Brownstone Archives - reclaimedhome.com

Bed Stuy East Tour

June 27, 2014 RH

Wouldn’t you prefer to meet people while learning about history rather than hanging out on the beach this weekend? Then get thee over to Bed Stuy tomorrow for a guided tour lead by Suzanne Spellen and Morgan Munsey!

Tickets are $20. Here’s the full blurb…

“The 19th century Eastern District of Brooklyn encompassed parts of modern day Bedford Stuyvesant, East Williamsburg and Bushwick. The Bedford Stuyvesant end of the community started out as farmland, then became a suburban enclave of large houses, all built for wealthy German-Americans who called this entire area home. Later 19th century development brought row houses and apartment buildings and some very important and impressive churches and civic institutions, including the original home of St. John’s University. Join tour guides Suzanne Spellen, writer and architectural historian, aka columnist “Montrose Morris” on Brownstoner.com, and Morgan Munsey, architect, historian, and expert on the architecture of Bedford Stuyvesant for a look at this development, the great architecture, and the history of the neighborhood then and now. For too many years, this part of Brooklyn has been neglected and forgotten, but no more. Join us for a re-discovery of this part of the Eastern District.”

Bed Stuy 3BR Duplex for Rent

May 12, 2014 RH

Our tenant is buying a house! That means our upstairs apartment is available. Who wants to live with the coolest landlords evah? Available mid June or July 1st. $3200.

The Neighborhood

The home is located in the south west end of Bed Stuy. This means the A train express stop at Nostrand Avenue is only a block away! Foodtown at Restoration Plaza is a decent supermarket and there are a few smaller groceries around as well. There are 3 wine shops within walking distance and some great restaurants, cafes and vintage shops, although we won’t lie….the neighborhood can use some more restaurants. The YMCA on Bedford is pretty awesome and we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Planet Fitness to open up right around the corner on Fulton Street.

Bed Stuy consists of treelined brownstone streets and super friendly people. Meaning, you should get to know your neighbors if you want to make the most of it here.

The Apartment

The upper duplex was renovated in 2006 and will be updated again in early June. The apartment is currently full of boxes as the tenant is moving at the end of the month, so these photos may differ a bit from what it looks like at the moment as they were shot awhile ago.

The main entrance is on the parlor level and your private entrance is upstairs. The third floor has high ceilings, 2 marble mantels, original shutters and of course, hardwood floors.

The galley kitchen features a hand painted antique tile backsplash on one side and tin on the other. Stainless refrigerator and dishwasher, plus over the stove microwave. Floors are tumbled marble.

To one side of the kitchen is a large L shaped living room. You have the option to use the separate room on the opposite side of the kitchen as a formal dining room or a third bedroom. There is a full bath with clawfoot tub located in this room.

There are two bedrooms and a full bath upstairs with a walk in shower and washer/dryer. This level has 3 skylights, but the ceilings are lower.

The apartment has zoned heating, which means you control it, we pay for it.

The House

We bought the 4 story brownstone in 2005. We fell in love with it because it retained so much detail but we knew we had a lot of work ahead of us to restore it back to it’s former glory. We had done some extreme DIY renovations in our day, but this was by far the biggest project we ever took on! It took us 9 months just to finish the duplex. This involved running new plumbing, heating and electric as well as restoring the walls, flooring and woodwork.

We live in the lower duplex with our menagerie. They wake us up at 5am and we’re falling asleep by 9pm. Pets are welcome, but smokers are not. Sorry.

$3200 per month plus stove gas and electric.

**Disclosure: Owner is a licensed real estate agent. This is a no fee apartment.

Brooklyn Back in the Day: 1870-1930

April 30, 2014 RH

Have you ever said to yourself “I wish I knew more about the history of Brooklyn architecture?” Well, here’s your chance! If you’re available tomorrow night, then do attend this free illustrated lecture by Suzanne Spellen a.k.a. “Montrose Morris”. If you don’t know who the real Montrose Morris is, then all the more reason to go to this event.

