Greatest Real Estate Finds

[samhexum]

LET'S ALL CHIP IN & BUY IT...

 

Private island in Connecticut slashed to $100M

Great Island, a private island in Darien, Conn., is back for sale asking nine digits for a new generation of owners.Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

There’s no need to jet to the Caribbean when an opportunity to snag a private island at a major discount lies much closer to home — provided you’re a billionaire.

Now listed for $100 million: Great Island, a roughly 60-acre private spread in Connecticut. The Wall Street Journal first reported the listing.

The roughly 60-acre spread first listed in 2016 for $175 million. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Great Island originally listed for $175 million in 2016, as The Post reported at the time, marking its first time up for grabs since 1902. What’s more, if the car-accessible estate had traded hands for that princely sum, it would have broken the record for the most expensive property ever sold in the US.

Perched on Long Island Sound, the listing has scenic views in every direction. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Ultimately, it met a different fate. In 2018, it lowered its asking price to $120 million; come 2019, it was taken off the market entirely.

The island, in Darien some 50 miles from Manhattan, has more than 1 mile of shoreline along Long Island Sound. It’s accessed via a causeway and includes a roughly 13,000-square-foot main house with views of the Sound from nearly every room. Its basement has a Prohibition-era wine cellar with bottles of whiskey from that time. This home has reportedly stood vacant for decades and may need a renovation.

Other perks include a strip of private beach. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Other structures on the island include a 19th-century Colonial house that’s since been renovated and an equestrian facility with indoor and outdoor riding rings, plus a polo field, among its other inclusions.

The new asking price is “very realistic,” the listing agent, Jennifer Leahy of Douglas Elliman, told the Journal. “Although I’d love to say there are many buyers that can buy a $100 million property, there aren’t. This is for the 1% of the 1%.”

Accessed via a causeway, Great Island and its residential structures can be reached by car. Courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Great Island belongs to the descendants of the baking powder entrepreneur William Ziegler. Ziegler, a founder of the Royal Baking Powder Company, purchased it around the turn of the 20th century and used the property as a summer home, according to the Journal. He died in 1905, and ever since it has stayed in the family.

Today, it’s owned by a trust controlled by the Steinkraus family, who are descendants of Ziegler’s granddaughter, Helen. One of Helen’s sons, 56-year-old Philip, told the Journal that despite having lifelong ties to Great Island, he and his brothers have simply moved on. He added that the new asking price, in part, owes itself to several property lines being redrawn. For instance, a neighboring waterfront parcel was removed and is now under ownership by another part of the family.

That $175 million ask was also set by family members who have since passed away, and “there were no comps to compare it to and we were flying blind,” he told the Journal.

[samhexum]

A bizarre advert for a roommate has left social media users stunned as the poster has a very strange demand.

The Underwood house located in Brisbane, Queensland has a number of rooms for rent and comes with a pool table, a photography studio, a swimming pool, and a gym.

But what’s left potential flatmates stunned was that clothing in the house was optional.

The house has been previously advertised with prices for each room ranging from $180 to $200 but with no mention of nudity.

However, in a recent Facebook post, a current flatmate specified that “Nudist welcome, private, cozy, entertaining and respectful home.”

Posting on Brisbane Online Marketplace’s page, Emilio Spinosa said there is a king-size room and a queen size available for $200 including bills.

Flatmates of the Nudist house share the kitchen, laundry, and lounge area.

The strange ad has left Facebook users stunned with one wondering: “Do you have to be nude or is it a choice?”

Another one said: “I’m reading between the lines here… something more sinister going on.

“I bet there’s no cupboards or storage for your clothes, hence nudists wanted? Beware!”

Someone joked: “Do we have to wear masks inside?”

And someone added : “Please come live in my house and be naked playing table tennis thank you. Bless them. Good on ‘em for looking for their tribe, albeit via FB marketplace.”

 

[mike carey]

4 minutes ago, samhexum said:

The Underwood house located in Brisbane, Queensland has a number of rooms for rent and comes with a pool table, a photography studio, a swimming pool, and a gym.

You should never be surprised what you see in the deep north. It may, of course be a concession given that hundreds of Brisbane houses have been flooded out over the last week or so. Easier to wade through the floodwaters if you aren't constrained by clothes.

[Luv2play]

I read in the NYT today that a Roman villa dating back 5 centuries, the Villa Aurora, is on the market for $500 million. It stands on 30 acres in the centre of Rome! It also boasts a fresco ceiling painted by Caravaggio, hence its astronomical price, apart from the location.

