Co-op Success Story in Bushwick
[nggallery id=”26598″ template=galleryview] The story of 246 Cornelia Street comes to us from photographer and filmmaker Willow Robin. Proud of her building and what’s become of it, she told us the building “is claimed to be the only co-op apartment complex in the Bushwick area.” “Well after its trolleys stopped running, the Bushwick neighborhood was…
[nggallery id=”26598″ template=galleryview]
The story of 246 Cornelia Street comes to us from photographer and filmmaker Willow Robin. Proud of her building and what’s become of it, she told us the building “is claimed to be the only co-op apartment complex in the Bushwick area.” “Well after its trolleys stopped running, the Bushwick neighborhood was one of the areas hardest hit by the city-wide struggle during the 1970s. As parts of Brooklyn, like the Bronx, historically burned around this time, the landlord abandoned this building, leaving tenants to legally obtain it from the city. Seen as one of the city’s experiments in handing over control to tenants, its success has been proven by time; the 246 Cornelia board has met weekly ever sense.” As apartments become available for sale, she says, younger folks are snatching up the properties at what she calls “jaw-dropping prices” — $210,000 for one-bedrooms (that’s for the renovated ones) with $256 a month maintenance. “Those opting out of condo-life have afforded to move here without draining their savings, and learning valuable lessons in hard-work and community building along the way.”
“We” meaning me, Rob, Heather, and likely the majority of people on this site, I mean.
Well, Rob, it sounds like you’re very happy in your current neighborhood and with your current roommate, and that’s important. Enjoy! And no, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with selling stuff people are throwing out. I think it’s enterprising.
It is possible to save money when you are making $200 a week. You just can’t live like we do.
Studio condos under $80,000 exist in Jackson Heights, the Bronx and other places in NYC but not Bushwick.
What do you do for a living, Rob?
NYMag this week says Bushwick is the closest thing to the East Village in the 80s.
I actually think there’s not much point in saving when you make that little vs. cost of living, Rob. The better thing to do would be to figure out how to make more money, or marry it. People act like buying is the end-all, even if what you are buying is 400 square feet in bushwick, which is still a slum.
(BTW, I like Bushwick. But I think up-and-coming is a relative term, and I actually don’t really want to see Bushwick take off, because it’s one of the few relatively safe and affordable places where working families CAN live in Brooklyn, these days.)
But the truth is, prices vs. salaries are completely out of whack right now. One of them has to give.
Still, seriously, dude. You are not of the class that should have a dog walker.
i dont have family to live with. the only living remaining one is a sick grandmother on welfare in south carolina. so that wont work. oddly i did live with her and my grandmother after college for a few months in new jersey but i wasnt able to save anything because i didnt find a job right away. when i did find a job, i pretty much moved to nyc shortly after.
there is no one to inherit anything from.
but i agree with you. maybe i SHOULD have stayed in harlem living in that 5 bedroom!paying just 800 a month everything included.. but i moved out hastily because things were unstable there and i wanted a decent place to live for me and my dog. i hastily moved into a place that costs me now 1200 (my roommate also pays 1200) but insists i have a dog walker and that is a huge chunk of change everyday.
i sometimes look at ads on craigslist and now see i could have easily found another roommate situation for much much cheaper, even IN park slope and other nicer areas of brooklyn. i do like my current living situation but i have to be honest with myself, im digging myself a hole bigger and bigger every day. selling used video games and books back to stores for dog food and beer and cig money is probably not how a 31 year old with a college degree should be acting.
anyway sorry for my rant but im really vocal on this issue. sometimes i do like to wear my poverty on my sleeve tho.
*rob*
I sold an apt in the historic district of Jackson Heights and moved to Bushwick about a year ago. I love Bushwick. LOVE it.
Also have lots of advice about how to come up with a down payment on $40,000 a year.
*Live with mom (if mom lives in NYC)
*Inherit $40,000 from grandma!
*Get your rent down to $400-$600 a month and save.
There are ways to get your rent down to $400-$600 a month, many of them exemplified by people living in Bushwick, Astoria, Jersey City, Sunset Park, Flushing, etc. Some people share artists cooperatives in Bushwick, some rent by the room and split the rooms with other single adults, families with children split an apartment with another adult with children (often sisters) and each adult minds the children when they are not working.
Also, for a bit more, if you don’t mind a roommate, you can split a really nice five or six room apt for $1500 to $1600 in Bushwick or many other decent places such as Bay Ridge, which gets your rent down to $800.
Last but not least, if you are a single person, I highly recommend saving anything at all, just a few thousand, and you can buy a condo studio with 3 percent down in an area such as Jackson Heights, Flushing, Bronx, etc., and sell it when prices rise and you will easily make $30,000 to $50,000.
ha. i guess i totally fall out of both of those categories. is it even worth moving to a cheaper city these days? i heard philly is relatively cheap?
*rob*
i would live in bushwick over jackson heights in a heart beat. the art scene is exploding, access to the JMZ or L – quick to williamsburg/manhattan… so, there’s just more to do.
also, believe that some people’s parents would help them to buy as an investment vs. rent as well. and, what about 30 somethings who have savings but maybe not high incomes?