Minsky - another $3.5MM listing...ho hum...

This guy continues to be fodder (in a good way) for onehansonplace.com and also continues to prove the naysayers wrong -- time and again. Jerry Minsky has landed another $3.5MM listing in, where else, Fort Greene. Just another day at the office, huh? (That's 3 $3.4MM+ listings he has now - so for the guy who couldn't read, this is for you)

This Italianate townhouse, at 53 South Elliott Place, between Dekalb and Lafayette, was sold in January 2005 by, who else, Jerry Minsky, again. Jeez, how boring.

So, to the commenter of this post on August 26, 2007, at 4:39PM, who duly noted that Minsky is the last person anyone would go to advice? Minsky was the listing agent back then also. Do you realize that the guy who bought the place in January 2005 for $1.75MM is now selling it for twice the fucking price?!

Holy shit - quite a coup, huh? Would Jerry be the man if this deal goes through? In this market? Oh, one last thing - looks like it was listed at $1.65MM and Jerry was able to sell it for $1.75MM. Damn, dude is talented if you ask me.

Okay, we admit it - we think Minsky is the shit. Now why doesn't every hater who reads this man up..

"Atlantic Yards" development opportunity across from the Washington

Check out this listing on craigslist for the white building that houses the auto parts store on Dean between Underhill and Washington, directly across from the Washington Condo.

The FSBO is being offered at $899K for a 25x126 lot. The extra-long lot actually has two separate buildings, both of which can be developed -- one is a two-story residential (closer to Bergen) and another is a three-story mixed-use.

Price: $899,000.

Verdict: interesting, but I don't see anyone purchasing this lot to renovate these two buildings. It would be quite interesting as a tear down with an extra long lot, but then again, who would want to pour in $2 or $3MM in this neighborhood at this time?

More A&H antics at Hello Living

From a comment early this morning on this post:

Heller fellow blogger readers. Yesterday I inquired into remaining availability at Hello Brooklyn. My call was fielded by a salesperson from Aguayo & Huebener named Rick Staula. He offered me very inaccurate information regarding this development and told that there were no mortgage contingencies offered at this property. Given the current state of the mortgage industry I found that rather odd. After calling back anonymously and realizing that Rick was completely wrong despite insisting so I asked to be reassigned to a different broker and sure enough I was shown an apt this morning which I have now put in an offer on. It was to my complete disbelief that I received a message this afternoon on my Blackberry from my receptionist letting me know that a man named Rick Staula had called and asked for me and when he was told I was unavailable he proceded to berate my employee and told her to tell me that I am a 'Jerk'. This was by far the most distasteful interaction I have ever had with a real estate salesperson and I would urge anybody thinking about doing any business with Aguayo & Huebener to think twice given the fact that they have such a rude and incompetant person on their staff. It's one thing to call me a jerk. It's another to call my place of employment and say such a thing. I am considering reporting this salesperson to the NY State Licensing Bureau. He does not deserve to have a license and certainly he should not be an agent in as open a community as Park Slope is. I have lived in the neighborhood for my life and will see to it that this man pays for his actions.

One more thing. To A&H's credit they did offer to send me flowers and were bery apologetic. The only real apology will come when this man is no longer on their staff. I am one person who is not worth pissing off. If anyone else has had a less than desirable interaction with this man please posit your experience here. His name is Rick Staula

The other case of not-so-publicized eminent domain in Fort Greene

The building which housed a financial concern, Track Data Corp, at 95 Rockwell Place, in Fort Greene has fallen into the hands of the evil purveyors of eminent domain. According to this Daily News article, under the aegis of the BAM Cultural District, the city was allowed to take over the building.

Unfortunately, the building will be destroyed and its longtime 150 workers will be displaced. A current employee, Rafi Reguer, was quoted as saying, ""There used to be a welfare hotel down the street and crack vials all over the place. We had a policy then that nobody could leave the office alone. We left in groups of two or three because it just wasn't safe...But we stuck it out, and now we're getting our reward for sticking around during the lean times."

Sad indeed, the least of which is that we didn't realize there was some online trading platform and market data provider doing business in the good 'ol FG blocks away from where we used to live?!

Liquors to turn into a tapas joint

The proprietor of Cafe Lafayette in Fort Greene has plans to turn the old Liquors space into a tapas place, according to the Brooklyn Papers.

The opening is planned in two months when the liquor license comes through.