It’s a distressed sale in a way. The current occupant is a 72 year old former American Playboy centrefold, who married an Italian prince, now deceased,  who had two previous wives. She became a princess but has no money to either buy out the other heirs or fix it up, as it needs some work. Being an historic property, the authorities are on the case to ensure leaks etc are attended to promptly.

The prince’s sons are trying to evict her. Now if only there were a Russian oligarch to swoop in and buy it but I guess that is no longer in the cards.

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Luv2play

[CuriousByNature]

51 minutes ago, Luv2play said:

I read in the NYT today that a Roman villa dating back 5 centuries, the Villa Aurora, is on the market for $500 million. It stands on 30 acres in the centre of Rome! It also boasts a fresco ceiling painted by Caravaggio, hence its astronomical price, apart from the location.

It’s a distressed sale in a way. The current occupant is a 72 year old former American Playboy centrefold, who married an Italian prince, now deceased,  who had two previous wives. She became a princess but has no money to either buy out the other heirs or fix it up, as it needs some work. Being an historic property, the authorities are on the case to ensure leaks etc are attended to promptly.

The prince’s grandsons are trying to evict her. Now if only there were a Russian oligarch to swoop in and buy it but I guess that is no longer in the cards.

 

I think I read somewhere that without the fresco the price would be less than half of what it is.  That's a mighty expensive ceiling.  If I were her I would auction the place off with a starting price of $100M just to get rid of it and not have to watch it crumble away.  Even if it 'only' achieved $100M, that is still many times more that what anyone realistically needs for a luxurious retirement IMHO.

[Luv2play]

I don’t think it is in her power to make the sale. Currently she is paying rent to the estate of her late husband for an apartment in, what one of her husband’s children, who is also a prince, calls the servant’s quarters.

Edited March 5, 2022 by Luv2play

[+ azdr0710]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:28 PM, JoeMendoza said:

it's only $295M - pretty affordable. lol

 

"The One" sold at auction for $126M a few days ago......less than half the latest asking price......it apparently still needs to be fully completed and receive an occupancy ok from the building inspectors.....creditors to pay off, bankruptcy judge needs to sign off on it, blah, blah........

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/beverly-hills-mega-mansion-the-one-sells-at-less-than-half-its-listing-price/

[BSR]

2 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

"The One" sold at auction for $126M a few days ago......less than half the latest asking price......it apparently still needs to be fully completed and receive an occupancy ok from the building inspectors.....creditors to pay off, bankruptcy judge needs to sign off on it, blah, blah........

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/beverly-hills-mega-mansion-the-one-sells-at-less-than-half-its-listing-price/

To think, the developer initially hoped to sell it for $500 million, dropped the price to $295 million, and it sells at auction for less than half that.  The buyer got a deal but a money pit at the same time.  I wonder what the total final cost will be.

[+ nycman]

7 hours ago, Luv2play said:

t also boasts a fresco ceiling painted by Caravaggio….

Minor correction…..it contains THE fresco ceiling painted by Caravaggio. 

There are no other ones known in existence. 

And the house failed to sell at auction…… CNN article.

Btw…check out the fresco. Nice dick pic!

[samhexum]

The Bronx isn’t burning but it is on fire with new luxury buildings boasting sky-high Manhattan-like rents — some over $7,000 per month.

The borough’s newest building, Third at Bankside, has several two- and three-bedroom market-rate apartments that can set you back over $5,000.

There’s even a stunning spread with two baths and a huge private terrace available for $7,334 for a one-year lease or $7,434 for 18 months — and already has at least one applicant craving the rooms with lots of views.

The 25-story building is being developed in Mott Haven by Brookfield as part of its seven-tower Bankside project that sits along the shoreline of the Harlem River and straddles the Third Avenue bridge to Manhattan.

But before you cry foul, the high comes with the low. The developers are also creating plenty of affordable rentals (90% to 130% of AMI which is an income range of $61,543 – $167,570) for those that qualify through the city website. These studios rent for $1,795 per month, one-bedrooms for $2,200 to $2,350 and two bedrooms for $2,695 to $2,900. an absolute pittance!

There are other perks as well: All new renters get two months of free rent and free access to amenities that include a “creative makerspace,” resident lounges, a kid’s playroom, test kitchen and outdoor BBQ area plus a fully loaded gym that also overlooks the river — all of which normally costs $125 per month.

To support the under market prices, the other residents are paying up.

With its model units open and tours underway, market rate studios start at $2,900, one-bedrooms at $3,100, two-bedrooms at $4,000 and three-bedrooms at $5,000.

Some two-bedrooms have two bathrooms plus a den that could easily serve as an office or third bedroom and start at $5,029 for an 18-month lease. While that’s pretty penny for the historically price-competative Bronx, try finding that much space in the city at that price point.

