This Spuds for You: ASPCA
Teardown of the Day: Living Well in Westchester
Wind Turbines in NYC: Treehugger
Eco Friendly Open Fireplace: Enviro Gadget
This Old (Brooklyn) House Webcam
Reuse. Rehabilitate. Restore. Architectural salvage and repurposed pieces for the home.
This Spuds for You: ASPCA
Teardown of the Day: Living Well in Westchester
Wind Turbines in NYC: Treehugger
Eco Friendly Open Fireplace: Enviro Gadget
This Old (Brooklyn) House Webcam
Artist James Westwater, who does the Plywood Chateaux, has created a “Homeless Chateau”. I thought it might be insulting to the homeless and their advocates to write this post the same day I link to the story of a homeless teen. The Homeless Chateau is, at the moment, a work of art and not an actual shelter. It’s conceivable though, that it could be used for the homeless.
I asked James if this is just art for art’s sake. Here’s his response:
“The main question I have always had, and was recently raised by a blogger on Core77, is should I do this “for real.” He seems to think yes. But according to Kevin–The Homeless Guy–Barbieux, (sort of a technical adviser on the project) the issue is not finding people to design and build solo shelters, but convincing municipalities to allow them.
The Homeless Chateau is conceived as an indoor shelter, so, in theory, just needs a willing landlord with an unused space. On the other other hand, this could be tough sell, due to the mental illness, alcoholism and other chemical dependencies that often accompany homelessness, not to mention fire regulations and such.”
I asked if proceeds of his sales would go to the homeless and his reply was “Proceeds? That would imply sales, darling.” Ok, fair enough.
Homeless Chateau, 2008, is a prefab one person living module, measuring approximately 4 x 8 x 4 feet and made from FSC certified and recycled materials. It can be knocked down, transported flat, and erected once again with just a screwdriver. It’s fully self-contained, including a bed, cooking facilities and a toilet . I believe that porta-potty has been recycled from the renovation of James’ home.
“Beacon Artist” is the spankin’ brand new Westwater blog.
I check my Craig’s every morning looking for that Basquiat someone is selling for $15. There’s always some funny stuff listed, like waterlogged cigarettes or half used soap. But today I saw something that I just had to pass along.
It’s real estate in Putnam Valley, listed under “general”. $1600 will buy you and your loved one your eternal resting place. Yes, my friends, you can now buy cemetery plots on Craigs. Act now…it’s discounted!
A renovated single family home in Brooklyn for $299k? Wow! Oh wait, the renovation is crap and the house is in Staten Island. BTW, could you take worse pictures? What’s with the side shot of the house and what is that guy doing?? Come on….at least TRY.
3 Family in Ozone Park for….oops…no price! Hey buddy, I wouldn’t advertise the fact that the bathroom is located right off the kitchen. People are gonna find out, sure, but you wanna get them in there. Ad says “House is semi detach (windows all around the house)”. I’m still trying to figure out where the windows are on the attached part.
Ooh, you know I only like to make fun of brokers. And I don’t like to mock people just because English is their second language. But I can’t resist this one. Listed as a 3 BR.
“i have apartment with 2 1/2 bed room, hard wood floors, owner is looking for working family. with proof of job. sec-8 with 2 bed room voucher can be considered. no brokers. Ralph ave at pechen ave”
I’ll just say this. I believe the location to be Ralph at Patchen Avenue. I don’t know of a Pechen Ave in Brooklyn. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Wanna be a subcontractor on multi million dollar projects for the big boys? Better brush up on your LEED. As green building becomes more mainstream, the mega construction companies are looking to work with subcontractors who can comply with LEED requirements, according to New York Construction.
Some of the subcontractors, like the project manager from Strocchia Iron Works of Brooklyn, went the extra mile to become LEED certified. The main contractors are more apt to hire LEED knowledgeable subs for a number of obvious reasons. One, being their bids are usually more accurate. They are more familiar with the specified materials and where to purchase them.
Bovis is building the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center, which seeks LEED-gold certification. They are making sure their job is easier by hiring subs that they feel “know their green”, especially its waste removal company and concrete supplier.
Skanska decided to manage much of the documentation and debris recycling for their subs. A current project, Corona Maintenance Shop & Car Washer Facility for New York City Transit Authority, achieved LEED certification. It collects rainwater to clean the cars and generates power through solar and fuel cell systems.
All this is good news for the environment.
