There were quite a few open houses the day I went to check out the Robert Livingston, unfortunately for me I only had time to check out only one. The chosen one was a one bedroom on the 7th floor, ~ 650 sf, listed by BellMarc for $315k.
The Robert Livingston is well located on the border of Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights and Boerum Hill. Very accessible to all subways and unlike much of Downtown Brooklyn nearby neighborhood charms and conveniences. The lobby is unexpectedly opulent, channeling old-world appeal. Even the elevator had a certain aged elegance, arriving with a sense of purpose. But where the lobby seemed appealingly old, the rest of the build was a bit neglected. The hallways were dark with worn carpet. The unit itself, echoed the sentiment. The kitchen appeared to be the strongest feature, having been recently renovated. The bathroom was a good size and had surprisingly modern finishes. The windows were generous throughout and light easily streamed in.
I wasn’t a big fan of the darkish parquet flooring, though this is more personal preference as the ones here were in decent shape.The layout also seemed reasonable for a one bedroom, though there is an awkwardly placed closet in the living room with accordion doors. The furniture could have been better optimized to showcase the space, instead it created an air of mis-matched disorganization.
I didn’t get a chance to checkout the building amenities, but I was told there was 24hr doorman, live-in super, laundry, bike racks, storage, and a health club next door. All good things. Still the $315k seemed a tad bit high for the unit, especially if I’m going to have to pay for my own health club membership, and the W/D was in some communal space rather than in the unit itself. The apartment also wasn’t in the best shape possible (though not bad), and $315 isn’t too pricey and depending on how much you like the location might actually be fair. The monthly maintenance of $787 is shockingly steep, and I can’t imagine why it’s pegged so high given the limited amenities. This is a co-op however so the monthly structure is worked out differently from a condo, so possibly hard as it is to imagine this might be reasonable.
