Monday, October 31, 2011

South Slope Wood Frame Stripped Bare

 Stripped of most of her exterior cladding,  548 Sixth Avenue shows off her modest bones.  Forensic architectural historians might want to check out the early Twentieth Century building materials and techniques openly on display before she is demolished and a new four story, four family building takes her place.  Judging by the size and placement of the boarded up windows, I imagine some kind of commercial establishment might have been the original occupant.  The interior, it seems, has already been completely gutted.



Tax records show the property was sold 5/27/2011 for $780,000.   The lot is adjacent to  6/15 Green,  the large community garden started in 1987.  There are no demolition permits approved as of right now.  Seems they are waiting for some zoning approval relating to changing the use from a 2 family to a four family.
Corner detail
How many layers?  The protruding nails indicate the depth of the various layers of siding applied over the building's lifetime.
Side wall

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Remove and Replace

Vacated 1504 8th Avenue restores its side wall after undergoing extensive foundation repairs. The apartments are in the process of being redone.



After large structural cracks formed throughout the building the entire rear facade and half the side wall was removed. 



Monday, October 24, 2011

In my back yard: Light and Air

Golden Cinder Honey Blocks at Dawn: 400 15th Street progresses from the inside out.

We have lost our panoramic Brooklyn skyline,  one dominated almost entirely for the last century by the monumental 14th Regimental  Park Slope Armory.

Traded it all in for this.  When you live  at the bottom of this man made valley surrounded by these stacked concrete masonry units, your sun rises a little later than it used to.

Construction workers still begin their day at 7AM.