From the flyer: “Brooklyn was one of the great cities of 19th Century America. Fortunes of all kinds were being made in this vibrant metropolis, fueled by the talents and hard work of it’s vibrant citizens. In response, her streets were ringing with the sounds of hammers and saws as entire neighborhoods sprang up, and were settled in the space of decades. The real estate developers who saw opportunity everywhere and the talented architects they employed to create beauty and profit in brick and stone, created an architecturally rich city that has endured. There were dozens of great architects working exclusively in Brooklyn between 1870-1930. This lecture will focus on the best of the best, and take a look at their lives, their work, and their legacy. The times they lived in, and how society and technology shaped their work will also be explored. The authors of Brooklyn’s fine streetscapes will be anonymous no longer.”

Suzanne Spellen is an architectural writer, researcher and preservationist who spent 30 years in Crown Heights and Bed Stuy. She currently lives in historic Troy, NY where she maintains a blog named “Spellen of Troy” and she continues to write for Brownstoner under the pen name “Montrose Morris”.

She also happens to be a friend.

More information over at New York Public Library.

Bed Stuy House Tour

October 16, 2013 RH

It’s house tour season! This weekend, come check out my neighborhood. The Brownstoners of Bed Stuy have organized their 35th annual tour for this Saturday, October 19th. What makes Bed Stuy so unique in the old home department is that to date, the homeowners have not done extensive renovations, so all of the original details remain. But hurry up! With gentrification, dumpster diving may become more exciting than house touring for all of you lovers of historic materials.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. It is advised to go with the advance purchase as these events have sold out in the past. No online purchase. Click on the image or link to see where you can purchase tix.

Bed Stuy Landmarks Public Hearing

January 14, 2013 RH

Got some time to spare tomorrow, January 15th? Well, then come on down to the Landmarks Preservation hearing at One Centre Street in Manhattan. The meeting is to be held on the 9th floor from 10:30-12:00.

It should prove to be interesting as preacher Johnny Ray Youngblood is set to protest. Word around the neighborhood is that he’ll be busing people in who do not live in Bed Stuy, just to make his voice heard.

Why protest something that is in the best interest of the neighborhood and the city? Money. There are some old timers who are under the impression that having to go by Landmarks rules and doing things in a historically correct manner will be unaffordable. Yeah, there are grants to be had from Landmarks. No, they don’t force you to spend money you don’t have. Perhaps these folks will actually listen to the truth at the meeting. Or perhaps they just want to stir the pot.

Anyway, Team Landmark can use your help. No, you do not have to live in Bed Stuy to show your support. If Johnny Ray can bring people in from other areas, we only want to keep it fair by doing the same.

So, see you tomorrow?

Bed Stuy House Tour

October 19, 2012 RH

Bed Stuy has some of the most beautiful brownstones in Brooklyn. You can walk around and see for yourself any day of the year or you can have a peek into some of these glorious homes tomorrow during the 34th Annual Brownstoners of Bed Stuy House Tour.

The self guided tour starts at 11am sharp. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 tomorrow. Click here to find out more details. Meet at the Old Boy’s High School on Marcy and Putnam. It’s simple to get to. The A or C train to Nostrand. Walk north a few blocks to Putnam, hang a right.

Have fun!

The House on Macon Street

October 10, 2012 RH

The house had been sitting empty since the fire in 2003. It always seemed so crazy that a once majestic home was allowed to deteriorate while real estate in this pocket of Bed Stuy has remained tight.

I heard that it was going up for auction. First I saw the “suits” meeting out front. Then came the rubbish removal truck. I knew something was going down.

Today I weaseled my way into 91 Macon while my neighbor was waiting to let the water company in. He was put in charge for the day, flashlight and all. Since I’m a licensed real estate agent and it IS officially on the market, it wasn’t verboten even though I felt like I was trespassing.

So here’s how crazy real estate in Brooklyn is. They are asking $900k as is. Word on the street is that they intend to renovate but leave any detail that’s there (Praise God) and that price will be $1.5m. Public record shows that they purchased it at auction for $600k a few months ago. That’s a hefty profit although not quite the $300k it may look like. Perhaps there were other liens and taxes, clean up costs, legalizing “stuff”, getting rid of squatters or dead bodies…

In any case, high for Bed Stuy? Homes in the area have been hitting over a million. Although $900k seems steep, $800’s seems almost fair. It’s 4000 square feet. I’m gonna predict they either get $850k as is, $1.1 on a crappy flip or $1.3 on a nice restoration.

