Two Rental Buildings to Replace "Berserk Eclectic" House at 111 Clarkson

Last night, developer Seth Brown from Aspen Equities presented his plans for 111 Clarkson Avenue to neighbors at a meeting in a house on the block. He plans to demolish the crumbling “berserk-eclectic” Victorian house there and build two seven-story rental buildings in its place. He said that he would have loved to save the house, but it had become too decrepit and structurally unsound. “It has essentially been wet for 30 years,” Brown said. However, the details, like the windows and staircase, have been removed by an architectural salvage company.

Brown didn’t show any pictures, but described his plans: The 70-foot buildings will have 22 and 28 units each, and there will be a parking lot with 25 spaces between the two buildings. Both buildings will extend to the property line on either side of the 50 by 242 foot lot, with a driveway on each side of the lot, allowing for parking lot access from Clarkson and Parkside Avenues. Architect Joseph Spector will design the rentals, which will be mostly one- and one-plus bedrooms with a few two- and three-bedroom apartments mixed in. Most units will have balconies, and there will be a washer/dryer in each apartment. Both buildings will have an elevator and roof terrace.

Aspen Equities filed an application for a demo permit in December. A crew should begin taking down the 116-year-old house within the next month, as soon as the DOB issues a permit. Construction should begin by the summer and finish in a year, Brown said.

111 Clarkson Avenue Coverage [Brownstoner]