Clermont Greene

Yes, this building is very nice. It's not necessarily on a brownstone block as a large rental complex, The Armony, is directly next door. Before the Clermont Greene, this was a large warehouse that I believe shipped books. But, the block is very nice and the inner courtyard and finishes in the building are top of the line. They have open houses on weeknights from 6-7:30 and 1-4 on Sunday if you'd like to check it out and judge for yourself. My husband and I personally liked it enough to buy there, so I am obviously a fan.

thank you! sounds great! i heard other good things about it too. do you think there is a high chance it goes rental? i am going to go see it and will update soon.

are you living in there already?

There are several people already moved in. And compared to the horror stories I've heard with other new developments, things are running very smoothly. Hot water, AC in common areas, fitness center, etc. all working and delivered as promised. Open houses are looking good and interest has seemed to pick up since the C of O was granted and people are actually living there. In regards to going rental, I have no way to tell. But, I do know that traffic has picked up and they have a lot of contracts out. It will take some time, but I think they will eventually get the building filled up without going rental. At least I hope so! :)

Haiku, did you just go under contract. Could you lend some guidance on pricing and discount off the asking price?

Thanks.

We actually went into contract about a year ago. There are a few units where the recorded sale amount is listed on Streeteasy. That may give you an idea of the types of discounts that were/are being offered. There is also a 15-year tax abatement that has already gone into effect. Your best bet is to come to an open house, take a look around and if you decide it's somewhere you'd like to call home, make an offer. The brokers there are all great to work with. The worst that can happen is they come back with a counter offer if you come in too low. I seriously doubt they would just turn down your offer and walk away. Good luck!

i loved the place! really nice but it is disturbing we are almost at the end of summer and they are only at 20% sold (which is where they were last summer).....not a good sign. Things are moving as well all over brooklyn - at this stage they should be at least at 50%. this makes me to nervous to buy here. they will go rental and we will get stuck with the common charges going thru the roof.

Checked some units out last year (I had almost forgotten about this bldg.!). The layouts were very interesting, and the finishes were better than average for a Brooklyn development--certainly better than Forte or BellTel (although nothing to write home about).

Since no one appears to be talking about it, I will... The location is truly horrendous. If I remember correctly, it is locaed among clusters of big ugly projects and tenements. People complain about Oro's location, but this one is infinitely worse... Everyone here appears to love it, but I just had to mention the location issue. I am surprised that they made it to the 20%-sold mark, given the location...

This is a great location. Large buldings near Clermont Greene are not projects but the Clinton Hill Coops. You can argue that they are ugly but the fact is that they are part of the neighborhood's diverse architectural and social fabric. Some of the best restaurants in Brooklyn are within a block or two as is Fort Greene Park and the Brooklyn Flea Market. It's difficult to judge a neighborhood unless you spend some time there. Check it out.

I have checked the area up rather extensively and, although I wouldn't describe it a "great location," I appreciate "diversity" in such perceptions. And, wow, they are't projects? I am shocked. They have that same configuration/feel (with parking lots and courtyards in between, with jungle gyms/basket ball courts--with people lounging)... And the walk from the train station was a bit scary. Also, when I discussed the bldg. w/ my friends that work @ Platt, their description of the area as a place for "middle America" to live was overwhelmingly negative. But, again, those things are subjective, I am sure.

Don't get me wrong, I liked the bldg. itself, and the finishes, as I said before, are decent for a Brooklyn development (which tends to be less consistent in quality and taste than their counterparts in Manhattan).

Still, it seems over priced for the area.

Middle America? If that's your mind set you were certainly looking in the wrong place. Maybe you should limit your search to the 212 code area (some parts of it of course). I hear that there are very good deals in Manhattan these days (i.e. the FiDi). FYI--PRATT is about 10 blocks away from the Clermont Greene and a different neighborhood. Over priced? EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE.

Seen any good shills lately?

If you know the area, the slew of posts here characterizing the area as "desirable" just don't make sense! Didn't a Platt student get almost killed nearby just a couple of days ago?

Good shills? I've lived in the area for almost 4 years now and I wouldn't have bought there if I didn't feel it was a "desirable" place to live. If you have a positive outlook on this board, it must be a shill. ha ha. It's quite possible that people who like this neighborhood focus on the beautiful park, good restaurants, artistic culture, & friendly neighborhood vibe instead of the "projects" and random acts of violence.

