August 2005: Going Down Memory Lane

August 1, 2005: This is my first experience with having a brownstone stripped. The job was started on August 1, 2005 and ended on December 9, 2006.

My neighbor and I received pretty large grants from NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to strip our houses.

Caption: This is the 1934 Tax Photo of the house on Sterling Street.
It looks as it did in 1899, when the house was built.

Caption: The house was painted in the 1980's.

Caption: This is a 2006 photo of the house on Sterling Street.
Its been restored to look as it did in 1899.

New Condos Come to PLG

Formerly an abandoned building, 411 Rogers Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Garden has been turned into a six-unit condo building. When I spoke to Alyssa Morris, a Corcoran agent, she said that only three of the six units were available for showing.

For $375, 000 (common charge: $269), you can get Unit 2, a two bedroom, one bathroom duplex with access to your half of the manicured private garden. Unit 4, a two bedroom, is going for $350,000 (common charge: $227). Unit 6, a 2 bedroom, is going for $365,000 (common charge: $269) and includes access to the roof deck.

According to Corcoran's website, "There are six new residential homes set up as duplexes with private gardens for entertaining and outdoor leisure, as well as 2-bedroom floor-through apartments-- some with private roof decks for those ring-side firework views."

When I visited 411 Rogers Avenue last weekend, I saw two duplex apartments that share the backyard. The first level of the duplexes is in the cellar, which is small and kind of cramped. The other four apartments are relaid single units. Also, don't get your hopes up about the roof deck. The roof deck is just an asphalt roof that is not fit to walk on. From the roof you have a nice view of a huge tree in my backyard; so much for seeing fireworks. But with the right plants, and some railings for those evenings you have a couple too many beers with your friends, it could be a cool chill-out space.

Still, in today's market, these units are reasonably priced. The common charges are almost too good to be true. I’d definitely negotiate them down on the asking price of the condo, because there are a few things that will need work.

In general, I thought the rehab was a bit shoddy and they really didn't put too much money into the bathroom or kitchen materials. There was another downside too--the duplexes have one bathroom. Anyway, I'm sure that to someone looking to buy the pros will outweigh the cons. The building is in a great location--just a block and a half from the 2 and 5 trains, and two blocks from Prospect Park and the Botanical Gardens.

Related articles:
1) Condo Conversion on Rogers Ave.
2) Corcoran's listing for 411 Rogers Ave.

New Speed Bump On Lefferts Avenue

Who do we have to sleep with to get our own speed bump?

There's a speed bump going up on Lefferts Avenue between Nostrand and Rogers Avenues. How the hell did they get the city to put one up for them? We at the 100 Sterling Street Block Association (who live a block away) have been pressing the DOT and the city to get us a speed bump for almost a year now. We wrote letters, signed petitions, met with local reps, called community board 9 several times and sent out follow up letters.

Condo Conversion On Rogers Ave.

While browsing through the NY Post's archives on Prospect-Lefferts Garden, I found an article titled "Lefferts All Right." It describes the buzz surrounding the neighborhood, its charm, and its proximity to Manhattan and Prospect Park.

"If you've been listening to the buzz, chances are you've heard that Prospect Lefferts Gardens (or PLG) is the next "it" neighborhood. While not as trendy as nearby Park Slope or Prospect Heights, the area does have its unique charms, including grand Victorian homes and well-tended yards."

What was most interesting about the article was its assertion that "what has truly been missing from this beautiful 'hood is housing stock." It went on to describe how the call for condos has been answered by a huge development called Lefferts South, at 2233 Caton Ave. (Which is technically not in Prospect Gardens.)

"Another condo that has people talking is a six-family house on Rogers Avenue near Lefferts Avenue. Developer Joe Schwartz thinks it has the old-world charm people love about Lefferts Gardens but offers more value than older properties in the area.

The two-bedroom units are 850 square feet with high ceilings, roof and backyard access and hardwood floors, and will be priced around $350,000 to $400,000. The building will open for sales in three to five months."

I blogged about this building last year. They completely gutted this building, which was basically a shell, and restored it back to its original charm. The owner had to restore all the original details on the facade because this six family building sits in the Prospect-Lefferts historical district. He even reconstructed the original front door.

I think this condo conversion is a great addition to that stretch of Rogers Ave. It's busy, but it has a lot of potential.