Weighing the Options with a Rental

Hi. My two roommates and I are looking for a 3br rental, tight budget, sept 1st move in. (I know, close.) We have come across a few really great places, only to slip between our fingers, and now we've got our act together and are ready to put money down on the first great thing we find. We found a place at butler between fourth and fifth ave, a horrible exterior, nice interior, right price, and obviously a block away from the good stuff on 5th, subways, etc. It's also directly across the street from PS 133, which is just waiting to be demolished and will be an unpleasant site for the next two years.

If I found this interior most anywhere else in the slope I would take it in a second. The ugliness of the exterior of the building may be a shallow concern, but the PS 133 demo is a more serious one. Since it's so close to sept 1st, should we bite the bullet and take the place? Logic tells me yes but my gut is a little more hesitant. How successful have people's rental searches been when the clock really starts ticking? We just want a nice home near good subways, avoiding a broker fee. Sometimes it feels impossible, until you find that one great thing pop up on craigslist!!