A young real estate entrepreneur aims to restore the troubled Coriell Mansion and promised to celebrate with a tea party when the work is done.
Jonathan Steingraber received approval from the Historic Preservation Commission Tuesday to make some exterior repairs and will later seek HPC permission to erect an iron fence, restore a solarium and change one driveway. A former owner planned to convert the mansion to a bed and breakfast, but ran out of funds. Steingraber said he expects to keep it a single-family home, which it was in the late 19th century.
The mansion at 957 Central Avenue is in the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District, one of six residential historic districts in Plainfield. In all, the city has 10 districts (see map here). Steingraber already has a video online about the mansion and the district. To read more about the bed and breakfast project, click here.
Steingraber said he was told the mansion was once the largest single-family home in Plainfield. He knew its history, which included a bank takeover in September 2010. He acquired it for $85,000, he told the commissioners, but said a contractor estimated the cost of repairs at $195,000.
He found porch railings inside the house and set them out to make sure they were all there. But after finding skateboarders had used sections to make a ramp, he put them back inside. His reason for wanting the iron fence, he said, was "so kids stop skateboarding on my porch."
Describing his plans for the driveway, he asked commissioners, "Did you see the movie, 'Gatsby' ?" He wants to replace gray gravel with pure white as in the film.
Steingraber said he had also purchased another house next door, "because I don't like having bad neighbors."
He and a girlfriend had listened to several other applications before his turn came up. He asked permission to address the commissioners about the problem of buyers of historic homes being unaware of their status. He suggested having the designation appear right on the listing, so buyers would not make repairs and find out, as some applicants did, that they had to undo the work and fix it over following the city's historic design guidelines.
The commissioners Tuesday included some from the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District who invited Steingraber to a picnic the district is holding Saturday.
Many of the city's mansions were once one-family homes, but only a few have been restored to that status One is the former Monday Afternoon Club on Watchung Avenue, now the home of former Councilman Rashid Burney. Another is the home of WVBHD President John Stewart on West Eighth Street.
Asked after the meeting what she thought of Steingraber's plan to make the Coriell Mansion a single-family home again, HPC Chairman Sandy Gurshman said, "I think it's a miracle. I applaud anyone who undertakes it."
--Bernice
I agree with Sandy Gurshman ,this is a miracle ! I hope it's the beginning of many other miracles to preserve and restore Plainfield's grandeur .
ReplyDeleteMiracle? Somehow it seems too good to be true. Note that Jonathan Steingraber is a nationally known house-flipper and real estate motivational speaker. Not a common profile for a civic savior.
ReplyDeleteSomehow the above anom comment feels the need to speak negatively about someone who is renovating a house. Have you put money into a a large historic structure the size of the Coriell with the amount of work needed? BTW, are you an example of civic goodness. I DOUBT IT. On either terms, if you're not contributing to making Plainfield better just keep your opinions to yourself and back off.
ReplyDeleteMy comment wasn't negative, it was cautionary: temper your belief in miracles and know a little more about the situation than you can learn from a YouTube video or a blog post.
DeleteBTW, I've renovated two houses in Plainfield and have lived here for 30 years.
I know plenty about renovating historic properties in Plainfield and the ten historic districts that exist. I do not view the new home owner as a miracle and I don't take stock in YouTube videos. What I do take stock in is people's actions and their positive contributions.
DeleteHaving lived in the neighborhood since 1976 and seeing all sorts of efforts to resurrect Corriel come and go, I think a bit of skepticism is warranted. I would like nothing better than to have Jonathan succeed. But given what has happened to real estate prices in town since the 2008 depression, I dont see how the numbers would work. I really hope I'm wrong.
ReplyDeleteHe spent $85,000 on the house and claims it will take $195,000 to bring it back? Yeah right maybe the $195,00 just to do the porch. I wish him luck the house has had a hard life. Is it being converted back to a single family house or the multi family it was or the failed B&B concept?
ReplyDeleteSupposedly he is restoring it to a one family. I think it is great that a private owner is fixing this up. The other possibilities are ugly.
