i bought this property in williamsburg brooklyn because it had a huge lot with a very small, modest house. I am more interested in outdoor space than indoor space.
while the current and historical (economic) thrust of development in new york city, has been to maximize value, by building out every bit of allowable square footage, I have chosen a different path. on this property, the thesis of the improvements, or ‘development’, is to show there is value in 'under-development'. Though I did update the interior, with attention to maintaining and re-inserting historical details, I consciously chose not to increase any of the interior square footage. the focus was to create and maintain a natural oasis which is rapidly disappearing from the five boroughs.
upon my first visit, I was immediately struck by the size of the trees in the garden. the main tree is a 'winter pear' which bears massive amounts of fruit every fall. I knew nothing about trees, plants or gardens when I first moved in. I immediately hired an arborist because i sensed the trees were special and I wanted to care for them properly. the arborist gasped when he first saw the pear tree. '' oh no," I thought, "he's going to tell me it's falling over and needs to be cut down." on the contrary, he remarked how healthy the tree was and that it was one of the most impressive examples he's seen.