Ok, I might have been dreaming this morning, but I could have sworn I heard on two news channels that Astroland is being eyed by the Aussies. Now I can’t find any info online (I’m writing this at 6:44am). I don’t remember if the report was that the Australians are already in negotiations or merely showing interest, but they want to (or have already) purchase(d) the rides and will be moving them Down Under.
This just a few days after The NY Post reported that the city may be interested in the property.
Guess I’ll have more info later, but I just wanted to say “You heard it here first!”
Either that, or I’ve been hallucinating again.
** UPDATE: Ah-ha! I wasn’t dreaming!
We haven’t talked real estate in awhile. I got bored with it since the bubble burst. But I was just reading in the NY Times that FSBO’s are on the rise since sellers need that extra cash in their pockets.
So I thought we’d take a look at some For Sale By Owner listings. Some good. Some bad.
2 BR condo in Jersey City for $679K. This is how it should be done, kids. They have their own website. Check. Which I found from their FEATURED listing on ForSaleByOwner. Check. Good photos. Check. They’re doing open houses. Check. All the info is right there clear as day. Taxes, maintenance. They’ve done a better job than most realtors. Good for them!
The seller has the right idea here, but since she doesn’t have her own website, I’m taking some points off. This is $589K for a Park Slope 1 BR condo or coop. Not specified. But here’s what I like. She lists incentives. Owner will pay for closing plus $5000. She also says she’s negotiable. It’s clear she wants to sell, not just stick her toe in the water. Some more points off for the nice, but too small photos. So maybe a B, B-?
This single family in the W. 70’s is listed at $16M, but only because that’s the limit on the For Sale By Owner website. The actual price, if you read further, is $25M.
But that’s not what bothers me. Can you guess my peeve is? Well, there are a couple.
1. No realtors allowed to call. Why not? Would it kill them to share a commission if a broker brought in the sale? As my mother would say “You’re cutting off your nose to spite your face.”
2. The photography! This is a $25M home and you have the nerve to upload inferior snapshots? There’s not even an exterior shot! Hel-lo?
It’s obvious this is a lovely home, but I’m not sure if buyers in this price range are exploring ForSaleByOwner. Why can’t this seller put some more effort into the listing? There’s no excuse. Even if they are nearing foreclosure. Hell, ESPECIALLY if they’re nearing foreclosure. Then this thing needs to sell ASAP. And this is just a shoddy posting.
Ok, at least they took an exterior shot. I don’t get this one. $2M in Jersey City? I’m not too familiar with JC real estate, but I know that prime Park Slope brownstones have dropped to around $2M, so why is Path train New Jersey more expensive? And let’s say JC is indeed this pricey. This is a cheesy renovation (if it’s renovated at all). From the high gloss floors to the Home Depot fixtures….no. Just….no.
It’s been awhile since I looked at real estate. I was curious to see how much home prices have dropped since the bubble burst. I didn’t find any real bargains out there.
$299k: Bed Stuy, Brooklyn
Ok, so granted Madison between Malcolm X and Patchen is not the best block in Bed Stuy. But it’s $299k. And that funky fireplace is awesome!
$428k: Richmond Hill, Queens
Even though this is vinyl or aluminum. Even though it has a fugly front addition. Even though the bedrooms are carpeted. Even though I have no idea where Richmond Hill is. This house is pink. And pink homes rock.
$495k: South Bronx
Listed as a “Browns Stone”. This is a one family that can probably be converted to two. Original details, nice back yard. This is sooo up my alley.
In Manhattan, it’s the usual small coops for under $500k.
There were some homes in Staten Island, sure, but SI is on my shit list. Here’s a fun fact: Staten Island was the only borough that went red during this election. They also went for Bush in 2004. And they wonder why we alienate them.
**Archive. Originally posted October 26, 2007.
1993
I put a bunch of old friends to work for me so I can come up with a quickie post for today. This is a completely unscientific survey of native New Yorkers from all 5 boroughs. They are all close to my age (early 40’s).
These were the questions asked:
1. Best affordable neighborhood
2. Where would you live if you could afford any nabe?
3. Favorite restaurant
4. Old NYC or Gentrified?
5. Best weekend getaway
6. Best kept NYC secretContinue reading Native New Yorkers Surveyed
**Archive. Originally posted November 29, 2007.
Call it what you want. Raised Ranch. Split Level. Bi-Level. Splanch. Nothing is going to make this type of architecture any less hideous. I mean, who thought this was a good idea?