That incident occurred at the border of Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy..not close to Clermont at all. Also these unfortunate things happen when you live in a big City. Worse things have happened in the best neighborhoods in Manhattan.

12 units have gone rental!

I lived next door at the Clermont Armory for close to 4 years, one of the first tenants to move in. We saw many changes to the neighborhood during this time. My biggest complaint about the location would be the long walk to the C train at Green/Lafayette. The other biggie, the lack of good grocery shopping options. The other transportation option is the bus at Myrtle to the station at Borough Hall. The G train just was not an option for me.

Not sure how much Myrtle has changed, but late at night it could get a little sketchy walking home from either of the trains. I would usually pick my wife up at the station if it was late, especially in the winter.

I've been here about 2 months and love the place and neighborhood! The building is clean and quiet, the restaurants and killer, and the Myrtle, Vanderbilt, & DeKalb buses run all the time; so transportation is not a problem.
For grocery shopping, I walk to the Associated (less than 5 minutes away) - easy! Also, there are specialty shops (wine, cheese, bread, organic food, a fish monger...) within 2 blocks.
Before buying here, I researched this area extensively by talking to those how live here, attend church her, and shop here and the answer was they same - they love it!!! There are tons of people with really nice strollers with the big, dirt-bike-tires (my test for any area) and many new businesses in the area.
Sure, there are times, late at night, you have to keep your eyes wide open, but you have to do that in ALL cities. (I lived in a very safe area of Chicago, Wrigleyville, for 17 years, and there was occasional seedy activity there. Further, my friend who lives on 83rd & Amsterdam was mugged 6 months ago, and that is the upper west side!
This area is deep in the middle of renaissance, and I%u2019m happy to be a part of it!

thanks for the insider scoop. i know and love the area as well. i am just concerned about the fact that the building has gone rental and what that will mean for owners and their maintenance costs etc - any idea about that?

why should the owners maintenance cost go up with some high end renters in the building? It is my understanding that the building is still selling well, and there was some demand for rent to own. (thats what I hear from the brokers)
The building looks great though.

It's great that this bldg. has so many supporters here. Yes, it would make sense to go rental when they are supposedly selling very well..............if you are crazy.

As someone who has been here from the beginning, I can tell you that sales are taking place, and I have new neighbors moving in all the time! :) Whether it is selling "well" or not is subjective. Is it selling better than some properties? - Sure. Is it selling worse than other properties? - Maybe. I don't know. What I do know is that as the economy continues to struggle, so do sales. I also know I love this building. The amenities are fantastic %u2013 my neighbors are great %u2013 the neighborhood is beautiful!

i concur monkeybase -- I lived in fort greene for 3 years and decided to buy in this building as well. I looked at brownstones and this building and opted for the new. I wouldn't look back. Agree with all you said --- building is great with great amenities (all the fundamentals and none of the fluff). Apartments are spacious, well laid out, and have great appliances. I thought the courtyard would have been a throwaway, but I'm really enjoying the views of it instead of a busy street.

I looked at every new building in the area before decdiding on this place. The neighborhood is what makes it. Walk a block in either direction to great restaurants --- 3 blocks to the park/green market --- 2 blocks to the Brooklyn Flea Market --- and a short walk to BAM/Target/etc.

jj1918 Why would maintenance go up if there are high end rentals?

I've been there for a few months. The building is owned by a tight-knit religious group that keeps a low profile so good luck getting any details about them from any public sources. Overall I love the building and am glad to be there, but it sucks that after three months, I still have no hot water in my bathroom (showers are lukewarm at BEST) and when I do get hot water from the kitchen, I have to run the cold water for up to five minutes. The building really skimped on the water heating system and this is a complaint among many tenants so beware. The maintenance is slow to respond to and resolve complaints because the super is only available at night (as he works full time outside of the building), so you really have to be persistent to have your issues addressed, which is annoying given the top prices they demand. That said, the people who live there and work at the front desk are super friendly, the place is clean and well-kept, and the Fort Greene location is beautiful. A few tweaks with the water issue, and I'd think I'm in paradise. Hope this helps.

Thanks, Frominside. Is this group Hasidic?

