211 23rd Street: Livin' La Vida Scarano
When we were discussing the Greenwood Hill Condos on Tuesday, we epressed surprise at the fact that the entire building was comprised of one-bedroom apartments. Not necessarily what you’d imagine the target demographic of the nabe to be. Turns out that developer is not alone in his thinking. Just down the street, the unfinished Scarano…
When we were discussing the Greenwood Hill Condos on Tuesday, we epressed surprise at the fact that the entire building was comprised of one-bedroom apartments. Not necessarily what you’d imagine the target demographic of the nabe to be. Turns out that developer is not alone in his thinking. Just down the street, the unfinished Scarano project at 211 23rd Street is made up of eight studios and one bedrooms as well (two are in contract, six are available). The studios are priced in the mid-$400’s and the priciest one bedroom (a first floor and basement duplex) is $889,000. Browsing the listings, one sees frequent use of the word “mezzanine” — no surprise given the architect involved. It may also not be a surprise to see the DOB website shows an active violation on the books since November 30 of last year. Anyone know what it’s for? We’re sure the locals will be able to fill us in on how this construction process has gone as well.
Available Units [21123Condo.com] GMAP
I do think the prices on these condos sound too high… especially for a studio. But Greenwood Heights/South Park Slope/North Sunset Park, whatever you want to call it, has a lot of advantages. It’s just a short walk to Park Slope, the R train is convenient, the area feels safe, and the services are adequate. I think in a year or two, it could be perfect– just a couple more restaurants, maybe, and a closer place to get good produce than C-Town. And then after that it will probably start to seem a little over-gentrified. The area feels like a natural outgrowth of Park Slope to me, even if the Prospect Expressway is a psychological barrier for some people.
I bought here, in a building that was deemed “ugly” on this site, because I could get 2 bedrooms and outdoor space for what a small studio would have cost me in Park Slope. My building may not be beautiful or high-end, but its scale is pretty contextual and the developer doesn’t seem to have done anything to piss off the neighbors. I look forward to living in the area for a long time.
Prices are what the market will bear, suck it up.
The Boom is back, to those who cannot hack it, consider North Carolina. Onwards and upwards, I say.
This is the new reality, if you can’t afford it, don’t buy. There are plenty who can.
Okay, so people trade up and move along with the market…but a studio or one bedroom is entry level, and who can enter the market at $800,000 for a very nice but not very “hip” area like Sunset Park?
“lots of folks” was moi above…damn TypeKey..hay, Mr. B?!?
“But I can definitely see it’s appeal for teenagers and young adults.”
Yes, but what about those of us “of age” who can barely afford to live here?
Pushing 40., and still love Green-Wood. Phobia’s to the cemetery does and should not dictate the real estate market. LOTS of fold who are drawn to the ‘nabe by the green-space, bird sanctuary, famous NYers, National Historic Landmark status of Green-Wood as a place they want to call home. Regardless of age…
lostinbrooklyn, anon 2:26 PM here. I wasn’t judging the frame by the siding. I’m well aware of movements (interest and prices) within your neck of the woods. There are some great housing stock over there (frame house included). And the last time that I checked, rental interest in that nabe was red-hot.
The cemetary spooks me out a bit though. But I understand that many cemetaries (such as greenwood) were the equivalent of central park and prospect park back in the days (18th and 19th century?.
So I guess I could come to respect and admire the inherent beauty of the cemetary if I lived over there. It’s still a bit morbid for modern day sensibilities and tastes though. But I can definitely see it’s appeal for teenagers and young adults.
MisterCrabs, you can use the dob records or property shark to look up the purchaser of the duplex. Then you can schedule an interview with him, her, them to get to the bottom of the great mystery that lingers in all of our minds collectively.
Or, maybe the nytimes can spare us the agony of being in the dark on this one and do an investigative report of its own. Because we all want to know ‘who are these monied, mystery buyers’ and ‘where are they coming from’.
Nevermind the fact that I’ve been asking this question for the last 3 years.
Is this purchase an anomaly or is it an indication that the market is on its way to spiking upwards again?
Your questions and outrage are valid. And maybe the best decision for you at this time is to rent. Don’t be discouraged, there are always deals (rental or purchase) out there that pop up every now and then. So I would say, keep looking, you just never know what you may find. Rent if you need to.
PSS. “Anonymous at January 11, 2007 2:26 PM”
The developers have already “come a knockin'” and have moved onto Sunset Park.
No flips here babe, unless you do a gut reno and save a tear down, which BTW, are NOT 75% of the housing stock. Don’t judge a book by its cover, nor a frame house by its siding…
“Hello Houston, the Eagle has landed…on 23rd St.”
All I want to know, and fellow Greenwood Hts. folks would too, is when does it take off and to where? The Moon, Mars, Uranus?
Obviously the developer is “spacey” with these prices. I adore my ‘nabe, but this is way to rich for folks around here…or in the Slope, Manhattan, etc. for that matter.
Now all you folks dissin’ the area…yes, we have a mix of housing stock, good and bad. But, we also have a great mix of culture, ethnicity, income levels and just plain people. Viva Greenwood Hts.!
So, I do not welcome Mr. S’s next “weirdo du jour building,” but I am sure who ever can afford these pads will add to the great mix of Greenwood Hts.
“Beam me up, Scotty!”
PS. you CANNOT “jog & picnic” in Green-Wood Cemetery, so don’t believe the hype on the site, yo. Now, the Con-Ed substation, not sure 😉