The China Mansion at 167 Sands Street

August 28th, 2007

167 Sands Street

This 7 story (plus basement) “China Mansion”, as it states in Chinese characters on the top of this building at 167 Sands Street, was the original location for the Brooklyn Navy YMCA. It was the headquarters for sailors, marines, and coast guardsmen for nearby Brooklyn Navy Yards. The building, built in 1901 and completed in 1902, was a “gift of Miss Helen Miller Gould (Mrs. Finley J. Shepard) and Mrs. Russell Sage to the men of the Navy.” The building has great Navy-related details and looks like a solid structure.

According to property records, this co-op building has 120 residential units, and is owned by Chung Hwa Tenant Corp. There aren’t too many sale records, but Property Shark has two co-op sales during 2007:
  1) 5/30/07 $100,000, unit 114b
  2) 3/6/07 $155,000, unit 118

Looks like most or all occupants are of Chinese decent. Anyone else know more about this building?

{Property Shark: 167 Sands St.}
{nyc.gov BIS: 167 Sands St.}
{Google Map: 167 Sands St.}

Filed in Real Estate, Sands Street at 10:46 am
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  • Joan Liga Harper
    In 1959,60,61, and 62 I was a hostess at the "Y". It was the GSO, Girls Service Organization, similar to the USO. We held dances for the service men, beach parties in the summer and would you believe a hay ride on a big truck through NYC and on to a ferry to Staten Island. We had to stop many times for those of us who smoked. We weren't allowed to smoke on the back of the truck because of the hay. Those were the best years of my life. My only regret was marrying a sailor from Louisiana and leaving NY. I hate the boondocks, even after 48 years.
  • Mr. Dumbo To You
    Things about Dumbo - True or False?

    Grimaldi's Pizza Is Worth Waiting For. - False
    Smokey and Crackey Lovers Suck - True
    Parking in Dumbo Sucks. - False (Better than BH)
    Best Side Of The Brooklyn Bridge Is Dumbo.-True
    Dumboites Are Friendly. - True
    Dumboites Love Mike Huckaby! - Hell No.
    Rize Is A Great Place To Eat! - Think not.
    Best Sandwich Value Is Peas & Pickles $4.00 Turkey Sandwich Unless Your Tipping Your Outdoor Hosts.- - True.
  • Mr. Dumbo To You
    I saw a woman give Crackey a big New Years Hug along with a couple of bucks. This proves my theory...People who love Smokey and Cracky have cooties.
  • bumbo
    I'm seriously ready to kick Smokey and Cracky in the ass with all the force I can muster. And I'm going to yell "God Bless You Anyway!" as they sail into the air.
  • Me
    Thanks for all ur research re: building smells, exposed wires, and uhh... MUGGINGS!! I was seriously considering buying here. Last thing I need is my 10lb dog wrestling a waterbug... and losing. Lastly, this spam thing is ridiculous, I have added these numbers numerous times and still my comment wont go through. 9 plus 2 is 11 isn't it?
  • Jess
    Saw listings on StreetEasy. A certain brokerage firm is still stealing Dumbonyc's photos.

    http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/building/167-sands-street-brooklyn
  • Pete
    When I walked by the two earlier, they were arguing and that's almost exactly what I heard!
  • Smokey
    Get off my back woman. My sh*t ain't none of your business.
  • Crackey
    Smokey what you doin' here? Get back to P&P and earn some money.
  • James
  • Smokey
    Did someone say meth?
  • yow
    Sounds like a good plan for you. When are you leaving?
  • Prof. Harold Hill
    I'd sooner buy a trailer and open a meth factory in the Ozarks.
  • Res
  • Res
    Hey yall. Look! a listing with pictures available. I guess good for people who can't afford the newer places around Dumbo, and can deal with the buildings lack luster. The building is under new management as of this December
  • James
    My friend lives in this building and i have been here several times. I personally wouldn't buy here for any price; to live or otherwise. Apart from the fact that there are wires hanging out of the elevator, muggings are now a weekly phenomenon, and English is not spoken whatseover, the place is a complete dump. The place actually smells like a really bad chinese restaurant. I would visit it, at least for the entertainment value if nothing else. This is perhaps the worst managed building in NYC.
    James
  • CK
    does anyone know if these offerings for the coops are legimate.? if so, what are the going prices for a 2br coop? thanks in advance.
  • anonymous broker
    I viewed this building and a few units with the "exclusive" broker some time last week. I'm not entirely sure what's going on there but it sounds as if the she was pulling some sleight of hand to get her clients to buy the units. Apparently the building is being bought by Corcoran and being converted to condo's. Funny, the Corcoran agent that was there too knew nothing about it. Regardless I've never met a more difficult broker to work with, never in my 15 years of real estate have I met anyone who wanted to get the client's financials PRIOR to viewing! If she's going to work that way then I wish her well in finding some buyers for whatever scam it is she's trying to pull.
  • LockJaw
    Why not sic the content-starved schmendricks over at curbed on them - I know, I know, it's not like they're paragons of full disclosure and attribution over there, but they do seem to shamelessly relish any opportunity to wag an accusatory finger. This way, not only do you teach them a much-needed lesson, but curbed will absorb any (unfounded) accusations of pettiness...
  • derf
    You should absoulely contact him regarding stealing your words. Very un-cool. I remember when there was a broker that kept posting dumbo listings on craigslist and used the Dumbo Art Center Logo as her own logo. DAC got pretty pissed off at her and she had to stop.
    What do you think about those prices?
  • KD, thanks for the link. The brokerage firm plagiarized my description of Dumbo and photos from my site with no credit to DumboNYC. I know people plagiarize from the web a lot, but do you guys think I should do anything? Not cool.
  • KD
    http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/rfs/473724402.html

    Just found that while surfing on CL. You're welcome.
  • Dumbo Buyer
    Does anyone know if there are any available listings in this building? Will the board permit a non-Chinese buyer? Is it safe?
  • halfie
    Yes, it's noisy, but since it's a constant din of white noise I honestly barely notice it anymore. My impression living here for the past two years is that my neighbors (who generally seem to speak little if any English) choose to live here for the proximity to Chinatown--there is a mini-van serving building residents that runs back and forth between Henry Street and the parking lot of the building all day long. There are very, very few non-Chinese residents in the building, and the few I've seen are probably subletters, not owners.
  • Thanks halfie for sharing. very interesting. I do like the building though, and although not in the worst place, it must be noisy when the BQE is busy. It is close to the F train so it's convenient. so are there any non-Chinese residents there?
  • halfie
    I live in this building. It was bought by a Chinese developer in the early 80's and converted to co-ops. It is like a different country in there, with all the notices posted in the lobby in Chinese, and red lanterns hanging from the ceiling in some common areas, and an abandoned swimming pool down in the basement. Sure, we are practically in Farragut's backyard, and true, my view is of the BQE and the Manhattan Bridge on-ramp (and no we don't have triple or even double paned windows), but it's cheap as hell for a place that's a quick 10 minute bike commute from the city.
  • DumboDweller
    I'm not trying to be funny, But I didn't know that people actually live here. I thought it was some sort of school.
  • corey
    StreetEasy.com has 4 previous listing for it, but no active listings. http://www.streeteasy.com/nyc/building/167-sands-street-brooklyn
  • pww
    Its perhaps the worst location in the world, adjacent to either the Farragut Houses or to the BQE. But for 100,000, who cares?
  • dumbo
    Thanks
  • It's between Jay Street and Gold Street, next to the Farragut Houses.
  • dumbo
    What are the cross streets of this building?
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