Photo courtesy of clintonhillblog.com

7 new Newswalk units listed by Corcoran

Corcoran has new units at the Newswalk as of today, in about the $550 psf range.

Units range from 966 sf to 1,541 sf for $510K to $845K. Anybody have the scoop on these new units? Phase IV?

There's an open house on Sunday from 12 to 2PM.

Minsky lands another big kahuna

Jerry Minsky, the FG don, has the listing for a $3.5MM carriage house on Vanderbilt between Greene and Gates.

525 Clinton glass tower goes up

Meltzer/Mandl's latest creation is going up on Clinton Avenue between Atlantic and Fulton.

Incidentally, David Mandl passed away on August 4th. His obituary requested that all donations be made to Pratt Institute.

Next installment of Hello Living

This is on the south side of Pacific Street across the street from the Hudson. A floor has gone up about every 5 days...

Prospect Heights CSA week 9

The Prospect Heights CSA's latest offerings - yellow squash, eggplant, red beets, nectarines, purple onions, green beans, mixed salad, and cucumbers..

Fulton/Waverly to get new condos?

As the Brooklyn Papers reported, this dilapidated, plywood-covered brownstone has been purchased by a developer for $953K.

Merchant House Condos on Dean Street price drop

Located on Dean between Carlton and Vanderbilt, the Merchant House Condos were originally marketed by Brown Harris Stevens.

This unit, originally listed at $860K for a 1,350 square foot two bed, two bath, recently dropped in price to $799K. The price represents $592 psf.

According to this brownstoner post, there are roof issues and the board is in the process of suing the sponsor.

Will one of the board members contact us at ltjbukem@gmail.com? We have some questions we'd like to ask.

The buyer likely is making at least $250K on this unit if we remember correctly.

Washington Condo mezz units again on sale

Two months ago, the mezzanine units went on sale again, but then dropped off the A&H site. Now, they're back again, with some hefty price cuts at several units.

A5A, which was $735K, is now $639K, a cut of 13%.
A5B, which was $659K, is now $589K, a cut of 10%.
A5D, which was $809K, is now $769K.

Fort Greene rental market v4

Located diagonally across from Habana Outpost, IBEC Living is renting a 1 bedroom for $2250. If I recall correctly, two or three years ago, apartments were renting for about $1700-1800 in this apartment.

Here are two more rentals on Lafayette and Cumberland for $1300 and $1400.

Corner units at the Washington drop in price

Unit 2C, blocked by the AVAILABLE METRO sign has dropped $40K in price, from $739K to $699K.

It's probably due to being so close to the street that passersby can look right into your kitchen/dining area.

The other corner units have also dropped though not by $40K.

474 Waverly - townhouse condos

Cindy McField of Corcoran has the listings for a townhouse condo conversion on Waverly between Fulton and Gates. Located at 474 Waverly, the block may be nice, but just half a block away lies the methadone clinic that operates a few times a week.

The units are a standard layout - two bedrooms in the back, bathroom and kitchen in the middle and living and dining areas in the front. A total of 775 square feet will cost you $500K. Still expensive at $645 psf, I'm sure there will be buyers for these, but will they know about the methadone clinic at the Sunday open houses?

If they don't see them during the Sunday open houses, I'm sure they will be walking right by the rambunctious crowd at 7AM when they head towards the Clinton/Washington C train.

Fort Greene rental market v3

After having lived near this 99 Lafayette Avenue rental building, I was always intrigued by how much rents were. Well, this craigslist listing tells part of the story. A 1 bedroom is renting for a healthy $2000 per month. Heat and hot water are included.

The unit is on the second floor, which lends itself to potential noise issues, what with the bus running down Lafayette and the rampant front-door activity to this building.

Minsky loses listing for the Greene House Condos penthouse

The listing that originally belonged to Jerry Minsky through four price drops is no longer his. Halstead has the listing now.

Perhaps some fresh blood will do the trick, although the price still stands at $1.875MM.

Halstead these days has an aura of luxe, but do they have any penetration into the Fort Greene market? Not really.

The Fort Greene rental market v2

Here's a stately Federal on St. Felix between Lafayette and Hanson Place. This duplex 1 bedroom plus den is asking $2800 in a high traffic area on a quiet block. Located behind the One Hanson Place Condos, it is quite convenient to the Carver bank, BONY bagels, Pathmark and Target.