Actually, historians credit Frank Lloyd Wright as the inventor of the split level. No doubt Mr. Wright has been turning in his grave since vinyl siding and shutters started showing up on these homes.Continue reading Updating Raised Ranches
I didn’t make it to Astroland to say goodbye.
My relationship with Coney Island dates back to the womb. My parents took me there as a child and their parents took them. I’m old enough to remember the laughing lady in The Fun House, The Bob Sled, Jumbo Jet, Tornado and Thunderbolt before they shut down. My favorite ride was the Water Flume though. Not too scary.
My family moved to Brightwater Towers on Surf Avenue during my senior year in high school. It was a bit of a schlep to get anywhere from the farthest end of Brooklyn, but I soon gathered that living in Coney was worth it. From my window, I could hear the sea lions at the aquarium and the screams from The Cyclone. When friends came to visit, we would go to Nathan’s, ride the bumper cars or The Cyclone. If we weren’t up for that (and what teenager isn’t?) we would go to the beach or grab a couple of knishes along the boardwalk.
Flea markets lined Surf Avenue during the 80’s and into the 90’s. I got THE-BEST vintage clothing from these stalls. I bought sixties dresses and suits from the forties for two bucks a pop. There were furniture and tschotska vendors as well.
During my photo school years, Coney Island and Brighton Beach were my favorite places to shoot. And they still are. I loved the crowds in the summer, but more so, I loved the desolate look of the area in the winter. If I got out of my apartment early enough on a winter weekday, I would be the only one around in the crumbling amusement park.
Coney Island will always be around. It’s just Astroland that has closed. The Cyclone, *Wonder Wheel and *Parachute Jump are historic landmarks, so they are safe from demolition. Supposedly. (* Not part of Astroland) I’d imagine that the area will change dramatically though. Will Insectavora and Donny Vomit still be welcome? What about the drag queen mermaids? I’m sure nobody is going to mess with The Polar Bears though. Let ’em try.
Fun fact: Fred Trump (Donald’s dad) bought Coney Island’s Steeplechase Park property during the 1960’s with plans to develop luxury apartments. Due to legal issues, he was never able to develop. Perhaps Thor will have the same headaches?
The -probably too late- petition to save Astroland.
I know my readers are waaay too smart to fall for scams, but it baffles me that anyone in this day and age actually does take the bait. I mean, where are these people from? Alaska? Here are some Craig alerts:
$1 SCAM SCAM SCAM
I like this one: “Reads as if Borat was at the keyboard.” How are they causing problems? You actually went along with it? Ignore these people and they’ll go away!
The people claiming that they are Mr. and Mrs. Harper who just moved to England and are renting their place in Brooklyn are not for real. They will send you very very poorly written emails, which read as if Borat was at the keyboard and an image of a Florida drivers license with a picture of a completely ridiculous man who kind of looks like he just crawled out of a mid-80’s pickup. Don’t even bother with these people, everything is phony and they are doing nothing but causing problems for everyone.
Mr & Mrs Watson: Chelsea
Yeah, do not send that payment to Africa! Show me the one person who did. I’ll knock them upside the head.
they will tell you they have this really nice apartment somewhere in nyc that is furnished and maybe even send you pictures, etc. they say they are missionaries but ARE NOT. THEY WANT YOU TO SEND YOUR PAYMENT TO THEM IN AFRICA BUT DO NOT DO IT.
THEY ARE SCAM ARTISTS.
HERE IS THEIR EMAIL:
billjesus1234@gmail.com
and
mrswatson2@gmail.com
$900 Chelsea
Lookit, this guy has a whole organization! He’s a Jew for Jesus. American. Weird, because the posting reads as if it’s a non English speaking writer. Does Herschel the Missionary know that Herschel the Scammer is using his name? You need to send a deposit before you can view the apartment. Yeah, ok. And since it’s 6 hours ahead, you may call any time. So if I called at 9pm my time, that’s ok?
Hello once again i am HERSCHEL ROTHCHILD I own the 1 bedroom apartment on 45 Gramercy Park North New York NY 10010 and i also want you to know that it was due to my transfer that makes me and my family to leave the house and also want to giveit out for rent we are looking for a responsible person that can take very good care of it as if it were his/her own,we are not after the money for the rent but we want it to be clean at all time and the person that will rent it to take it as if it were his/her own,You can check me on my organization website www.therothchilds.org
A). Pay US$900 deposit and have the keys, Rent Application form and insurance shipped to your address as soon as to be able to view and have the rent application, you balance US$1,800 for the remaining month Or.
