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City Backs Off Buying Wyckoff-Bennett House
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 9, 2010
Modified Feb 9, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 9, 2010
Modified Feb 9, 2010
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The city is backing out of plans to purchase the historic Wyckoff-Bennett House in Brooklyn even though the 18th-century Dutch farmhouse—located on East 22nd Street near Avenue P—is one of the few left standing and it's still inhabited. Homeowners Stuart and Annette Mont say they've gone through a decade of negotiations and preparations with the Parks Department, but now a new deal has been proposed that isn't to their liking.
The property is comprised of four tax lots, a 4,000-square-foot landmarked homestead, and an old barn. Originally, the Parks Department was going to purchase the home for $2MM, not including the historic treasures inside, and have the Monts live there rent-free acting as caretakers and security guards. The property alone is allegedly valued at $2.2MM, but according to the Post, "the DCAS had assessed $40,000 a year for 15 years, as rent, to cover the amount of time it determined the Monts might continue to live in the old farmhouse, thus decreasing the amount offered by approximately one-third, to about $1.3 million."
Mr. Mont told the paper, “There was never a question in our minds that, at some point, the city would have the deed and we would still be living here. This came literally out of nowhere. Instead of charging us for rent, they should be paying us for 24-hour security and caretaking." But a Parks spokesperson says, "the city was unfortunately not able to negotiate terms with the current owners that were acceptable to both sides.” The NY Times paid the Motts a visit after the talks collapsed, and have a nice gallery of photos showing the living museum and its contents up close and personal.
Tagged
city
deal
landmark
parks department
sale
Stuart Mott
Wyckoff-Bennett House
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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