Best way to find old-style loft in Wburg?

Walk the streets; talk to everyone; hang in the 'hood & see what you can find.

time travel

Despite alanhart's most effective solution (I think it also solves a bunch of other quandaries), you'll likely have to look a bit off the beaten path. I don't think 330 Wythe is that much of a hike from the trains, but if that's your case, I'm thinking there really isn't much around Bedford for you. There is that lovely loft building on North 9th and Driggs, but those are hard to come by. I think you'll have more luck on the southside or if you can somehow track down owners of some of the truly industrial buildings on the northern stretches of Wythe. I don't think there's much there otherwise. Have you looked at anything closer to (gasp) Bushwick? Not sure what the interiors at 184 Kent (rental) will be, but there's potential there if you can get past the probably slickness you mentioned.

I love the one-story garages etc -- is it a red tape nightmare to turn one into a residence? Different tax base etc?

This is my dream building (except I am too old for Williamsburg, sadly). $333/sg ft is a steal.

http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/413193-multi-333-kent-avenue-williamsburg-brooklyn

15,000 sq ft! I'd live on the top 5,000, turn the first floor into an alternative performance space, and use the basement for a recording studio.

I see what you mean! I think you should do it... How'd you like to sell off 2000 sf on the second floor at the back?

Modern - shouldn't that be on the price cutters thread - from $12MM to $4.995MM?

I like that listing. You think 333/sqft is a steal - I have a feeling that this will sell closer to 2m.

If anyone's interested in these things, check out 89 Grand St. Remarkable building (listing has no info unfortunately).

For 2 m, I'll split it with you, modern! You're never too old to have fun!

I don't want to do the W'burg beard thing and I don't have any flannel shirts...seriously, I go to a lot of places where I am on the older side and it does not bother me but only in Williamsburg does it seem so oddly uniform age-wise. Kind of like the preppies on the UES in the 80s except it is the hipsters in W'burg in the 00s. I think there were so few residents there 20 years ago they haven't had time to grow old yet...

Maybe I can put the performance space in the basement and sell you part of the first floor. I get the garage, though.

Why don't you ask the same question on brownstoner.com? Those folks are more Bk-centric than this board.

Modern - hold that thought. Williamsburg is filling up with empty nesters, who are tired of being the mom and the dad.

nyc - thanks, good idea. I will.

Found some pics of 89 Grand, the third floor is great:

http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/315827-multi-89-grand-street-williamsburg-brooklyn

What I really really want is Beethoven Hall just off the Bowery, if it ever comes up for sale again. I'll even pay a broker's fee for it! :-)

if you guys split it, i would happily volunteer to throw parties there, 50% to the house! also, isn't it weird that the address is 333 and the sq ft is 333

duh 89...

lofty - party as hard as you can on saturday?

to be consistent, shouldnt people say ,' you are nuts to think of buying now"....the lofty market , whatever it is, will go down in tandem with those big towers, one would think

There are only a couple of really cool loft buildings that I know of: Mill Building, Esquire Building a 15 minute walk from subway), Gretch Building (love the building, hate the location), 55 Berry (waiting for something on a higher floor in the F line) .. Are there others I'm missing? Rocket factory a sad, chopped-up rental and too noisy.

Occasionally something comes up in the Mill but awfully overpriced, and I'd have to undo their reno.
this one is asking $740psf http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/440897-condo-85-north-3rd-street-williamsburg-brooklyn
this one is $686psf on the second floor in the back http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/468967-condo-85-101-north-3rd-street-williamsburg-brooklyn
This one is delightful but too small for me - also $660 psf http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/464997-85-north-3rd-street-williamsburg-brooklyn

1361 square feet is too small for you? Maybe you should try squatting in an unfinished building if you want more space than that.

It's not too small -- it's long and narrow, with a windowless bedroom at the dark end, and no obvious way to make an office/study with any light. If the bedroom were at the window end, I'd have bought it.