someone greedy, not needy. Make the mofo fix it.
ps. I see lot of young black people at open houses in Clinton Hill and fort greene, presumeably wealthy and eager to live in the neighborhood. They may even be moving FROM manhattan.
Something to consider –reverse “gentrification” assuming your definition of gentrification is racially rather than financially based.
The Landmarks Conservancy is a total joke. Their “low interest loans” do not offer good rates and their cost estimates from my experience are off the charts (in my case it was 2-3 times what I probably could have gotten the work done for). So the bottom line is that you have to be rich to afford their “low interest loans”. Thanks for nothing Landmarks Conservancy!
the owner is probably a slum lord :p. i was just bring a different point of view into this discussion.
Armchair Warrior, gentrification is not just affluent white people moving into a neighborhood. It’s affluent black people moving OUT. Both things have to happen for a neighborhood to change all that dramatically. There are many many young black people who grow up in a neighborhood, who DO go to college and have a successful career, who choose NOT to return to the neighborhood they grew up in like Harlem, the Bronx, Bed-Stuy or PLG. Why not start a dialogue within your own community and figure out what you can do to attract the young, affluent black professionals? Oh but then that would have to entail taking responsibility for something and taking action, when you’d rather just sit back and blame white people.
I think we can justifiably call the owner of this multiple dwelling a slum lord. Looks like he/she has not put in any money or effort towards maintenaning the property.
This facade repair may cost more than 80,000 because the architectural elements project out quite far and they will need to be restored “in kind”. DOB will probably also fine the owner for endangering the safety of his tenants and neighbors through his neglect.
I can’t believe there are posters championing the rights of this slum lord. Holy cow! You guys are fighting for the wrong side.
It’s an 8 family house on a landmarked block. If the owner doesn’t have the liquid funds to do the repair, take out a loan. If the owner can’t afford a loan, sell the house and come out on top financially (as I am sure that this place has not be flipped in the past 10 years so it will be worth a heck of a lot more than what the owner originally paid for it).
That’s how people make money on real estate, by selling high. If the inability to make repairs due to the cost forces that action, I do not feel sorry for the owner. The house is worth quite a lot due to the location and landmarking – maintain its integrity and more importantly, its safety, or sell it to someone who will.
racism? haha says the anonymous coward.
I just bring a different point of view vs the same old i agree with everyone post. that permeates through out these post.