Review № 005 · Bed-Stuy · New Construction

Should Patrick Bateman live here?

Interesting
because

A new-construction 2-bedroom with a finished basement and a hot-tub-on-a-deck that almost earns its $1.595M price tag, provided you never plan to carry a stroller through the front door.

Address 259 Halsey St, #1R

Type New-construction condo

Listed At $1,595,000

View Original Listing on Zillow →

Are you a budding serial killer looking for more space than you can get in Manhattan? Okay, just kidding. This apartment actually has some great characteristics for new construction, and since I've walked by this building almost daily with my dog, I was extra curious to see what the listings look like.

The facade

Modern facade of 259 Halsey Street in Bed-Stuy

Fig. 01

The facade. Attempting to reference the neighborhood's architectural roots while modernizing. B for execution.

As always, let's start with the facade. Once you have departed from the traditional townhouse, there seem to be only a few paths available. The first is a complete sacrifice of anything attempting aesthetic beauty. The second is something that attempts referencing the historic architectural roots of the neighborhood while modernizing. This building is the latter, and I'd give it a B for execution.

Inside: where is the foyer?

Entering the apartment, a few things are immediately noticeable. Like many modern apartments, space is constrained, so you are immediately inside the apartment. There is no foyer or transition space. Looking more closely at the floorplan, there is no entryway closet and there is no great place to put shoes, coats, bags, et cetera. If you were thinking about a 2-bedroom starter home for your family, this is a big negative.

But on the other hand, if you are single and want a guest room, or are interested in renting out the second bedroom to a roommate, this could be a good fit.

The main floor

Living room with floor to ceiling windows and minimalist staging

Fig. 02

The living room. Good light, floor-to-ceiling windows, modest footprint.

The two bedrooms and living room are modestly sized and have good light from floor-to-ceiling windows. Both bedrooms have pretty good-sized closets and a dedicated bathroom.

The design is brutally minimalist and the bathrooms are cold to the point of sterility. A few plants could help, but otherwise these look like places where you could do surgery.

The main bathroom, brutalist, cold, fully tiled

Fig. 03

Exhibit A: bathroom-as-operating-theatre. A few plants could help.

Now, the yard

What's really noticeable about this ground-floor apartment is that it has an expansive backyard with a raised deck area that features a hot tub.

Expansive backyard with raised deck and hot tub

Fig. 04

A hot tub. On a raised deck. In Bed-Stuy. This is what you are paying for.

This seems great for entertaining or providing a private space that makes up for some of the smallness of the living area. I also like that the landscaping is low-maintenance. It won't turn into a muddy swamp when it rains.

Downstairs: the bonus space earns the price

Now downstairs to the bonus space. This is where this apartment earns its $1.595M price tag. The finished basement is expansive and could be an office, media room, or exercise space. Honestly, it could fit all three. There is some natural light that comes in through lightwells by the windows, and some cleverly placed greenery could warm this space up. You know, if you want to warm up your dungeon.

What I don't get is why they didn't put the washer/dryer down here and keep that space on the main floor for an entryway closet.

What I'd want to check on before buying

Maintenance for the hot tub and energy cost estimates
Drainage in the lightwells
Due diligence on the developer to understand how other properties have held up over time
HOA/common charges and what they actually cover
Storage allocation (at $1.595M with no entryway closet, where does stuff go?)

The Count

My running tally, on every listing, same questions every time.

Bedrooms that are actually bedrooms2

Rooms staged as bedrooms that aren't0

Closet situationNo entryway closet

Kitchen verdictFunctional, sterile

Air conditioningCentral

Walk to good coffee~5 min

Walk to a grocery run~5 min

SubwayA/C at Nostrand

DIY indexNone required

Outdoor spaceExpansive + hot tub

Bonus spaceFinished basement

Best suited forSingles, couples, roommates

The Bottom Line

"For a single person with significant capital or a couple that doesn't plan on starting a family, this could make a ton of sense. Families might be tempted by the generous outdoor space and the bonus space in the finished basement, but I'd want to think creatively about how to manage entry and exit at peak chaos."

The full listing