There’s also a three-bedroom with two-baths on the eighth floor that faces away from the river and a relative bargain at $5,025 for 18 months. The leasing website offers multiple options to check out all the floor plans and flexible terms.

“There is a lot of interest for the large apartments,” said Charles Howe, vice president, development, Brookfield Properties. Some couples are leasing two-bedrooms and using the extra space for the now pandemic-necessary home office or future nursery, he said, while singles want to share them with a roommate — especially those with two bathrooms.

Seven of the units have private terraces and include a dramatic 23rd-floor, one-bedroom, one-bath apartment facing away from the river that rents for a whopping $5,126 on an 18-month lease while its neighboring studio commands $4,382 for a 17-month lease but leaps to $5,077 for 18 months.

A splashy retreat in the form of a pool with lounge furniture — another amenity for residents.

The team expects interest from those who work at the local hospitals and courthouse as well as at Yankee Stadium — perhaps even from a Yankee who wants a brag-worthy pied-a-terre.

For someone with deep pockets or a sugar daddy, that priciest three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad on the 18th floor of the project’s first 25-story building is hard to resist.

Its huge, sundrenched outdoor terrace has sweeping views across the city from Long Island City to the toothpick towers of Billionaire’s Row and even the top of the George Washington Bridge.

Another private terrace also wraps around a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the ninth floor that has an 18-month rent of $6,160 per month while its neighboring two-bedroom has a very long terrace for a mere $5,408 for 18 months.

Sitting on sheltered paved courtyards next to the Third Ave. Bridge, the entire project is just a seven-minute walk to Manhattan’s 125th Street 4,5 and 6 trains or the 6 train at E. 138th Street in the Bronx.

According to Brookfield executives, the mostly open plan apartments also have slightly more elbow room than comparable new rentals such as their own along the Brooklyn waterfront, while the oversized windows — some are floor to ceiling and even wrap some corners — make the units feel even bigger.

Every apartment in the LEED silver building designed by Hill West Architects also comes with built-in window shades and deep closets. Some have entry alcoves and walk-in closets, giving them a roomier feel. 

Blomberg appliances include a stacked washer/dryer (often in its own closet), a dishwasher and microwave, while the stoves have gas burners for cooking — and are among the last apartments allowed to hook up under the city’s new anti-gas rules.

 

This bedroom has a view of the water and is the size of a shoebox!.  

Counters are dark grey Caesarstone with grey cabinetry accented by light wood or open shelves along with stainless sinks and refrigerators. Bathrooms have either no-lip stone and tiled showers or a bathtub — and all have deep, light wood drawers and black Caesarstone counters. 

The pet-friendly building allows multi-pets and large dogs and even has a dog-washing station for when it snows or that walk on the new esplanade turns into a swim in the river. 

When it opens later this year, the outdoor pool will have a separate membership fee and an indoor pool will be located in another Bankside tower.  

Valet parking is also available for $295 to $395 per month.  

Edited March 10, 2022 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[BSR]

5 hours ago, samhexum said:

The Bronx isn’t burning but it is on fire with new luxury buildings boasting sky-high Manhattan-like rents — some over $7,000 per month.

The borough’s newest building, Third at Bankside, has several two- and three-bedroom market-rate apartments that can set you back over $5,000.

There’s even a stunning spread with two baths and a huge private terrace available for $7,334 for a one-year lease or $7,434 for 18 months — and already has at least one applicant craving the rooms with lots of views.

The 25-story building is being developed in Mott Haven by Brookfield as part of its seven-tower Bankside project that sits along the shoreline of the Harlem River and straddles the Third Avenue bridge to Manhattan.

But before you cry foul, the high comes with the low. The developers are also creating plenty of affordable rentals (90% to 130% of AMI which is an income range of $61,543 – $167,570) for those that qualify through the city website. These studios rent for $1,795 per month, one-bedrooms for $2,200 to $2,350 and two bedrooms for $2,695 to $2,900. an absolute pittance!

There are other perks as well: All new renters get two months of free rent and free access to amenities that include a “creative makerspace,” resident lounges, a kid’s playroom, test kitchen and outdoor BBQ area plus a fully loaded gym that also overlooks the river — all of which normally costs $125 per month.

To support the under market prices, the other residents are paying up.

With its model units open and tours underway, market rate studios start at $2,900, one-bedrooms at $3,100, two-bedrooms at $4,000 and three-bedrooms at $5,000.

Some two-bedrooms have two bathrooms plus a den that could easily serve as an office or third bedroom and start at $5,029 for an 18-month lease. While that’s pretty penny for the historically price-competative Bronx, try finding that much space in the city at that price point.

