House of the Day: 226 Wyckoff Street
It’s not huge, but this townhouse at 226 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill sure is charming. It’s got plenty of original details (which appear to be in good shape) in addition to a newly renovated kitchen. Although it’s a legal two-family, it’s currently configured as a one-family. Clearly the biggest hurdle this place is going…
It’s not huge, but this townhouse at 226 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill sure is charming. It’s got plenty of original details (which appear to be in good shape) in addition to a newly renovated kitchen. Although it’s a legal two-family, it’s currently configured as a one-family. Clearly the biggest hurdle this place is going to have is its proximity to public housing. If that weren’t a factor, the $1,395,000 asking price would seem positively cheap for Boerum Hill.
226 Wyckoff Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
That staircase is beautiful.
I live near this block and know several people who live on it. It’s definitely in Boerum Hill (not Gowanus) and is a great block. Most of the houses on it are this size and are converting to one families. Although it is sandwiched between two housing projects, you don’t feel them as much as, say, you feel them on Bond Street going north towards the subway.
The layout of the house seems a little strangish to me, particularly the basement floor. Five bedrooms? Unless some of your family are Little People, that might be 3 bedrooms and a couple of offices or really big closets. Not sure what you would do with the basement “living/dining room” with the extra kitchen.
Let’s be very clear here: The issue is perception at resale time. It’s a great little house, in a good location, in most likely a safe area.
But there is no doubt that the projects are going to eliminate a big group of potential buyers (racists all!), hence the discount to what I think this house would sell for a few blocks north. It is hardly racist to point out the obvious, as other posters pointed out.
I have lived across from, and next to, housing projects. Some are better than others, and I haven’t necessarily felt safer when I didn’t live near them.
“I’m happy there are people in this world who are open enough that they are willing to spend good money for a nice house, even though it happens to be near a housing project.”
Posted by: 11217 at January 25, 2010 6:01 PM
AMEN!
Maybe I should stop posting negative opinions about living too close to PJs. Afterall, as the neighborhood near PJs impove (as they have), the PJs themselves will improve (as I’ve heard they have). If I post with an eye toward influencing the public, I can help shape societal development and sway demographic swings!
But no one listens to me anyway… I’m just a pigeon.
Fair enough. I don’t mean to pick on you today, Pigeon.
It’s just that every time a house comes up in Boreum Hill we have this same discussion about the projects.
I am quite familiar with these particular projects and I feel much safer walking down the blocks surrounding these than I do on Franklin or Clausson Avenues.
As I said…it’s about quality of life and safety…not the projects themselves. To just see a project and automatically say, uh no is bordering on racist (I’m not saying you did this, just saying in general).
I’m happy there are people in this world who are open enough that they are willing to spend good money for a nice house, even though it happens to be near a housing project.
11217,
I offered my opinion.
It is not an expert opinion.
BTW, I used to live on Douglass and Court (in Cobble Hill, just a block or two from some of the subject PJs).
And I used to live on Sackett and Smith (Carroll Gardens).
So, I’m not completely ill-informed.
But still, I do not claim to be an expert.
About Park Slope, you are correct, I knew very little about it until a couple months ago. Now I know just a little about it.
We are all classist, to some extent, if by classist you mean we would rather live luxuriously. If by classist you mean we think less of lower-income people, then most of us are not classist.
And, 11217, if there were PJs on each end of your block, your home would not have a “Greenmarket, 2 coffee shops within steps, 10 restaurants within a 60 second walk.” It is no coincidence you live where you live, and I don’t blame you one bit for living where you live. It is a beautiful neighborhood with beautiful architecture and great services.
Let me be clear: the vast majority of people who live in PJs are fine people. I love all kinds of people. I, similar to most people, do not desire to live in all neighborhoods, though. Am I being too honest for y’all?
Defining the pros and cons of real estate… and what determines pricing… is largely what this site is about. Are PJs a white elephant to some of you?
You don’t live in Brooklyn, didn’t know a thing about Park Slope until a couple months ago when you asked Bob Marvin and I about it, yet you are MORE than willing to give us your expert opinion on this area of Boreum Hill, where I live and the rest.
How generous of you.
Petebklyn,
You’re confusing me with another poster. It was Bhillguy who wrote that.
I don’t even live in Bklyn!
🙂