Incredible Brownstone: $675k

July 26, 2012 RH 1 Comment

Head’s up! Anyone looking for an inexpensive (relatively speaking) brownstone in an up and coming area of Brooklyn? Before I tell you about the house that’s available, check out Reno Dakota’s (yes, like the song) full Victorian restoration (above). Yes, someone actually lives like that.

Envious? Me too. But what does that ever solve? Do something about it! The house right next door is for sale for a mere $675k, listed with Urban View and hopefully still on the market. It’s got every bit the detail that Reno and Kei’s house has.

My husband said “Let’s sell our house and move there.” I’m tempted but I like my part of southwest Bed Stuy, plus I can’t keep moving every few years. The part of Bed Stuy this home is located in is “Stuyvesant Heights East” near Ocean Hill. It’s clean, quiet and has lovely tree lined streets, but it’s closer to the Bushwick border than Clinton Hill…not that there’s anything wrong with that. The price reflects the eastern location. Homes in the western part of Bed Stuy have been hitting the million mark, so a gorgeous house like this seems like a steal. Plus, it’s getting tougher to find a place with so much detail. Seems like the flippers have gotten to many of them first and ripped out all the beauty.

Personally, if I was in the market for a house in Bed Stuy, I would check this one out ASAP!

The Finish Line

May 22, 2012 RH

The only time we’ve ever finished our renovations have been when we put a house on the market. Well, this time we’re not going anywhere but it’s probably a good idea to finish our own house before taking on the next project.

The thing is that we’ve lived in a construction zone in one house or another for the last 18 years so we are quite used to it. Plus, this place is so close to being done that we tend to forget there’s still work to do.

Nobody ever realllly finishes their renovations anyway, do they?

Here’s the punch list. I don’t have too much faith that we’ll get it done any time soon, but perhaps we can check off a few items.

1. Light fixtures. I keep buying them, but I don’t install them.

2. Paint basement steps.

3. Convert work room into dining room. Ugh. Now that I’m embarking on my first flip, the Reclaimed Home store is going out of business. I now have the task of liquidating my merchandise and crafts. Years of crap to sift through. Then I just move the table and chairs in, right? Nah, we want to take down a wall. Demo in an already finished room.

4. Get rid of pissy cabinet. It was nice while it lasted but we no longer need a sink downstairs. Plus, the cats are peeing on it.

5. Get rid of cats. Only kidding!

6. Molding for window sills. We did the marble and never finished it off.

7. Fireplace screen. It’s not fixed to the mantel and it needs painting. Currently being held up by a table I pulled out of someone’s trash. Classy.

8. Molding in bathroom. We finished that bathroom 5 years ago and still, no molding.

9. Redo stairs from garden to parlor level. Yeah, that’s a job for the stair guy.

10. That damn deck! Ha, it’s going to go another summer before we get to it.

Landmarking Bedford Corners

March 19, 2012 RH

Bedford Stuyvesant is a huge area broken up into a few neighborhoods such as Stuyvesant Heights, Weeksville, Ocean Hill and Bedford. No, Bedford Corners Historic District is not some new name the realtors just came up with. This part of Bed Stuy exhibits some of the finest architecture in the city but it does need to be preserved.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will be answering questions and discussing the landmarking process of Bedford Corners Historic District this Wednesday, March 21st. This meeting is said to be the deciding factor as to whether or not the area will be receive landmark designation. The community is urged to come out and show it’s support.

If you live in the south west end of Bed Stuy, please join us at the meeting on Wednesday at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, lower level. 6:30pm.

Let’s Talk Gardens

April 27, 2011 RH 4 Comments

Let me be clear. I’m a DIY chick, but there are certain areas where I lack skills. I don’t cook. I don’t sew. And I don’t do gardening. This Spring I’m all about planning the parlor floor deck so we can hang out upstairs and watch the pets spread their feces around the yard.

I don’t know if it’s because I realize the deck won’t actually get built until 2020 or if most of the interior renovation is done and I’m getting bored, but I’m jonesing for a nice garden this year. I did get inspired by some photos (below) on Brownstone Brooklyn Garden District‘s Facebook page. Aren’t they gorgeous? Most were done by professionals, but this control freak needs to design it herself and play in the dirt.