There’s also a three-bedroom with two-baths on the eighth floor that faces away from the river and a relative bargain at $5,025 for 18 months. The leasing website offers multiple options to check out all the floor plans and flexible terms.

“There is a lot of interest for the large apartments,” said Charles Howe, vice president, development, Brookfield Properties. Some couples are leasing two-bedrooms and using the extra space for the now pandemic-necessary home office or future nursery, he said, while singles want to share them with a roommate — especially those with two bathrooms.

Seven of the units have private terraces and include a dramatic 23rd-floor, one-bedroom, one-bath apartment facing away from the river that rents for a whopping $5,126 on an 18-month lease while its neighboring studio commands $4,382 for a 17-month lease but leaps to $5,077 for 18 months.

A splashy retreat in the form of a pool with lounge furniture — another amenity for residents.

The team expects interest from those who work at the local hospitals and courthouse as well as at Yankee Stadium — perhaps even from a Yankee who wants a brag-worthy pied-a-terre.

For someone with deep pockets or a sugar daddy, that priciest three-bedroom, two-bathroom pad on the 18th floor of the project’s first 25-story building is hard to resist.

Its huge, sundrenched outdoor terrace has sweeping views across the city from Long Island City to the toothpick towers of Billionaire’s Row and even the top of the George Washington Bridge.

Another private terrace also wraps around a two-bedroom, two-bath unit on the ninth floor that has an 18-month rent of $6,160 per month while its neighboring two-bedroom has a very long terrace for a mere $5,408 for 18 months.

Sitting on sheltered paved courtyards next to the Third Ave. Bridge, the entire project is just a seven-minute walk to Manhattan’s 125th Street 4,5 and 6 trains or the 6 train at E. 138th Street in the Bronx.

According to Brookfield executives, the mostly open plan apartments also have slightly more elbow room than comparable new rentals such as their own along the Brooklyn waterfront, while the oversized windows — some are floor to ceiling and even wrap some corners — make the units feel even bigger.

Every apartment in the LEED silver building designed by Hill West Architects also comes with built-in window shades and deep closets. Some have entry alcoves and walk-in closets, giving them a roomier feel. 

Blomberg appliances include a stacked washer/dryer (often in its own closet), a dishwasher and microwave, while the stoves have gas burners for cooking — and are among the last apartments allowed to hook up under the city’s new anti-gas rules.

 

This bedroom has a view of the water and is the size of a shoebox!.  

Counters are dark grey Caesarstone with grey cabinetry accented by light wood or open shelves along with stainless sinks and refrigerators. Bathrooms have either no-lip stone and tiled showers or a bathtub — and all have deep, light wood drawers and black Caesarstone counters. 

The pet-friendly building allows multi-pets and large dogs and even has a dog-washing station for when it snows or that walk on the new esplanade turns into a swim in the river. 

When it opens later this year, the outdoor pool will have a separate membership fee and an indoor pool will be located in another Bankside tower.  

Valet parking is also available for $295 to $395 per month.  

Holy sh*t!  A $5K 1-bed in the Bronx?!  I never thought I'd see the day.

[samhexum]

Few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket?

 

Opulent, Revamped Prospect Park South Manse with Ballroom, Garage asks  $12.95 Million

 

The exterior of this grand Colonial Revival in Prospect Park South has always been an attention-grabber, and after a renovation the interior certainly is eye-popping. In the Prospect Park South Historic District, the weathered but grand early 20th century standalone at 1305 Albemarle was in need of restoration when it sold for $2.75 million in 2017. Now it is back on the market after an exterior restoration and an interior makeover for a substantially higher price.

Built in 1905 in developer Dean Alvord’s planned community of standlone houses and green parkways, the impressively sized house on a corner lot was deemed “one of the most eccentric buildings in the Colonial tradition in the district” in the designation report. Those features, designed by architect Henry B. Moore, include monumental two-story Ionic columns marking the entrance, smaller-scaled columns on the porch, an eclectic mix of windows and impressive swan’s neck dormers ornamenting the roofline.

Listed for $2.988 million in 2016, the house went into contract just eight days later. The exterior got an LPC approved restoration that included selective repair and some replacement of deteriorated features. The interior had already had some alterations over the years, and owner and architect Stephen Tanenbaum told the Wall Street Journal that in addition to the exterior work the three-year project included some changes to the floor plan along with updated mechanicals, including central air.

The listing photos also show new wallpaper and other decor changes to the over 11,000 square foot house, which includes nine bedrooms and 7.5 baths spread over four floors. Many original interior features remain, including a wood-filled dining room with Ionic pilasters (echoing the exterior ornament) along the wood paneling, a beamed ceiling and built-in buffet. The dining room also has a fireplace, the floor plan shows; it is one of six in the house. Three of them are wood burning, including one with a classical frieze in the black-and-white tiled foyer that got a makeover with grey and white paint and a new black tile surround.