I've been curious about Clermont and noticed that hardly any units have sold in months, and many that were in contract never sold. Does anybody have any idea why? It also seems like the sponsors need to get realistic about the price since so many cheaper new condos are coming on line in fort greene. I'd be interested in a place if the prices dropped to a more competitive price.

it looks like the developer/corcoran is pushing the 'rent to own' option... any ideas on how successful it has been? it also appears that there have been a few price chops on a few units not too long ago.
i also like aspects of the neighborhood but are curious to know what percent of the condo is sold now. any thoughts?

finishes look nice and all but even with the price cuts who would pay 2000 a month to live in a 1 bed in Fort Greene brooklyn? You can live in Manhattan for that!

Frominside or anyone else, is the the water still lukewarm? If it is, is that because the sponsor is cheaping out to save on energy costs or is the water heating system itself the problem?

How are people commuting to the city for work from here? The building looks very attractive, but not as commute friendly...especially in the winter!

In the process of negotiating a purchase here - broker said 1/3 sold/in contract and about the same number are setup as rentals. My sense is that because they came on the market right when the market went to hell their pre-sold units fell out of contract and now they have shifted to a rental strategy as buyers are still waiting for the market to hit bottom and the sellers can wait for it to stabilize/increase by using renters to cover their cost to carry. It seems pretty clear they are using a couple of units at a low price to drive traffic but trying to keep the most desirable units (top floors or large balconies) at the higher per square foot pricing.

In my research, I have visited the neighborhood a lot. At times, one will want to be warry as they neighborhood is not fully gentrified and never will fully as there is a large public housing project 3 or 4 blocks west on Myrtle. Just as in Carol Gardens and many other locations in brooklyn, block by bock the neighborhoods and related experiences shift. The C at Lafayette is a brisk 10 minute walk.

As another poster noted, a couple of bocks to the east on Myrtle is a pretty good super market. From the outside it doesn't look like much but it seemed to have a deeper selection than the Dagostino's that I shopped at in the West Village. Definitely carried a lot of items for the diverse neighborhood it serves.

DeKalb and Lafayette have quite a few interesting restaurants and I just ate at Anima on Myrtle and it was pretty good - great atmosphere - mixed service.

Gonna check out our hot water situation next weekend when we do a walkthrough to prepare the punch list. Thanks for the insight on that one.

I checked the hot water issue. I went to the openhouse last wknd and tried the faucet on the bathroom and kitchen. It took two minutes for the water to be luke warm. No hot water ever came out.

Well folks, my partner and i have been there seven months and can say that the water has gotten a little better, as they installed a new water heating system. Unfortunatley though the issue has not been resolved. Taking a horrible situation to a decent situation still doesn't bring you to a good or satisfactory situation. The water will get hot during high traffic times like in the weekday morning. But much to my chagrin, if I come home from the gym and want a hot shower, I'm running it for about ten minutes for it to heat up - sometimes to lukewarm at best. Also, I had a washing machine installed (they DON'T come with the apartments), but trying to wash clothes with warm (let alone hot) water in the evening after work is a lost cause entirely. It's only hot in the morning. Nothing a little "Tide Cold Water" can't manage, but seriously, who pays upwards of a million dollars for a condo only to have to wash clothes in cold water? I am dissapointed that this continues to be a problem. Also, since the building now has so many renters, the place has really filled up quickly. That said, it is now obvious that the building is NOT the QUIET paradise it was when we first moved in and it was only 30% full. Now at about 75% capacity, I can report that while my neighbors are all lovely and friendly, I can hear the ones above me walking around (and sometimes doing other things at night...) all the time. I hear the ones next door playing their music and banging on the walls. Most annoying, some potheads have moved in down the hall and the lovely funk of weed saturates the hallway and spills into my living area when they decide to smoke up on the weekends!! So I am constantly burning candles since they arrived. It's reminiscent of a dormatory in that regard, only I wasn't shelling out thousands and thousands when I was in college... Anyway, this is a long way of saying the building is nice, but far far from foolproof. The walls and ceilings are very thin (if you go to an open house, take a friend and have them talk to you from the next room to see for yourself), and you're exposed to the recreational activities of those around you. The hike to the train this winter has been no picnic (about 15 min), but that was the least of my concerns this winter.

Hi Haiku, I am in contract to be in this building and I would love to talk more with you about it!

Lol but you don't want to talk to iagree?

I moved in a little under 3 months ago - so far there has been ample hot water flowing out of each sink and into the washing machine. It's not scalding hot, but it definitely is hot enough for a good shower at any time.

I can echo some of iagree's comments from 5 months ago - there is an annoying smell of pot that occasionally does get sent through the air conditioning system, but it mostly comes and goes.

