Marine Park experiences Fedders

From Brooklyn Daily:

Longtime Marine Parkers are livid the city let the owners of a small one-family Kimball Street home supersize it into a multi-family monstrosity they say is completely out of character with the neighborhood — and part of a trend that, if it continues, will let developers turn their beloved enclave into an overcrowded mess the likes of which can sadly be found just a few blocks away.

“What they’ve done to Sheepshead Bay is horrifying,” said Louise Quinlan. “We’re one of the few neighborhoods left from the old days.”

Unlike the quaint one-family homes it is surrounded by, the Kimball Street six-family between Avenues T and U sticks out like a sore thumb, thanks to its cluster of gas meters up front and mess of ductless air-conditioning units attached to it side. On top of that, it has a painted handicapped parking space in front, replacing what is normally a patch of grass, is noticeably taller than its two neighbors, and has entrances on the side as opposed to the front.

“It’s hideous and ugly,” said Quinlan. “There’s nothing in the front, no garden. It destroys the look of the block.”

This is really the first of its kind in this area? Kind of find that hard to believe. Well, have fun, Marine Park!

Fedderization along Metropolitan Avenue

This was an empty lot used primarily for parking cars. Now it's a development site.

55-35 Metropolitan Avenue is ugly as hell, Fedders and all, but its saving grace is that it is only dumping 2 more units into the mix instead of 8 or 10.

Why match the existing rowhouses on either side when you can just dump a big steaming pile in the middle and make your development stick out like a sore thumb?

Block the air and light of the tenants to the east and make sure the people living to the west are greeted by a giant wall as they exit their homes.

And why would this development qualify for an after hours variance permit? It's a standard development project.

And why do they need pile drivers?

Naturally, NY Yimby is cheering this on. (Their commenters aren't, however.)

Giving a Fedders house a makeover

From Brownstoner:

A reader writes:

I’m the proud owner of a recently purchased “Fedders building,” and would like to do what I can to make the exterior less generic and unappealing. Along these lines, I’m wondering if anyone has had experience removing and replacing Fedders a/c cutouts, and if so, what they used to fill the resulting voids. The obvious route would be to just install brick, but I’d like to attempt something more creative, if it’s practical. Would windows look weird? Any other thoughts? Thanks!

Anyone have any cool ideas? Please help out our reader on the Forum.

The mother of all Fedders?

Forgotten New York found "The Perfect Fedders" in Corona:

I was stopped on the railroad on Tuesday right in front of what may be the most iconic, emblematic Fedders building I’ve seen in Queens, on 44th Avenue in Corona facing the LIRR embankment.

It’s all here… the concrete lawn with sport utility vehicle parking, the Fedders AC cutouts, the meters front and center, the bland blond brick, the rusted fire escapes. The only nod to any design at all is a little flourish in the brickwork. Bars on the windows just add to the whole package.

We call this look "prison moderne".