Our crystal ball is on the fritz, so we anxiously await the fate of the three "Dutch Colonial" houses halfway down the southside of the block. Not long ago, they were up for sale as a threesome, and the intention was obviously to find a developer to raze them and build apartment houses. That could be fine...just as long as they aren't more of the godawful "Fedders" style curb cut monstrosities being built all over town (most notably at the corner of Bedford and Parkside. Mrs. Clarkson FlatBed still becomes noticeably upset when we walk anywhere near that corner.)
But the houses are really quite lovely as is. The current renters have taken wonderful care of the gardens, and while I'm sure the interiors need some updating, you really can't beat the price (mid 700s) to be so close to our beloved side of Prospect Park. However, I gotta call out Audrey and Bette (the agents) for these two lines from their ad:
"The viable and trendy neighborhood is now a destination for so many people in search of excellent apartment house living...also within close proximity to shopping and all the new cool spots" from the NY Times ad.
I'm not above a little healthy hyperbole. And I love my block! But trendy it ain't. And if by "all the cool new spots" you mean the Dunkin' Donuts and Wigs R Us, well then I guess you've got a point. They might be referring to Lincoln Road, or Cortelyou, neither of which do much for this ex-hipster, which, by the way, I don't think they called us in the day. "Arts-fartsy types" was the more frequent epithet.
Then again, what IS trendy? If trendy means affordable, then Parkside Caledonia might be well be the trendiest, most "viable" neighborhood around.
And which of these definitions of "viable" are they using anyway?
1. Capable of living, developing, or germinating under favorable conditions.
2. Capable of living outside the uterus. Used of a fetus or newborn.
3. Capable of success or continuing effectiveness; practicable:
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