421 Franklin Ave

For sublet July 2-August 21: A fabulous 1,300sf garden apartment on the ground floor of a freestanding house, surrounded by an urban homestead.

The house was named one of The 25 Best Houses in Brooklyn by Brooklyn Magazine.

The apartment is large, gracious, and has a huge, sunny eat-in kitchen with heart-pine countertops, farmhouse sink, and stainless steel appliances--including a dishwasher and a Bosch refrigerator. Theres a smallish sitting room with a Steinway grand piano, couch, desk, and reclining chair; and two-bedrooms: one is 180 square feet, with three windows facing south and east onto the back yard and garden, and the other is 225-square feet with three windows and oak beadboard walls. Also: a large lovely bathroom, an ample mudroom, and a washer/dryer. The apartment is naturally quite cool, but theres an air conditioner in case it gets uncomfortable.

The apartment could comfortably accommodate four or five people.

The house itself has a fascinating history:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/nyregion/thecity/26hous.html

Its surrounded by light and land on three sides. Seven friendly, quiet, egg-laying chickens live in the front yard, which is overlooked by a front porch with a swing. The back yard has a grass lawn big enough for bocce ball and badminton (both of which we have); a thriving vegetable and flower garden, with tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, greens, herbs, berry bushes, apple tree, grapevine; and creature comforts like a bluestone patio, picnic tables, hammock, smoker, grill, fire pit, clothesline, and a three-bin compost system. Theres also a canoe that wants using.

In the side yard theres covered, secure bike parking, and a super fabulous play area for kids with swing, trapeze, climbing wall, play house, mud kitchen, fort, wagon, etc. The resident nine-year-old will be out of town for most of the summer, so the play yard will be empty.

The outdoor spaces are shared with the five wonderful people who live upstairs, but they rarely venture into the backyard, so it feels very private.

Weve lived here fourteen years, and we have very friendly neighbors. Were right on the border of Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy--5 blocks from the Franklin C, 7 blocks from the Classon G or Nostrand A, and one block from two different Citibike stations. Near lots of great bars, cafes, restaurants, wine stores--Harts, Golda, The Fly, Mixtape Shop, Speedy Romeo, Daily Press, Dynaco, Dough, Doris, Cmon Everybody, The Holler, Black Diamond, Calaca, Chilos. A great grocery store and a wonderful Ymca are one block away, and the oldest library in Brooklyn is three blocks away.

Rent is $3500/month, all bills paid, and pro-rated to the number of days you spend here.