House of the Day: 85 State Street
The first and only time we’ve discussed 85 State Street was back in March 2005 when the five-story brick townhouse was listed as an Open House Pick with an asking price of $2,500,000. That turned out to be a very good price for the dude who bought it; six months later he flipped it for…
The first and only time we’ve discussed 85 State Street was back in March 2005 when the five-story brick townhouse was listed as an Open House Pick with an asking price of $2,500,000. That turned out to be a very good price for the dude who bought it; six months later he flipped it for $3,200,000 to a developer who proceeded to do a modern gut renovation of the place. Although we have no reason to doubt the quality of the work in the house, the aesthetic result just doesn’t do it for us. For $5,500,000 (the asking price), we’d want a little more character. If we wanted to spend that kind of dough on something modern, we’d probably opt for something more like this. Apparently, we’re not the only ones: The single-family house has been on the market now on-and-off for more than a year, starting at $5,800,000 with Corcoran, moving to $5,950,000 with Douglas Elliman, before moving to Halstead last November where it’s gradually edged its way down to the current asking price of $5,500,000.
85 State Street [Halstead] GMAP P*Shark
Open House Picks 3/11/05 [Brownstoner]
I have seen the house. First it has no yard to speak of. rear of house is dark. totally wrong renovations. built-ins don’t work. generally it just has a bad feel to it.
If we are looking at the same thumbnail, I wish I could see the building to the left of 85 because it looks like they were built at the same time and 85 has work done on the cornice at one point, but I can’t see the entrance on the other building.
would landmarks have allowed them to add the stoop if there wasn’t originally one there? The old photo looks to me like they restored the stoop. We have several houses like that on my block but the removal was so badly done you can see where they added in the brick to bring down the height of the original doorway to match the window.
That said, you’ve got sharper eyes than I have, sam. But something looks off on the doorway in relationship to the stoop. Look slightly off kilter to anyone else?
hi CobbleHilller, this is cobblehiller here. I want my name for myself. can’t you go be CobbleHilller2? or something? and why the extra L? harumph! grumble grumble grouse grumble mutter mutter grouse grumble
Sam is correct on the new facade design but I too do not see a photo where the quality of the “brownstone coat” is called into question. Would I have done it a bit darker, yes. But that could be the light of the photo.
click on the “open house picks 05”
clearly shows the house in its before state.
The ironwork is not bad, I will give them that.
But this sort of thing is done all the time in Brooklyn,
and my point is that it is usually done better, this brownstoning job looks a little clumsy to me.
thanks sam- I can’t see detail that well on this photo and never saw the original you have. I get a page error when I try to click on the old links
Sorry bxgirl, much of what you see is new work. The house had no stoop or parlor floor entrance prior to 2005.
And yes, this house is in Brooklyn Heights historic district.
sam- where did you find the photo? the only ones I saw are this and the other tiny thumbnail. I can’t tell anything really from these.
the only thing left of a beautiful old house is that facade. I love that it’s not perfect and it wears its history. One of the reason I love antiques. Besides which if the house is in a landmark district (and I don’t know if it is), other than keeping it in good repair, I don’t know how much they would be allowed to do, even to spruce up. LPC goes case by case and I’m sure quite a few homeowners here have had experience with its vagaries.