Cleanup Crew Shows Up At Paul Manafort's Vacant Carroll Gardens Brownstone

CARROLL GARDENS, BROOKLYN — A cleanup crew showed up at Paul Manafort's vacant Carroll Gardens brownstone Thursday to remove rusty steel beams, cinder blocks and other unsightly debris that had caused a stir in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood blog Pardon Me For Asking was sent photos Thursday from "a local resident" who spotted the crew at Manafort's 377 Union St. property. The crew reportedly told the resident that the beams will be gone by Friday.

The Carroll Gardens blog first publicized Manafort's ownership of the property last week, which led to news stories in several NYC outlets, including The New York Post. (For the latest updates on this mysterious property — and other Carroll Gardens goings-on — click here to subscribe to Patch's daily newsletter and free, real-time news alerts.)

Click here to read more about the cleanup crew from PMFA.

Manafort, who has worked for pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine, was President Trump's campaign manager for three months this summer until The New York Times reported on a $12.7 million, off-the-books payment he received from a Moscow-friendly Ukranian political party.

He is reportedly under investigation by multiple U.S. intelligence agencies for contact with Moscow during the campaign. And Thursday, Politico reported that Manafort was blackmailed during the campaign by a Ukrainian politician who said he had damaging information about he and Trump's Russian ties.

The revelation that Manafort owns property on a sleepy block in Carroll Gardens also raised some unanswered questions.

SEE ALSO: Paul Manafort's Vacant Carroll Gardens Brownstone An 'Eyesore' On Brooklyn Block

Manafort bought the property via a holding company in 2012 and secured a permit the following year to convert the home into a single-family residence at a cost of $527,900, city records show.

On January 4, 2017, Manafort transferred the property from a holding company to his name. Days later, he and his wife, Katherine, took out more than $6 million in loans against the home, the records show, more than double the $2.9 million price tag they paid for the unit.

A full work-stop order was issued on February 1 because of "applicant withdrawal."

It's unclear exactly why the work stopped. After Pardon Me For Asking first reported on his ownership of the hom last week, neighbors spoke up about his ugly front yard and general neglect of the property.

"Nobody is taking care of the snow removal, nobody is sweeping in front of the property, nobody is maintaining the sidewalk to make sure that it is safe," one commenter on the neighborhood blog said. "Also the front yard is full of rust and construction equipment that's been there for at least a year, which is not only unsightly but can also be dangerous."

Manafort told The New York Post that he has hired a new architect and expects "to complete construction by the end of the year."

Do you live near Manafort's Carroll Gardens unit? Patch would love to hear from you.

Image via Marc Torrence