The first floor has multiple parlors along with the dining room and a kitchen at the rear of the floor with French doors opening onto a deck. As expected with the scale of the house, it’s an expansive kitchen with marble tile, a center island, glass fronted white cabinets and a rolling library ladder to reach them. Glitzy mirrored backsplash tiles make an appearance in the kitchen and in an upstairs bath.

There’s a bold architecture-themed wallpaper in the upstairs hallway that leads to five of the bedrooms, including a large suite with dressing area and en suite bath with walk-in shower and a claw foot tub.

Upstairs is the ballroom where in 1908 George E. and Sarah Gale hosted a “musicale” for more than 300 guests. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported the room was filled with roses, lilacs and palms and the house and ballroom were so extensive that the large number of guests were “readily accommodated.” The ballroom has been opened up to the attic to create a soaring ceiling and outfitted with a vintage bar that stretches along one wall with plenty of space left for billiards and movie watching. A spiral staircase leads up to a mezzanine. fancy-shmancy!

The finished basement includes a sauna and workout room as well as a one-bedroom staff apartment with its own exterior entrance and a full kitchen.

Outside, a long driveway leads to the two-car garage with a charging station. In addition to the fair amount of porch space, there is a gated rear yard.

[Listing: 1305 Albemarle Road |

I hate the floor and the ceiling looks like an ice cube tray.

Way too much going on here:

Very nice.  I approve.  The rug adds a needed pop of color.

The table and chairs look wimpy against the room's grandeur.

The kitchen of Dorian GRAY:

Oh, dear God! MY EYES! MY EYES!

The curtains need a pattern with color and the gold on the bed frame looks tacky.

No...  just... No!

Nyet...  just...  Nyet!

A sitting area for people to watch you bathe?!?!?

I don't like how the bannister spindles attach at the base.

I would have picked a different pinball machine, but nice!

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[CuriousByNature]

2 hours ago, samhexum said:

Few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket?

 

Opulent, Revamped Prospect Park South Manse with Ballroom, Garage asks  $12.95 Million

 

The exterior of this grand Colonial Revival in Prospect Park South has always been an attention-grabber, and after a renovation the interior certainly is eye-popping. In the Prospect Park South Historic District, the weathered but grand early 20th century standalone at 1305 Albemarle was in need of restoration when it sold for $2.75 million in 2017. Now it is back on the market after an exterior restoration and an interior makeover for a substantially higher price.

Built in 1905 in developer Dean Alvord’s planned community of standlone houses and green parkways, the impressively sized house on a corner lot was deemed “one of the most eccentric buildings in the Colonial tradition in the district” in the designation report. Those features, designed by architect Henry B. Moore, include monumental two-story Ionic columns marking the entrance, smaller-scaled columns on the porch, an eclectic mix of windows and impressive swan’s neck dormers ornamenting the roofline.

Listed for $2.988 million in 2016, the house went into contract just eight days later. The exterior got an LPC approved restoration that included selective repair and some replacement of deteriorated features. The interior had already had some alterations over the years, and owner and architect Stephen Tanenbaum told the Wall Street Journal that in addition to the exterior work the three-year project included some changes to the floor plan along with updated mechanicals, including central air.

The listing photos also show new wallpaper and other decor changes to the over 11,000 square foot house, which includes nine bedrooms and 7.5 baths spread over four floors. Many original interior features remain, including a wood-filled dining room with Ionic pilasters (echoing the exterior ornament) along the wood paneling, a beamed ceiling and built-in buffet. The dining room also has a fireplace, the floor plan shows; it is one of six in the house. Three of them are wood burning, including one with a classical frieze in the black-and-white tiled foyer that got a makeover with grey and white paint and a new black tile surround.

The first floor has multiple parlors along with the dining room and a kitchen at the rear of the floor with French doors opening onto a deck. As expected with the scale of the house, it’s an expansive kitchen with marble tile, a center island, glass fronted white cabinets and a rolling library ladder to reach them. Glitzy mirrored backsplash tiles make an appearance in the kitchen and in an upstairs bath.

There’s a bold architecture-themed wallpaper in the upstairs hallway that leads to five of the bedrooms, including a large suite with dressing area and en suite bath with walk-in shower and a claw foot tub.

Upstairs is the ballroom where in 1908 George E. and Sarah Gale hosted a “musicale” for more than 300 guests. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported the room was filled with roses, lilacs and palms and the house and ballroom were so extensive that the large number of guests were “readily accommodated.” The ballroom has been opened up to the attic to create a soaring ceiling and outfitted with a vintage bar that stretches along one wall with plenty of space left for billiards and movie watching. A spiral staircase leads up to a mezzanine. fancy-shmancy!