B). Pay for the shipping of the keys,insurance and the rent application through FedEx Courier Service which is US$180.00,which after 3 month rent will be paid on monthly.
please dial as seen on the screen (0092348030490560) The time zone difference is 6hrs ahead,you can also call any time.
I personally will actually come visiting you at December as our new tenant.Looking forward to hear from you with all this details so that i can have it in my file in case of issuing the receipt for you and contacting you.Await your urgent reply so that we can discuss on how to get the documents and the keys of the house to you.Since you have indicated interest now, my wife and I have decided to remove the ad from craigslist. Call me now on (009234808030490560) to indicate your 100% interest and seriousness.
NOTE THAT THE KEYS WILL BE SENT TO YOU VIA FEDEX TO YOUR PERSONAL HOME ADDRESS ,YOU AS THE TENANT WILL PAY FOR THE SHIPPING COST OF THE KEY TO YOU.As a man of God please I am giving you all this base on trust and again i will want you to stick to you words.
$475: Room in Brooklyn Castle
Wait…this guy actually HAD an apartment to rent?! Wow. I’m impressed.
This guy stole $1500 and threw me out on the street after 2 weeks in the apartment. Write to me if you want the whole horrible story. Don’t take a chance — as usual on Craigslist — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. I believe he did the same thing to the woman before me. I’ve reported the listing to abuse@craigslistorg.
Bogus Renters/Bogus Landlords
Who is the scammer here? The bogus renter or the realtor using fear tactics to ensure those commissions keep coming?
Here’s the latest true happening in Westchester: Bogus renters view vacant properties and manage to leave the back door open. They then actually advertise the properties on Craig’s list as brokers, offer access through back door, and attempt to secure first and last month’s rent from unsuspecting potential renters. The police have been notified and all is being investigated. In the meantime, it would be wise to work with a licensed Realtor.
Most customers beleive it is a waste of money, yet establishing a qualified tenant and/or landlord, Realtors ensure that the transactions which involve legal and binding contracts, qualifying tenants/landlords, working with management companies, researching properties & hours of driving with these gas prices is our job. However, the respect for “Real Estate Agent/Broker” is miscontrued in many ways and not recognized as a Professional entity by people, mainly because of the scams that are going on which are allowed because properties and transactions should be handled through a reputable, licensed Realtor.
Hmm, this started out as a serious real estate post but I found some fun listing mistakes that I needed to share.
Award for spelling goes to:
Beaytifyl Brownstone on Hancock
I don’t get it. The rest of the listing is fine. Was this a joke?
Runner up:
Semi Detuched Walkin Apartment
And another thing: How is it even possible to take blurry photos these day? Enlighten me.
Creepy Photo Award
“Mr. and Mrs. Mouse were bludgeoned to death while lying in their beds. The bodies of the young couple were discovered by a neighbor. ”
Get A Clue Award
“TWO BEDRROOM APARTMEN ON 2ND FLOR.PARKET FLORS , EXTRA LARGE KITCHEN, ALL TILE BATHROOM.HEAT INCLUDENT.”
I know, I know. I shouldn’t make fun. It’s an ESL person or someone who is kind of dim. But here’s the thing…If you can post an ad on Craigs, why can’t you figure out the spell check??
This breathtaking mansion is sooo last week! But I didn’t spot it in The NY Times until this week so forgive me and my “old news” post.
I must’ve looked at the slide show a dozen times. Tears came to my eyes. I think I am in love. Both with the house and that cute old guy (Sorry, Pops) who looks like he’d feel just as much at home in a Florida condo. Hey guy, my mom is available!
The Astoria villa is on the market for $4mil. I think all of you moochers reading this blog for free should chip in and buy this house for me. My birthday is just around the corner as is the 1st anniversary of this blog. T’would make a lovely gift. Come on, let’s make this happen! Go, me!
But enough talk. Let’s just look at pictures and collectively drool.
He’s petting his pony! How cute is that? Does the telescope mean there’s a skylight for viewing? Oh, stop.
Geez, I was excited to uncover plain white marble mantles in my house. Plain marble, feh!
Ok, this is my favorite thing. If I could just rent out the basement, I’d be happy. A billiard room, a bar….and…a Roman bath. Oh, what cursed fate that I don’t have a Roman bath and pool table in my basement!