Horror Show at 194 Columbia Heights Continues

By on April 21, 2010 8:10 am in Landmark Preservation

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As BHB community member Andrew Porter pointed out recently, the notorious home at 194 Columbia Heights is still falling apart.  The latest development appears to be a broken window on the top floor on the Promenade side of the building.  The  BHA noted in a 2008 newsletter – “The owner chooses to leave the house as is, since it does not appear to be in any imminent danger,” meaning the property doesn’t seem to be a candidate for demolition by dereliction…yet.

RELATED: HOUSE NEXT DOOR ON THE BLOCK FOR $16 MILLION

Last year, its owner  Dr. Austin Moore told the Brooklyn Eagle that neighbors would be “surprised” by the improvements he planned to make last spring.  While we spotted roofers on the scene back in February 2009, it doesn’t appear that brownstone’s condition has improved much.   As a matter of fact, our 2009 and 2010 photos of the front of the building are practically identical.   Maybe that’s the surprise?  Photos after the jump.

194 Columbia Heights February 2009

194 Columbia Heights February 2009

194 Columbia Heights 2010 (Photo by Heather Quinlan)

194 Columbia Heights 2010 (Photo by Heather Quinlan)

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  • nabeguy

    Gee, Doc, I’m really surprised by those improvements. So subtle you can barely notice them.

  • my2cents

    What a knee-biter.

  • Billy Reno

    Makes me nostalgic for Detroit.

  • Heightsman

    What’s the story with old Dr. Moore….I heard it was a bitter divorce and he leaves it this way to piss the ex off….

  • The where

    Sounds to me like borderline personality with passive aggressive traits.

  • nabeguy

    TW, stop looking in the mirror.

  • HeightsDiva

    Yuck! Looks like something that should be rented out as a haunted house next Halloween.

  • jorale-man

    The question is, who’ll go first: the crazy owner or the house? If he’s still a relatively young man, this house simply won’t last for another 20 or 30 years at this rate.

  • milton

    I think it is insane to allow an asset like this to wallow and deteriorate. How big an ego must one have to ignore the financial reality of losing so much money? The doc must be a psychologist because only a psychologist could be so crazy.

  • my2cents

    Maybe he loves Patina.

  • jorale-man

    According to Zillow it’s currently worth $3.39m. The house next door is valued at $4.9m. I’m sure a lot of that worth is just the land though.

  • xochi

    Can anyone explain why these owners in a landmark district are allowed to neglect these properties and the sidewalk they occupy? Look at 1 Monroe, what’s going on over there now? Landmarks is so savy in handing out fines for violations for paint colors, sashing etc, which seem to be minor when compared to these structures.

  • Sue

    This house has been this way since 1976 when I lived across the street from it. Back then the doc’s son was a little kid and you would often see him and his mom coming and going. We thought he lived there with his son. Maybe the son can take over and fix it up