I've been looking at units 2A and 2B, and have a bunch of questions about how they came up with the large square footage. In the building website, the floor plans for these 2 units list "gross sq. ft." which includes the storage structure's sq. footage [!] in the back. I can't get the agent to give a straight answer on what the legal sq. ft. is, as he claims it is all legal sq. ft. On my first... [more]
I've been looking at units 2A and 2B, and have a bunch of questions about how they came up with the large square footage.
In the building website, the floor plans for these 2 units list "gross sq. ft." which includes the storage structure's sq. footage [!] in the back. I can't get the agent to give a straight answer on what the legal sq. ft. is, as he claims it is all legal sq. ft. On my first visit, I overlooked the "platform" on the mezzanine... that leaves only 5ft. clearance there.
Can/should this be counted as livable sq. ft. for the apt.?
Either way, using their dimensions for individual sections, I can't add them up to the same as the listings here on Street Easy. Only if I take their totals for the first floor and Mezzanine do I get the same value.
It looks to me like all the overhead Mezzanine stuff was added to inflate square footage, and in the meantime for some legal reason they have to have higher ceiling clearance above the kitchen. Why not skip the mezzanine altogether, then?
Can/should that Mezzanine be counted in the Sq. Ft.? Isn't that technically storage?
Similarly, that storage structure under the deck in the back should definitely only be counted as that, storage.
There are several other buildings built in this style, where mezzanines, etc. were added to apparently serve no other function than to increase sq. footage, considering that clearances sometimes are lower than 6' [!]
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Response by NWT
over 15 years ago
Posts: 6643
Member since: Sep 2008
As the disclaimers all over their site say, gross ft² isn't usable ft² isn't livable ft².
They're small one-bedrooms for people who need hundreds of ft² of storage. You could maybe use the huge storage room as workspace, but since it's not connected to the apartment you'd need to wizz in a bucket.
the realtors can say whatever they want. there have been many discussions of inflatted measurements even with floorplans. when you bid, you bid on the livable sq ft and discount the other by at least 50% or more.
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Response by Kafka
over 15 years ago
Posts: 46
Member since: Feb 2010
Thanks for the info. Is there some resource that explains the definition of "livable square footage"?
For example, whether a mezzanine counts as such, closets, storage space, etc.
Because of the broker's insistence to call all square footage livable, and not give a straight answer on what the actual livable square footage was, I pretty much dropped out. I initially thought the place unfinished in some areas, but having plenty of room... totally missed the hump (the "platform") on the mezzanine... and then this discussion came up during my second visit.
Do AptsAndLofts.com and The Developer Group (TDG) *only* sell crap?
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Response by PPlayer
over 15 years ago
Posts: 95
Member since: May 2010
Kafka, I think I was at the same open house as you, we saw the same units. My wife and I are looking at buildings in Williamsburgh/Greenpoint and the areas with low ceiling clearance are usually not included as livable space. We also went to Warehouse 11 and the Edge, the impression we got is that the Pad has the least livable space for listed square footage.
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As the disclaimers all over their site say, gross ft² isn't usable ft² isn't livable ft².
They're small one-bedrooms for people who need hundreds of ft² of storage. You could maybe use the huge storage room as workspace, but since it's not connected to the apartment you'd need to wizz in a bucket.
More importantly, the architect and the developers who hired him are in deep doo-doo with the city. See, e.g., http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/nyregion/04scarano.html
the realtors can say whatever they want. there have been many discussions of inflatted measurements even with floorplans. when you bid, you bid on the livable sq ft and discount the other by at least 50% or more.
Thanks for the info. Is there some resource that explains the definition of "livable square footage"?
For example, whether a mezzanine counts as such, closets, storage space, etc.
Because of the broker's insistence to call all square footage livable, and not give a straight answer on what the actual livable square footage was, I pretty much dropped out. I initially thought the place unfinished in some areas, but having plenty of room... totally missed the hump (the "platform") on the mezzanine... and then this discussion came up during my second visit.
So, you provided the link about Scarano above and that got me thinking....
I checked on this other building I saw recently, it too is a Scareno and Associates building, it's http://streeteasy.com/nyc/building/66-north-1-street-brooklyn
Do AptsAndLofts.com and The Developer Group (TDG) *only* sell crap?
Kafka, I think I was at the same open house as you, we saw the same units. My wife and I are looking at buildings in Williamsburgh/Greenpoint and the areas with low ceiling clearance are usually not included as livable space. We also went to Warehouse 11 and the Edge, the impression we got is that the Pad has the least livable space for listed square footage.