Architecture 101: Public School That Went Private
How beautiful and majestic is the former P.S. 9 on Sterling Place in Prospect Heights? V-E-R-Y . The Renaissance Revival structure stopped us in our tracks as we strolled by on Vanderbilt the other day. Built in 1887, the building had fallen into severe disrepair by 1989, the year that, gasp!, Forest City Ratner struck…
How beautiful and majestic is the former P.S. 9 on Sterling Place in Prospect Heights? V-E-R-Y . The Renaissance Revival structure stopped us in our tracks as we strolled by on Vanderbilt the other day. Built in 1887, the building had fallen into severe disrepair by 1989, the year that, gasp!, Forest City Ratner struck a deal with the city to convert it into co-op apartments. As part of the conversion, the facade, which is a mix of brownstone, sandstone, terra-cotta and brick, was meticulously restored under the watch of LPC. Nine of the 22 apartments were taken by artists who had been displaced by the Metrotech project. Guess how much the 3,150-square-foot loft cost back in ’89? $500,000. Yowza.
From Classes to Co-ops [NY Times] GMAP
Go Nets!!!
Ratner just doesn’t care about aesthetics when it comes to business. A Times article about AY admitted as much; it said that, looking back, he regrets Metrotech and the target mall being so ugly. So he figured adding Gehry to AY would make it a slam dunk, cement his legacy and be his gift to BK. Some gift, right?
I do believe the price quoted for an apartment in that building back in 1989 was incorrect. I looked at a huge space there back in 1996 and it was only $295,000. I passed on it because of the many issues that accompany a co-op board.
I went to school in the Bronx in Ann Seton Elementary School. Not only was it an amazing (and weird) take on a medieval fortress- but it had some of the most wonderful WPA murals ever painted. I often wonder if they were preserved.They were one of the big influences on my life and desire to be an artist.
I realize to recreate architecture of that quality today would be prohibitively expensive and the aesthetics of architecture have changed, but I have no doubts that much better work could be done. Some years ago the Brooklyn Law College added a new wing to the building on Boerum and Jorelemon. It was beautifully done and creatively designed to work with the surrounding buildings, using traditional brick, limestone and details. The dorm they built on State St. is another successful design- a modern take on older building style. The architect, believe it or not- Frank Gehry.
Such a lovely building. If ONLY, Ratner and his strip mall cohorts could DESIGN & BUILD something with a tenth of the architecutral integrity. Mind you I said a tenth, I know no one would put that much effort into a building today. Why is that? Why are we allowing the Ratners of the world to build an architectural ghetto all around us?
RE: 08:17 PM – I agree the apts didn’t sell for 500K – that would have been way out of line for that market – maybe half that or even less
The NYT article notwithstanding, and Ratner’s list prices, that apartment did not originally sell for $500K–I don’t think anything in the building sold at that level until recently. The most recent apartment that was sold was originally purchased for around $120K, I believe (but is only about 1800 sq. feet). It is a terrific building, although Ratner did a generally crappy initial renovation.
On the note of architecture & education – Anon 4:39 & Crownheights Proud, thank you for making those points. The Education of our children should happen in glorious buildings such as these. My daughter has the privilege of attending private school in a building that is just as architecturally significant and those surroundings have a profound impact on how she sees school and the pride she displays when she talks about school. There is a significant amount of pride to be had in the esthetics of NYC Public School architecture. Wouldn’t that make a great subject to facilitate curriculum for students? Math (engineering) Social Studies (immigration) , Art (influence of architectural styles) and on and on . . . .Just dreaming, but I have to!
RE 03:59 PM – I don’t think you have the sense that these neighborhoods were not what they are now – PH was not the best in those days- but the real point is that the violation of your rights – being forced out of your home – I find it strange that these basic human rights don’t seem to have any meaning to what I assume is a younger generation – even if you are given money it is the power to displace another human being that is appalling and to be the victim of that kind of power.