As far as notices, I live at one end of the building and my neighbors are mostly quiet - we do hear the people above us walking around but it really isn't that bad -- I guess different people have different sensitivities.

Actually, yes I would love to talk you tii, Iagree and Jaybrittle. I am probably moving in in a month or so. buying in the building. I'd love to hear more and to connect a bit...
Let me know if you're up for that, as I may be your neighbor soon. (a NON pot smoing neighbor :) )

I'm actually quite curious about this development. We visited there the other week, and were pretty impressed with everything except the terrible gym. I especially liked the zen center with the fountain. Any speculations on why this development had sluggish sales for awhile?
http://www.flatbushriviera.com/2010/08/15/cleremont-greene-the-center-of-zen/

their prices were too high and their onsite brokers did not do a great job in my opinion. They also opened in the midst of the new recession and people were very unsure.

Evan Church's team over at Corcoran took over and sales picked up immediately. I really think those guys do a great job and they did some great marketing.That corner of Fort Greene is way younger and more hip and for lack of a better term feels more Williamsburg because the clientele seems less concerned about train access and the marketing needed a different focus.

best

oh by the way, definitely consider my apartment over at 230 Park Place... it looks in your price range and the foyer could be converted into a home office ;) Great layout and floorplan.

Notice the last post is 5 months ago. Has the hot water situation gotten better? Has the bldg addresed the issues/concerns of it residents? Is this a good building in any of the owner's opinions to buy? Would love to talk to someone to get a better idea. Jaybittle, iagree, hls? Are you all in the building and still liking it? This will be my first home and looking to make the right decision.

We moved in a few weeks ago. I'm not flush with cash so this was a huge decision for us. Hot water is available in my apartment either immediately or within a few minutes 90% of the time. It's not absolutely perfect, but it's apartment living and water takes time to go through pipes, like any multi-floor building. The building has gotten around to addressing the majority of the issues, but in my view most of the issues are relatively minor. I think it's a great building with exceptional value...considering you get a conceige, elevator, balconies in many units, the courtyard, washer/dryer hookup, freshdirect storage, a gym, an INDOOR garage onsite (how many other places have that even available??) and extra storage for a fair price. The courtyard is awesome and I can't wait for spring for the roofdeck and the fountain to be turned back on. DeKalb is loaded with restaurants and bars. Fulton place is about a seven minute walk for more shopping/nightlife. Barclay's arena (i'm a hoops fan) is going in over the next two years and that's going to be a about a 7 minute walk. You have BAM an easy walk away. The park is two blocks away. I repeat, the park is two blocks away. You have to use your head like anywhere in the city but Myrtle within two blocks has a Walgreens for random items, a thai restaurant, a french bistro, a wine store, a hardware store, and other useful commercial spots. I've walked around at night on Myrtle and do feel safe and do not feel like I have to avoid it at all costs. Would I walk down to the projects 5 blocks away past midnight? Probably not. But why would I? The subway location is not idea, but my wife commutes to midtown in about 45 minutes (either taking the bus down DeKalb to the subway or walking). If the subway was one block away, these places would go for $150k+ more. Other nice buildings in the area are concentrated on Flatbush, where I would strongly dislike walking out and seeing first thing (the car fumes...). I looked at the market for months and thought this was far and away the best buy in the price range (considered Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, etc). I'm actually surprised prices aren't a bit higher.

HI interested in placing an offer on one of the condos. Any new cons regarding this building. Can anyone w/ a balcony in the back tell me if they get decent light. thanks

I'm on the clermont side and I get a ton of light in the morning and afternoon. Quite a bit of ambient light in the evening. Heard from other tenants who have been there longer that during the summer the sun reflects off the vanderbilt side for even more light than now.

Does anyone know what is going on with the 4 units that all of a sudden disappeared from the available list? Did they go back to rental.

BoB:

Four apartments st Clermont have rented within recent weeks. Check SE property archives; they
might be the apts you're referring to.

How is the hot water situation? I noticed it was mentioned a couple of times in a couple of the forums. From people who live in the building how are you finding the building overall?

