After a bad case of Gowanus block (self-diagnosed), writer Martha Pickerill has filed her submission:
Can You See Yourself in the Coignet Building?
“Most of the windows have been boarded up, but several are completely open to the elements. The Department of Buildings is investigating the crack and other reports of damage. Currently, the building is on the market for $3 million.” – ny.curbed.com, December 17, 2013
For sale: Trophy property on the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn’s piping hot WhoFoGo (Whole Foods Gowanus) neighborhood. This stately gem is a repository of New York City’s rich history, including Beame-era crumbling bricks, Koch-era water damage, Dinkins-era graffiti, Giuliani-era boarded-up windows, and Bloomberg-era garbage and urine puddles.
The freestanding grand dame boasts dramatic, horizon-obliterating southern and western views of Whole Foods. Its unique, ornate 19th-century facade is located on the ground nearby. Inside, let your inner interior designer run wild! There’s still time to weigh in on the floor plan, floors, walls, ceilings, staircases, window glass, and other finishes. A handyman special? Oh, no. No handyman has lasted more than 5 minutes after entering the door-free doorway.
The beloved landmarked rarity, built in 1872, may be the first concrete building constructed in New York City. So, history! The Coignet Stone Company came to the U.S. from France to revolutionize construction with a magical combination of sand, water and cement binder. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1873.
Are you ready to savor the easy-going pace of life on the Gowanus Delta in a stately mansion that you pretty much build from the heavily polluted ground up? The location could not be more desirable, just steps from the sun-drenched, mercury-drenched, PCB-drenched and coal tar-drenched 4th Street Beach.
Serious inquiries only. This one won’t last!