396 15th Street Recovers Nicely

 Long time IMBY  crack addicts will be especially pleased to hear that 396 15th Street , after many years in extensive rehab, has apparently sold for the asking price of $1.5 million .  The new owners as of August 2012... Carriage House 396 LLC.  
The name of course invites speculation as to whether the current certificate of occupancy (D-1 Industrial/Factory) for the 4,600 square foot, two story garage might be converted to single family residential use. The neighborhood's R6B zoning laws could allow an additional two stories to be added, topping out at some 50 feet with setbacks or something like 7000  buildable square feet in total. 
Crack of Dawn  This week incredibly loud early morning jackhammering required that I research the DOB"S  BIS page to see what's up at this long time vacant property.   Permit activity suggests all that noise is the result of on-going demolition work to remove a "structurally defective" section in the rear of the building.  No applications for change of use though.  No "New Building" plans filed.

396 15th Street between 7th And 8th Avenues across from the castle like Park Slope Armory Sports Center

Architect's rendering for a Carriage House

2nd Floor Mega Skylight

Zoning Porn

Suggested Floor Plans

The seller has posted these interior shots of the second floor as well as some suggested architectural plans, drawn up to give potential buyers an idea as to the property's potential.

If this building truly goes residential it just about completes the block's decade long up scale transformation from auto shops and parking lots to multifamily rentals and condominiums.  

The last hold out?... What remains is the old, cinnamon sugar scented, Rojas Mexican Bakery still baking traditional breads a few doors up the block at 404 15th.







A brief history of 396's survival, in pictures and words from the IMBY Archives...

The Blumpkin:  That's sweet little 396 on the left,  eviscerated, a casualty of adjacent 400 15th Street's improper foundation excavation. That's the basement of 400 15th submerged in water on the right.  They actually tried to build and unbuild both buildings simultaneously.

Collateral damage:  The side wall of 396 collapsed during the construction of 400 15th street.  Braces hold up the roof until new underpinning and cinderblock walls can be rebuilt. The entire front facade had to be replaced as well.

Links: Cracked House

Tin Man: 217 16th Street.

217 16th Street corrugated facade.  The multi-family walkup is being converted from a three family into a two family.

Quonset hut

The Legend of Zeldin

Digging trenches.

Pouring the concrete foundation.

Groundbreaking  foundation work awakens $1.6 million Prospect Avenue sleeper. Looks like Mark Zeldin, South Slope landmarker, has acquired the stalled site 379 Prospect Avenue adding to his already extensive neighborhood portfolio.   Eleven buildings and counting .
Zoned R5B, filed plans call for 10 dwelling units and 7 off street accessory parking spaces on the vacant L shaped lot.   That's going to be a building with 14,465 buildable square feet, some 33' tall, three stories and cellar.
The building's lay-out will be 2 units on the ground or first floor, 4 units on the second and another 4 units on the third floor.  Look out for a 12' curb cut on Prospect Avenue with a pass through to accommodate parking in the rear yard of the building... My guess anyway.  Antoine Sayad of Moss and Sayad Architectects have agreed to self-certify this project...

L -shaped lot between WIndsor Place and Prospect Avenue in pink.  Notice the long white roofed wedge-shaped building on the right?  That's the recently completed, on the market condo 1638 8th Avenue... The Windsor Lake Building for my devoted readers.

Persona non grata.
Zeldin, has had his troubles developing several of his previous properties in the South Slope. In February 2006,  two construction workers were injured during demolition of a wall at 226-228- 230   16th Street, a multiple building Zeldin condominium project.  A Stop Work Order Violation was served by the Department of Buildings that same day in response to the accident.  Days later, the contractors were caught working at the site disregarding the SWO, and were served an additional violation for failure to comply.  They were fined $2000.
 The adjacent home owners of  232 16th St. have filed a lawsuit against Zeldin and  16th St. Development for extensive damages to their property, they claim,  resulting from unprotected demolition and excavation work while digging the foundation for 230 16th Street.

In 2007 Zeldin  was accused by neighbors of committing "demolition by neglect" after a vacant brick apartment building, 18-20 Jackson Place, collapsed on adjacent properties during a storm. The block was closed off until HPD could finish the demolition as ordered by the DOB.  Brownstoner captured the event and the disgruntled local commentary at the time.

Again in 2007 and 2008 Zeldin's team of contractors racked up various Stop Work Order Violations and fines while building another South Slope condo project, 390 14th Street.  A recent BIS search shows $7,500 in unpaid fines issued to Marie Grasso and MMG Demolition,  Zeldin's go-to-gal for breaking all things architectural.  There are, again, violations and fines for unsafe excavation on record here and here.

The legacy: Visual illiteracy

Zeldin's infamous portfolio of projects offer future architectural historians a visual record of the prolific, opportunistic property speculation that occurred during and after the 2005 panic driven frenzy to  down-zone our South Slope neighborhood.  Maybe, someday, a round table panel of developers/architects/real estate brokers could be subpoenaed and forced to examine their role in the gentrification of the Park Slope South neighborhood and how it has created a demand for a breed of nondesign-centric, low-end, high-priced developments.
In the mean time a picture as they say is worth a 1000 words.

394 12th Street

390 14th Street

272 19th Street

18-20 Jackson Place

245 16th Street

226-228-230 16th Street

370 12th Street

Did you miss me?

Parting Shot: September Sunset. Sayonara Main Street, Millerton NY

My Rumspringa

"Did I miss you? No not really."

 I haven't spent more than three continuous weeks away from Brooklyn in more than twenty plus years that I've known her. Four weeks have passed. Has my heart grown fonder in her absence? If I don't say yes, what trouble will I bring upon myself. I'm afraid to ask because I already know the answer. I don't think she cares one way or another.