The finished basement includes a sauna and workout room as well as a one-bedroom staff apartment with its own exterior entrance and a full kitchen.

Outside, a long driveway leads to the two-car garage with a charging station. In addition to the fair amount of porch space, there is a gated rear yard.

[Listing: 1305 Albemarle Road |

I hate the floor and the ceiling looks like an ice cube tray.

Way too much going on here:

Very nice.  I approve.  The rug adds a needed pop of color.

The table and chairs look wimpy against the room's grandeur.

The kitchen of Dorian GRAY:

Oh, dear God! MY EYES! MY EYES!

The curtains need a pattern with color and the gold on the bed frame looks tacky.

No...  just... No!

Nyet...  just...  Nyet!

A sitting area for people to watch you bathe?!?!?

I don't like how the bannister spindles attach at the base.

I would have picked a different pinball machine, but nice!

 

A bit too fussy, and too many small patterns for my taste.  But I wouldn't say 'no' if someone bought it for me... LOL

[Luv2play]

On 3/5/2022 at 2:00 AM, nycman said:

Minor correction…..it contains THE fresco ceiling painted by Caravaggio. 

There are no other ones known in existence. 

And the house failed to sell at auction…… CNN article.

Btw…check out the fresco. Nice dick pic!

Actually, I was correct in saying “a fresco ceiling”. There are other ceilings in the palace, so it’s only a ceiling in the building.

And while I’m on the subject of Caravaggio, he was a master of “chiaroscuro” during the Renaissance, along with Rembrandt, da Vinci and Vermeer. Their paintings can be valued of upwards to the hundreds of millions these days.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Luv2play

[Luv2play]

7 hours ago, CuriousByNature said:

A bit too fussy, and too many small patterns for my taste.  But I wouldn't say 'no' if someone bought it for me... LOL

I think the dining room is the best furnished room in the house. The table and Chippendale chairs suit the panelling in the room and the built in buffet. The chandelier is just right too. And then carpet is OK but could be better. Many of the other rooms have vulgar features.

[Guest]

On 3/4/2022 at 5:20 PM, azdr0710 said:

"The One" sold at auction for $126M a few days ago......less than half the latest asking price......it apparently still needs to be fully completed and receive an occupancy ok from the building inspectors.....creditors to pay off, bankruptcy judge needs to sign off on it, blah, blah........

https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/beverly-hills-mega-mansion-the-one-sells-at-less-than-half-its-listing-price/

I told my real estate agent I wouldn't buy a house with a flat roof... 🙄

[+ nycman]

11 hours ago, samhexum said:

Few extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket?

 

Opulent, Revamped Prospect Park South Manse with Ballroom, Garage asks  $12.95 Million

 

The exterior of this grand Colonial Revival in Prospect Park South has always been an attention-grabber, and after a renovation the interior certainly is eye-popping. In the Prospect Park South Historic District, the weathered but grand early 20th century standalone at 1305 Albemarle was in need of restoration when it sold for $2.75 million in 2017. Now it is back on the market after an exterior restoration and an interior makeover for a substantially higher price.

Built in 1905 in developer Dean Alvord’s planned community of standlone houses and green parkways, the impressively sized house on a corner lot was deemed “one of the most eccentric buildings in the Colonial tradition in the district” in the designation report. Those features, designed by architect Henry B. Moore, include monumental two-story Ionic columns marking the entrance, smaller-scaled columns on the porch, an eclectic mix of windows and impressive swan’s neck dormers ornamenting the roofline.

Listed for $2.988 million in 2016, the house went into contract just eight days later. The exterior got an LPC approved restoration that included selective repair and some replacement of deteriorated features. The interior had already had some alterations over the years, and owner and architect Stephen Tanenbaum told the Wall Street Journal that in addition to the exterior work the three-year project included some changes to the floor plan along with updated mechanicals, including central air.

The listing photos also show new wallpaper and other decor changes to the over 11,000 square foot house, which includes nine bedrooms and 7.5 baths spread over four floors. Many original interior features remain, including a wood-filled dining room with Ionic pilasters (echoing the exterior ornament) along the wood paneling, a beamed ceiling and built-in buffet. The dining room also has a fireplace, the floor plan shows; it is one of six in the house. Three of them are wood burning, including one with a classical frieze in the black-and-white tiled foyer that got a makeover with grey and white paint and a new black tile surround.