DeleteThe video is fascinating, and it's a pleasure having someone come into Plainfield with a true "eye on the prize" approach to one of the beautiful old homes in our community.
ReplyDeletePer the anonymous comment.. Fine.. let him restore it and flip it for a cool couple million... It's his business, not ours what he does with the damn thing. If you are so concerned about him flipping it, maybe you should have bought it, restored it and moved into it. That FOR SALE sign out in front of it for the last year wasn't exactly hidden from view. Don't bitch about other people's HONEST fortunes ( which are so rare here in Plainfield ) when you have enough filth in city and state government living right here in Plainfield that could use a good clock cleaning.
The Coriell Mansion can no longer be a multi-family. I converted it to a single family, with the zoning variance that it can be a B&B that can have events. Per Plainfield ordinance, B&B's aren't allowed to have events. The zoning process I went through was to gain approval to have events.
ReplyDeleteWhile the building was for sale, the only interest I had was a church wanting to put in a "home." I rejected that. Cretella was interested as a B&B/event space, got up to the day of closing and backed out.
Olive Lynch
I'm glad someone bought Coriell, especially someone who has the savvy and the funds to take proper care of this gem. But "let him restore it and flip it for a cool couple million" is a nonsense statement. No matter how beautifully restored a home, I really doubt anyone would pay a couple million for a house in Plainfield. Look how long the Murray's home on W. Eighth has been on the market for 1.5 mil. Remember, a home buyer needs a mortgage lender and an appraiser to believe the home is worth the amount - unless they don't need financing and can pay 2 million, cash. Anyone who invests large sums in restoring a house has to carefully consider whether they can get their investment back later. There's always risk, and that's especially true in Plainfield.
ReplyDeleteThe point of "let him restore it and flip it for a cool couple million" was in response to the bemoaing him being a "house flipper" ( read, and read again would ya ?? ) ... I don't give a damn if he restores it and sells it at a loss for a $1 or keeps it in his family for a century or two.. THE POINT WAS STOP BITCHING AT SOMEONE ELSE'S GOOD FORTUNE AND EFFORTS TO RESTORE A TREASURE HERE IN PLAINFIELD BACK TO IT'S SINGLE FAMILY GLORY ... UNLIKE the Murray house which is a 3 family and 4,000 square feet less in size!
DeleteJon steingraber has forgot more real estate than most of you will ever know...he is my dear friend and he has made himself successful from hard work and dedication...anyone who doubts he will restore, sell, profit, and contribute to restoring Plainfield as a personal goal of his , obviously does not know this young entrepreneur and his past endeavors or the success he has had doing so...negative posts are from the people who are jealous they didnt have what it took to buy the masion or the intestinal fortitude to stick with it from start to finish... none of you could ever walk a day in Jon's shoes...and quite frankly its insulting to read some of your comments. Posted by Mr. J. Pagano
ReplyDeleteGod Bless whoever makes another attempt at making something of this house. I can tell you from personal experience that honestly, first & foremost, the house needs an exorcist, then renovation. I'm sure there are people who don't believe in malevolent spirits, but, whether you believe it or not, this house has them & it appears from it's history that it doesn't want anyone living in it. There is more of a history to this place than most people know about. As beautiful as it was, especially the staircase, the hair on the back of my neck still bristles when I even pass by it. I wish all the best to the new owner.
ReplyDeleteWELL IT IS ALMOST ONE YEAR LATHER AND NOT MUCH HAS BEEN DONE. I'M JUST SAYING.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot of time and money to restore old houses. People in the neighborhood need to be patient. After all Gerry Green could have bought it demolished the house and had one of his developer friends put 100 apartments on that lot.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in plainfield and walked past this house everyday between 1996-2000 on my way to PHS. Even in adulthood, when I visit my parents in plainfield I make sure to walk past this house. For 25 years this house earned my esteem. The porch alone is the reason I want a wrap porch of my own one day. It was a miracle to be able to walk through this house around 2018 when it was getting light work done. It is truly a dream property and a jewel of Plainfield.
ReplyDelete