172 Brooklyn Avenue: Whose in Charge of this Eye Sore?
Since 1970, this property has changed hands 15 times and had Lis Pendens (law suits) filed with property liens to foreclose for non payment of property taxes 4 times.
It experienced a Lis Pendens filing for mortgage default only once. The city has defended its claim to unpaid property taxes more times than it engaged in enforcement action through the Department of Buildings for unsafe building conditions, which only occurred 2 times (2001 & 2006). So why does it still look this way?
Here in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, part of the 36th Council District in New York city, sits an abandoned building at the corner of Prospect Place and Brooklyn Avenue.
This property has been a public hazard since the mid 1990′s. Both the scaffolding and awnings are rusted and have received no maintenance to its structure. The chain link fence is easy to penetrate by children to play in. At night, the structure provides a perfect location for committing crimes, as the awning blocks out the street light in this secluded area.
Built at the turn of the century (circa 1900), 172 Brooklyn Avenue construction was characteristic of the walk up apartment buildings of its day. The building boasts 10,200 square feet within its 4 story structure. Siting on a 105 ft by 28 ft city lot in or near the recently land marked area of Northern Crown Heights, one can only wonder why this location was completely missed by an enterprising real estate developer.
Just take a look at the number of property transfers over the course of 38 years.
Since 1970, this property has changed hands 15 times and had Lis Pendens (law suits) filed with property liens to foreclose for non payment of property taxes 4 times.
It experienced a Lis Pendens filing for mortgage default only once. The city has defended its claim to unpaid property taxes more times than it engaged in enforcement action through the Department of Buildings for unsafe building conditions, which only occurred 2 times (2001 & 2006).
Whats amazing about the title history over 38 years is that each time title to the property changed hands it was done for $0.00, which apparently resulted in an additional loss in revenue to the State and City in property transfer taxes.
And as you can see by the strength of the chain securing the entrance, the residents of this community should be comforted that no harm should come to them from sexual predators, drug dealers, neighborhood gangs or other violent criminals because of the measures taken.
Yet, if this building were in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Windsor Terrace or Brooklyn Heights, this wouldn’t have gone on for 38 years. Not even a New York minute.
Like most states, New York has exercised its power of Eminent Domain for what the State deems for the highest possible use for its land. Projects like Yankee Stadium, the expansion of Columbia University’s campus, Atlantic Yards project, etc… were all projects that began with the legal condemnation of existing property.
What was highest possible use over 38 years for 172 Brooklyn Avenue?
The irony of it all; the Brooklyn Children’s Museum is just across the street and they’ve recently completed a multi million dollar renovation to expand and upgrade its facility. All done through charitable donations.
Do you think that buying this property and rehabilitating it for affordable condo ownership would be a project worth using some of the $59 million dollar grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program?
or is it absurd to assume that the city is interested in stabilizing neighborhoods hard hit by the foreclosure crisis; neighborhoods like Crown Heights?
* This post was originally published at http://mybrooklynreport.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/172-brooklyn-avenue-whose-in-charge-of-this-eye-sore/
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[...] just as in the case of 172 Brooklyn Avenue, also located in the 36th NYC council District and 56th NYS Assembly District, there had to be more [...]