The hot water situation has significantly improved. When we first moved in, we would sometimes have to run the water up to 20 - 30 minutes before hot water would start to flow. This was only an issue in the very early morning - throughout the rest of the day (let's say from 8:00am on), it was fine. For the past few months, the situation has gotten better and we have had no complaints with the hot water. This could be due to some repairs which were done around that time to the water heating system. So far, we really like the building. The concierges are very friendly as are the neighbors we've met. Overall it is very pleasant. There are lots of units facing the courtyard with balconies. In the warmer months, it's great to sit out there and enjoy the weather. Like some others have mentioned above, the neighborhood is wonderful and offers us all that we're looking for. We looked at a bunch of new condo developments in Brooklyn (mainly in Clinton Hill, downtown Brooklyn, Forte Greene, Cobble Hill and Prospect Heights and so far have not seen anything that we feel would suit us better. I also noticed the units that disappeared for a couple days but they seem to be back on now. As far as I'm aware, they aren't currently renting units.

Thank you for your input Joyluck. Sounds like a great building.

Just closed and moved in. Very well designed building with high ceilings, large windows with lots of light, a kitchen with a great range of appliances and good storage closets. Absolutely silent inside the apartment. Very friendly group of owners with a good community spirit.
The local buses are close and get you to the De Kalb subway if needed. Or a six minute walk to the G. Myrtle appears to be improving with new grocery store and De Kalb is close with a range of good eateries.
No problem with hot water and the bath is nice and deep! Love the polished timber floors.
Courtyard and roof garden a real bonus.

HELLO...I AM REACHING OUT TO ANYONE WHO WOULD BE SO KIND AS TO CONTACT ME REGARDING THE EXPERIENCE U HAD W THE SELLERS OF THIS DEV. I AM TRYING TO COME UP W AN AGGRESSIVE OFFER BUT STILL WANT TO GET THE best PRICE POSSIBLE (OBVIOUSLY). I KNOW THAT ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE PRIVATE & THAT PEOPLE CAN B FUNY ABOUT DISCUSSING THEM BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN KNOWLEDGE SO IM HOPING THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS RECENTLY DEALT W THIS STRESSFUL & EXCITING PROCESS WILL HAVE A HEART & LET ME PICK THERE BRAIN. FIGURATIVELY OF COURSE. IVE NOTICED THAT MOST (IN FACT ALL) UNITS HAVE SOLD FOR A GOOD DEAL UNDER ASKING. IM WONDERING IF THIS IS BECAUSE THE SELLER WOULDNT PARTICIPATE IN PAYING ANY PART OF THE CLOSING COSTS??? IM HOPING THAT I CAN GET THEM TO PAY CITY/STATE TRANSFER TAXES & THERE OWN ATTORNEY FEES. BUT I DONT KNOW IF ILL NEED TO PUT IN A HIGHER OFFER THAN I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO IN ORDER TO GET THEM TO CONCEDE. PLEASE HELP!!!! ILL BUY U DINNER ONCE I MOVE IN....(HAHA) OR I WILL GIVE U A HAIRCUT.. I AM A HAIRDRESSER.... SO ILL ANXIOUSLY HOPE & WAIT TO HEAR FROM U.....THANK U IN ADVANCE FOR READING THIS!!!!! MISS MARTINI btw I DO HAVE MY HEART SET ON THIS BUILDING ....HOPE TO B MOVING IN IF ALL GOES WELL & IF I CAN GET SOME ADVICE ID TRULY APPRECIATE IT!!!!

congrats aussie ....perhaps u would be willing to chat about how u handled ur negotiations since ur new to the building & have dealt w the same market im in....thanks:)

well the offer is in & im keeping fingers crossed that they accept. after looking for 6 months this is only the 3rd building i looked at in Fort Greene. I currently live in Greenpoint& Had never ventured to FG. the listing on the clermont got my attention & once I saw how close it was to willyb. but how much more beautiful the area was i totally sold!! Cant beat the sq. footage & the ammenities for the price. the same unit in in Willy B. would go for almost 100k more. hope ur all still loving the lifestyle. still would love to hear about negotiations from someone:] thanks

where is everybody....somebody talk to me. i dont bite.

I employed a buying agent who assisted in the process but get the impression that prices are rising with my sale being at a higher price than the last for a similar size. The seller did pay their part of the closing costs though. Good luck

omg thank u soooooo much for ur answer!!! i have a buyers agent as well but i am also getting my brokers license & am very involved in the process. I am happy to hear that they paid their part of cc/s. they didnt even respond to my lowball offer so ur right prices r going up. o well it was worth a shot. im def going to make another attempt. i hope that u r settling in & that the building is worth the price!!!!thanks again

Hello- Anyone know when exactly the abatement went into effect and what type? Is it a 15-yr 421-a? Thanks!