When we first bought the house and I saw the lovely astroturf on the fence, I immediately envisioned a 1950’s kitsch back yard with pink flamingos, garden gnomes and string lights. Now that I’m working on this masterpiece deck, I know it’s not gonna match the tacky yard.

I’m thinking something more grown up. I love every single one of these photos. Between the pets and my black thumb, the less maintenance the better. Sooo, what should I do? *Also, if you wanna come over and help, there would be beer and pizza in it for you.

Replacement Windows

March 23, 2011 RH 15 Comments

Oy, we knew window replacements would be a pricey pain the arse, but we thought we would get away with 2 quotes tops and be on our way to setting up the next project.

The windows in our brownstone are those horrible 1980’s vinyl type. This winter felt like we left them wide open. They are DRAFT-TEE!

Ok, so here’s what we learned about historic-but-not-landmarked windows.

There are two ways to install new windows: Replacement or Brick to Brick. Now, replacement (which is what the vinyl are) would be dead easy and really inexpensive, but there’s no point replacing crap with crap.

Brick to brick is the way to go. Why? Because the installer takes out the entire frame and insulates the empty pockets where the window workings once were. Right now, that is what is creating the draft more than the actual windows. An added bonus is that the window will be a few inches larger and look much nicer. More window, less clad.

Fine. Unfortunately, our windows aren’t straight rectangles. They have a lovely eyebrow at the top. Yes, it’s lovely. But it also means we need custom windows if we want to go back to the original look. Which we do. They will be wood and they will cost anywhere from $2000-$5000 apiece depending on the window location (they vary in size) and who’s doing the quote. That is x 7 not including the rear windows.

The rear windows are pretty straightforward and there are no shutter pockets, so it looks like we can get away with replacements. Aluminum or fiberglass is better than vinyl. They can be made with a wood veneer interior to match the front windows.

And what about window manufacturers? Marvin is top of the line and pretty much one of the only companies we can use because of our silly-shaped historic windows.

Kolbe supposedly makes a nice product, not as expensive as Marvin. People seem to poo-poo Pella and Anderson. Pella has a more modern look to them anyway.

The window guy who’s coming to do a quote later today was talking about LePage Windows. The Canadian company does custom windows that are less expensive than Marvin. Website looks promising and I’m especially loving the French casement design (pictured above) that won’t work in a brownstone.

Finally, the installation matters as much as or more than the windows. You can have the finest quality window in the world. But it ain’t gonna keep you warm if it’s not tight in the frame.

So, there’s your Windows 101. More to follow when we actually buy and install said windows.

Historic Bed Stuy Architecture Snappies

October 18, 2010 RH 1 Comment

Much enjoyed touring my own area of Bed Stuy yesterday with Andrew Dolkart, Brownstoner’s “Montrose Morris” and Save Bedford Stuyvesant‘s “Amzi Hill”. Since I didn’t take notes, I’m just posting some pics and referring you to the links above for your own research. Because I’m lazy that way.

Or…perhaps some kind reader will comment on what we’re looking at. 🙂

Full Flickr set.

Historic Bed Stuy Walking Tour

October 14, 2010 RH 2 Comments

Come see why I love my neighborhood so much! Bed Stuy is HU-UGE! This area is the proposed “Bedford Corners Historic District” aka “My Neck of the Woods”.

Crown Heights North House Tour

September 30, 2010 RH

The 4th annual Crown Heights North house tour is this Saturday, October 2nd. There are 8 houses and two churches this year. A St. Marks Avenue mansion that most people thought was unsalvageable will be included. It’s still a work in progress and the committee promises it is spectacular. Other fab homes include the double duplex Kinko house, an American classic Colonial Revival, a new house that rose in an old shell, plus more.

Meet at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, at 991 St. Johns Place, on the corner of Brooklyn Avenue. Representatives of various city agencies and local non-profit groups will be on hand to answer questions. There will also be local vendors selling crafts, art, books, and other products.

The Tour kicks off at 10:00 am with a welcoming ceremony. The self guided tour commences from 11-4pm, rain or shine.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Tickets will be on sale at Barbara’s Flowers, 615 Nostrand Avenue, Brownstone Books, 409 Lewis Avenue and online.

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