Monthly Archives: August 2010

Flickr/lumierefl

Some news from the Landmarks Preservation Commission: they, too, have renovated, updating their “Rowhouse Manual,” which they describe as “a guide designed to help the owners of rowhouses in New York City’s historic districts preserve and maintain their remarkable homes and work successfully with the agency when exterior alterations are needed.” (Click here for the pdf).

The manual helps you care for all of your home–both legally and aesthetically–including doors and doorways; windows; walls and facades; cornices and stoops, sidewalks and yards, among other categories.

Should you find the level of detail overwhelming, we’d like to point out that this is one of our areas of expertise. We help home owners, home buyers and home sellers navigate the regulations within historic districts, and have experience both preserving and modernizing historic properties. So feel free to drop us a line if you’d like to talk about the updated manual (or any other topics). This is also something we can discuss at our monthly, free, real estate seminars.

Architectural writer Montrose Morris has written for us a history of the preservation movement in the United States, and a primer on landmarking here in Brooklyn. You can download the entire first installment here, or browse below. Check back soon for the next chapter.

A Preservation Primer
by Montrose Morris

Flickr/DumboNYC

Chapter One: A Movement Begins
There’s only one thing that stays the same in New York City: the fact that it’s always changing. The skyline shifts sometimes weekly, with new skyscrapers puncturing the clouds, or old buildings razed to make way for another wave of development.

And yet amid this fast paced and continual reinvention we do have constants, neighborhoods and buildings that beat a steady drum along the streetscape, protected from the wrecking ball, real estate speculation, and the whims of markets. And even those New Yorkers who love the city for its ability to renew itself often know the words Historic Preservation, Landmarks Preservation Commission, historic districts and landmarking… and to appreciate what they mean. They’re integrated both into our vocabulary and into our hearts.

Yet we tend to take preservation for granted, inured to the brown street signs that signify a historic district as if they’ve always been here, woven into the urban fabric. In reality New York City’s historic neighborhoods, specifically those in Brooklyn, would not be here today if it were not for the many individuals—some prominent, some unknown—who fought and lobbied, protested, advocated and agitated for the protection of the beautiful buildings that make our neighborhoods so desirable. These activists believed passionately that our architectural treasures are worthy of protection. They make the city a more desirable place to live; impart a legacy for our children and New Yorkers-to-be; and celebrate the architectural skills, craftsmanship, and beauty of the buildings that make our city one of the wonders of the world.

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If you need a more visual invitation to our monthly real estate seminar, please watch our short video above. We’re looking forward to having coffee with you on August 17th and chatting about buying, selling and renovating real estate in Brooklyn…and showing you one of the finest examples of our work. Space is limited, so click here to register soon!

26 Remsen renovation, completed by Brennan Realty Services

Are you thinking of buying, selling, renting or renovating your Brooklyn home? Then attend “Let’s talk real estate, Brooklyn style, in my home” for an informal discussion over coffee, the third Tuesday of every month.

Donald Brennan, experienced brownstone Brooklyn pro, will welcome you into his renovated Brooklyn Heights townhouse and give you an insider’s perspective about what’s really going on in today’s real estate market, plus he’ll answer your specific questions.

Date: Tuesday, August 17
Time: 8 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Location: 26 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights

At this unique gathering, Brennan will share his in-depth understanding of real estate Brooklyn-style—brownstones, townhouses and other multi-family properties in landmark Brooklyn districts—that will help you maximize the value of your real estate investment.

While you’ll drive the agenda for this informal chat, some of the topics you may learn about include:

• Market overview:  Is now the right time to buy—or sell?
• What specifics to look for in buying a brownstone.
• What other neighborhood homes are selling for.
• How small changes in your home can add big value.
• Buying a multi-family property—do you have what it takes to be a landlord?
• Top ten tips on improving your brownstone space.
• The latest trends in renovating historic properties.

So please join us the third Tuesday of every month starting August 17, and remember to bring your most pressing real estate questions!

To RSVP, please contact:

Betsy Hoffman by email or phone: 917-622-3879

or

Donald Brennan by email or phone: 917-568-6525

Remember to let us know what you’d like to discuss!

Admission is complimentary.
No brokers, please.

Presented by Brennan Realty Services.
Brennan Realty Services is a licensed real estate brokerage in New York.