Flatbush

February 24, 2015

Film Critic Jonathan Baumbach Sells Prospect Park South Victorian for $1.8M

Film critic and novelist Jonathan Baumbach (you may know his son, film maker Noah Baumbach, or his first wife, Village Voice critic Georgia Brown) and his wife have sold their historic Prospect Park South Victorian home for $1.8 million, according to city records released today. Built in 1901, the five-bedroom property originally hit the market back in September 2014 for $2.27 million, but decreased its price twice in just five short months.
Take a look around this classic Victorian

January 8, 2015

Daily Link Fix: Why NYC Is Awesome in Winter; the 3,200 Doorways Photographed in One Year

By Dana Schulz

Be an optimist today while your hair is growing icicles. Here’s 50 reasons why NYC during winter is awesome. [TONY] Want a free-standing house with a front porch, but don’t fancy moving to NJ or Westchester? Better check out Ditmas Park. [NYT] The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is investigating the Gowanus rabbit colony. [DNAinfo] Photographer Ray […]

Uncategorized

December 12, 2014

$2M Victorian Diamond in the Rough Could Be Your Next Dream Home

By Aisha Carter

Sometimes finding your dream home starts with a diamond in the rough. For those willing to put in a little sweat equity, that grubby little rock can be polished to perfection, revealing a rare gem. Okay, this home isn’t exactly a grubby little rock. It’s actually a stately Victorian on one of Ditmas Park’s best blocks. The $2.199 million house is on the market for the first time in 24 years—and it definitely looks like it hasn’t been updated during that time. But in every ugly duckling there’s a beautiful swan and this five-bedroom home's potential is undeniable.
Take a look, here

Distinctive Homes

October 24, 2014

Gorgeous Ditmas Park Craftsman Brings Romance Home for $1.75M

By Rebecca Paul

Ditmas Park is like the love song of Brooklyn. Okay well maybe not, but this Craftsman is a seriously romantic piece of property to say the least. The single-family home was built in 1907 and is located at 633 East 19th Street in the recently designated Fisk Terrace-Midwood Park Historic District. The property is currently listed for $1.75 million, and everything from the tiger oak mahogany staircase to the extra large backyard is a beautiful example of what makes Craftsmans so desirable.
See more of the historic home here

September 23, 2014

City Kids: Why Parents Pick City Living Over the Suburbs

By Michelle Cohen

The 'American Dream' may have dominated the last few decades, causing a mass exodus to the suburbs, but today's families are reversing the trend and turning their attention back to the city. The reasons are many: An appreciation for cultural offerings, the camaraderie and creative cross-pollination of networks of colleagues, friends and family, the convenience of being able to walk or bike to school, work or child care without a long commute—just to name a few. New York City has always been a haven for the forward-thinking, albeit a challenging one. And its newly-”discovered” outer boroughs as well as an unprecedentedly low crime rate have made the city a prime choice for family living. But what is it about those city kids—the ones with parents who planned from the start to raise their kids in a non-stop urban environment? We interrupted the busy schedules of five families currently raising school-age (or soon-to-be) children in New York City's many diverse and multifaceted neighborhoods to get some insight about why they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hear what five parents of city kids have to say

September 23, 2014

Prominent Architecture Couple Buys Pretty-in-Pink Victorian in Ditmas Park

By Dana Schulz

We have a feeling well-known architects David H. Sherman, of Abelow Sherman Architects, and his wife Benita Welch, a Principal at Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects, will give the interior of their new home a fresh coat of paint before settling in...that is, unless they like the current bubble-gum-pink color scheme. It makes perfect sense that the couple picked up this Victorian house in Ditmas Park for themselves and their two children, as Benita specializes in restoring historic homes, and David is known for his expertise working with NYC townhouses. According to city records filed today, they purchased 28 Waldorf Court for $1.41 million. Located just off Rugby Road (often considered the heart of Victorian Flatbush) on a highly desirable cul-de-sac, the five-bedroom home has been in the same family for 30 years.
Tour the home before it gets what's sure to be a beautiful makeover

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

Photo: Cafe Grumpy in Greenpoint by Premshree Pillai cc

September 3, 2014

Coffee Culture: Are Neighborhood Cafes the First Sign of Gentrification?

By Michelle Cohen

From “coffices” to lab-like minimalist gourmet coffee meccas to cozy neighborhood hangouts, neighborhood cafes are a fine example of the essential “third place” mentioned in discussions of community dynamics: that place, neither work nor home, where regulars gather and everyone’s welcome. Along with yoga studios, art galleries, community gardens, vintage clothing shops, restaurants with pedigreed owners and adventurous menus and, some say, a change in the offerings on local grocery shelves, cafes are often the earliest sign of neighborhood change. The neighborhood cafe serves as a testing ground for community cohesiveness while adventurous entrepreneurs test the still-unfamiliar waters around them. Beyond the literal gesture of offering sustenance, cafes provide a place where you can actually see who your neighbors are and appreciate the fact that at least some of them are willing to make an investment locally.
Get a fleeting glimpse of old New York City cafe culture in the West Village, meet the future of coffee distribution in Red Hook.

August 25, 2014

Loew’s Kings Theatre Will Reopen in Flatbush With All of its 1920s Gilded Glamour

By Dana Schulz

After nearly four decades of sitting vacant, the majestic Loew's Kings Theatre in Flatbush will reopen. It was announced in 2010 that the 1920s movie palace would be restored to its former gilded glory thanks to a $70 million renovation, and now it's been revealed that the reopening will take place in January 2015. The theatre closed in 1977, but according to a press release, the new Loew's Kings Theatre "will serve as both a cultural and economic cornerstone for the Brooklyn community, presenting more than 200 performances annually—including music, dance, theatre, and comedy—providing a resource to foster and support creativity in the area, creating jobs and attracting thousands of visitors to the neighborhood." It will also have 3,000 seats, making it the largest theatre in Brooklyn.
Take a look at the stunning, historic interiors

History

August 13, 2014

454 Rugby Road Joins the Million-Dollar-Sale Club in Victorian Flatbush

By Dana Schulz

We tend to feature a lot of historic townhouses, and while we love these brownstone beauties, it's always a treat when we come across the less-common Victorian home. Not surprisingly, this charming, free-standing house is located in Ditmas Park West, part of what is known as Victorian Flatbush. Built in 1905, the home at 454 Rugby Road recently sold for $1,975,000 million according to city records, almost $100,000 above the asking price and not far behind another recent Rugby Road sale that was one of the most expensive in the neighborhood to date.
See why this painted lady is a deserving member of Victorian Flatbush's Million-Dollar Club

June 27, 2014

$2.1M Sale at 100 Rugby Road Is Record-Breaker for Prospect Park South

By Aisha Carter

An adorable, historic, turn-of-the-century home modeled after a Swiss chalet has just sold for a record-breaking $2.1 million in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park South. Up until this point, the most expensive sale in the neighborhood was a $2 million sale from last year; however, records confirm that the 7BR/3.5BA home at 100 Rugby Road has edged out the competition by $100K.
Find out more about this historic record-breaker here

The 74

201 East 74th Street

Lenox Hill

Gracious Upper East Side condos with Central Park and skyline views

2 beds starting at $3,380,000
3 beds starting at $4,850,000
5 beds starting at $11,950,000

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