The first floor has multiple parlors along with the dining room and a kitchen at the rear of the floor with French doors opening onto a deck. As expected with the scale of the house, it’s an expansive kitchen with marble tile, a center island, glass fronted white cabinets and a rolling library ladder to reach them. Glitzy mirrored backsplash tiles make an appearance in the kitchen and in an upstairs bath.

There’s a bold architecture-themed wallpaper in the upstairs hallway that leads to five of the bedrooms, including a large suite with dressing area and en suite bath with walk-in shower and a claw foot tub.

Upstairs is the ballroom where in 1908 George E. and Sarah Gale hosted a “musicale” for more than 300 guests. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported the room was filled with roses, lilacs and palms and the house and ballroom were so extensive that the large number of guests were “readily accommodated.” The ballroom has been opened up to the attic to create a soaring ceiling and outfitted with a vintage bar that stretches along one wall with plenty of space left for billiards and movie watching. A spiral staircase leads up to a mezzanine. fancy-shmancy!

The finished basement includes a sauna and workout room as well as a one-bedroom staff apartment with its own exterior entrance and a full kitchen.

Outside, a long driveway leads to the two-car garage with a charging station. In addition to the fair amount of porch space, there is a gated rear yard.

[Listing: 1305 Albemarle Road |

I hate the floor and the ceiling looks like an ice cube tray.

Way too much going on here:

Very nice.  I approve.  The rug adds a needed pop of color.

The table and chairs look wimpy against the room's grandeur.

The kitchen of Dorian GRAY:

Oh, dear God! MY EYES! MY EYES!

The curtains need a pattern with color and the gold on the bed frame looks tacky.

No...  just... No!

Nyet...  just...  Nyet!

A sitting area for people to watch you bathe?!?!?

I don't like how the bannister spindles attach at the base.

I would have picked a different pinball machine, but nice!

 

The bones of the house look beautiful.

Pity that they went with ‘nouveau riche whore house" for their "aesthetic" 

[samhexum]

WHEN HE WAKES up in the morning, Josh Hart is greeted by a smiling family. Every morning he opens his eyes and looks at the wall in his bedroom, where he sees a wedding photo and a picture of a newborn baby.

Except it isn't from his wedding.

And it isn't his kid (he doesn't have any).

The pictures hanging on the wall of the Portland home are of Larry Nance Jr., his wife Hailey and their daughter. And that's just the way Nance wants it.

"Oh I told them he can't take that off," Nance told ESPN. "Every morning he's gotta tell me  good morning."

Nance and Hart -- once teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers -- were on opposite ends of the Feb. 8 deal that sent CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans, with Nance and Tony Snell also going to New Orleans, while Hart, Didi Louzada, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Tomas Satoransky became Portland Trail Blazers.

Instead of being reunited, as they'd hoped, the two were passing each other in the air. And while they couldn't help each other on the court, there was one thing they could do to make the transition easier: swap houses.

HART AND NANCE became close friends when the two played for the Lakers. Nance had purchased a house in the Portland area upon being dealt there last summer, while Hart owned a home in the New Orleans area, having played there for the past three seasons. Nance, who has a year left on his contract, wasn't planning on buying a home in New Orleans when he could be on the move again next summer (or even sooner if another trade materializes). Hart, who has two non-guaranteed years left on his contract, was in a similar situation in Portland.

That's when the idea to swap homes -- at least temporarily -- materialized. When Hart made it to Portland, he checked out Nance's digs and reported back that he liked what he saw.

"Yeah, I know it's nice, I'm living there, man," Nance joked.

Nance sent movers to pack up some of the essential items in the house -- he left the couches and TVs -- so Hart could make room for some of his belongings.

"I'm gonna be honest with you, I have no idea what they took out of the house [in New Orleans]," Nance said. "I guess just the immediate essentials. There's a lot of their stuff still in there. We tried to be a little more courteous and take most of our stuff outta there."

Nance, who got married with only immediate family present in 2018, said if he'd had groomsmen, Hart would have been one of them. The day Nance was traded to Portland seven months ago, he was headed to stand in Hart's wedding.

And while the next trade didn't make them teammates again, they'll still enjoy their friendship -- and their houses.

"That's a relationship I'll have way beyond basketball," Nance said.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33568309/what-happens-best-friends-traded-other-middle-nba-season

[+ MysticMenace]

Talk about a house having character -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[samhexum]

Dear Abby: I am a newlywed. My husband and I are looking for a house to settle down in, but we’re struggling to find one we like that we can afford. My in-laws, who are moving, offered to sell us their house for a very generous price. The house is in a great neighborhood, but it’s old and outdated and has HVAC and plumbing problems.

I think the house would be the perfect place for my husband and me to raise a family if we had some renovations made. However, we have talked to my in-laws about this, and they are very attached to this house and very against having any renovations made to it. My husband is happy to buy it and not have the renovations made, but I’m not so sure. What should I do?

