Another Charming Old Brick Building On Smith Street To Get The Glass Treatment In Upcoming 'Remuddle'

If the new silver-toned building that replaced a sweet wooden clapboard building at 159 Smith Street isn't ugly enough in Boerum Hill, it may soon have an equally out of place neighbor.
Just recently, Rime, a sneaker store, moved out of 157 Smith Street and a construction fence was erected around its façade. A NYC Buildings Department permit indicates that this nice original old three-story brick building with a lovely cornice will soon get a vertical and horizontal extension.  According to a posted drawing, it will be stripped of all its charm in the process.

According to Zillow, 157 Smith Street changed hands in 2016 for $3,750,000. That is a lot of money and one can hardly blame a new owner for wanting to maximize every inch of floor-area allowed by zoning.  However, one does have to scratch one's head as to why someone buys a beautiful old building in a charming old neighborhood just to turn it into a stark modern glass structure.

What do you think, dear Reader?

Below is a photo taken in November 2014 of the three original buildings at 157, 159 and 161 Smith Street. Soon, only 161 will remain unchanged.

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After More Than Five Years, 'Remuddling' of 132 Second Place Almost Complete

132 Second Place as it looked back in 2008

In early 2011, after the stoop was removed

Existing iron fence being replaced by cinderblock wall in May 2011

132 Second Place just last week with new cement scratch coat on façade

Extension on back of building

Construction at 132 Second Place, between Smith and Court Streets, has been going on for such a long time now, that it seemed it would go on forever.  However, after a few months of steady work, it appears that sometimes soon, this condo conversion may finally be completed.

It all started in 2005, when the home was sold for $1,850,000 to Mohegan Holdings, Co. LLC. 
Shorty afterwards, work began on a vertical and horizontal addition.  That's when things quickly turned into a comedy of errors.  First, the NYC Department of Buildings issued a violation for demolition work done  'without proper permits'. Then, after proper permits were filed in the fall of 2006, the back wall collapsed into the neighbor's back yard. Construction stopped and the windows were bricked up. The building languished in limbo for the next few years. 
In 2007, the deed to the property was transferred from the Mohegan Holding Company, LLC to a Henry Azcue for $1,825,000. New work permits were issued by the NYC Department of Buildings in 2008 and  work finally resumed.  But not for long.  

It wasn't until the spring of 2011 that construction seemed to finally move along.

A fifth floor was added, the rear extension was completed, and a new cement scratch coat was applied to the façade (which hopefully, will be followed by a layer of brown cement shortly.)  

Unfortunately, the old brownstone lost its stoop in the process and an unsightly cinderblock fence now replaces the original iron fence.

One can't argue that the original brownstone was one of Carroll Garden's grandest homes before this 'remuddle' started.  It had lost its cornice long ago, but this hundred year old building still had some wonderful detail on its façade.

What replaces it is devoid of any character or charm.  How very sad.

What's your opinion?

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