— House Hunter in California

Dear House Hunter: You and your husband should talk with your in-laws together. While I understand their sentimental attachment to the house, they are being unrealistic and controlling. If they were to sell it to strangers, you can bet the first thing that would happen would be renovations. HVAC, plumbing, electrical and roof problems cost a fortune to keep fixing over time if they are not dealt with. Don’t they want their grandchildren raised in a nice, safe home in a great neighborhood? If the answer is yes, they need to loosen the reins. If not, then you should keep looking.

I think Abby gave good advice, but it would probably be more effective to threaten his parents that unless they sell them the house for a cheap price AND  pay for any and all repairs, they'll never see those grandchildren.

What do y'all think?

[samhexum]

Family beef is sizzling over the future of the iconic New York grocery store chain Western Beef.

In 2020, the founder of Western Beef, Peter Castellanas Sr., died from COVID-19. During his life, he was charged and found guilty of many mob-related crimes, among them selling adulterated meat, defrauding the government in a stolen food stamps scheme, committing bankruptcy fraud, lying to the Securities and Exchange Commission and extortion (for having meat suppliers threatened with bone breakage over a debt), according to Curbed.

Now, his grandson, Peter III, who was until recently Western Beef’s CEO, is attempting to take the company in a new direction.

He hopes to cash in on skyrocketing land prices in the boroughs by razing his family’s stores and developing luxury residential buildings in their place. He shuttered seven Western Beef stores to build projects like the Astor in Long Island City, where rent is roughly $5,000 per month for a two-bedroom unit. In The Bronx, he teamed up with a developer to create a nine-story, 159-mixed-unit development.

“I had a business plan, all the numbers worked out,” he told Curbed. “I had some of the best economical minds available to me.”

But his father and Western Beef board chairman Peter Jr. — who grew up in the family business, building it into a $300 million chain with 20 stores and 2 million square feet of real estate in the New York area — has a bone to pick with his son.

“I just want to get our business back,” he told the magazine. “This is my baby. This is what I live for.”

He has since relieved his son of his position and halted the redevelopment projects.

“[They] offered us big, big money for the real estate,” Peter Jr. said of a Western Beef near the Marcy Projects. “They wanted to put huge condominiums over there, like they’re doing in the whole area.”

He’s not having it.

But Peter the younger isn’t done “steaking” out his territory. He’s since launched a real estate firm that manages more than 25 mixed-use developments and Western Beef properties. He plans to target Western Beef stores and other businesses in areas like Carroll Gardens and The Bronx for redevelopment going forward.

 

[Guest]

This palace went for a steal! Houses where people have been murdered often sell for a bargain. I came pretty close to buying the house where rapper Pop Smoker was murdered. Whoever bought that house razed it to the ground and built a new place. I'm glad I have the house where I am now, though. The Phil Spector/murder house would have had plenty of space for my big bitch to run around...

https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/los-angeles-castle-once-home-to-phil-spector-sells-for-3-3-million-227191

[marylander1940]

no longer available but worth posting!

"The Golden Girls" House Is For Sale: See Inside! - Hooked on Houses 248 N. Saltair Avenue Los Angeles, CA

 

 

some similarities in style but the "Hawaiian plantation-mid century style" from LA doesn't look much like the Miami house own by Blanche. 

[samhexum]

Speaking of great real estate finds...

3,400-year-old ‘lost’ city re-emerges from Tigris River in Iraq

https://nypost.com/2022/05/31/3400-year-old-lost-city-re-emerges-from-tigris-river/

An international group of archaeologists has unearthed a 3,400-year-old city under the Tigris River in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, they shared this week.

The Bronze Age village — erected sometime between 1475 BC and 1275 BC when the Mitanni Empire ruled over the northern Euphrates-Tigris region — emerged out of the Mosul reservoir, on the Tigris in Kemune, earlier this year as drought in the region has caused local waters to recede.

 

[samhexum]

OWN A PIECE OF AMERICAN HISTORY FOR JUST $10!!!

America’s final Howard Johnson’s restaurant — a 7,500-square-foot single-story diner, which had sat off Lake George, NY’s Route 9 for almost 70 years — has closed its doors, ending an era for what was once the nation’s largest restaurant chain. It’s also now for sale — and for a price that won’t break the bank.

The property is listed for just $10 by a local real estate firm, which boasts the address comes with 70 parking spots and electrical road front signage. A representative for the firm, Exit Realty Empire Associates, told CNN affiliate News10 that the site has seen interest since first going up for lease last December, and initial attempts to sell it started back in 2017.