Co-ops

Prepare to ogle this Brooklyn Heights co-op with historical grandeur

By Alanna Schubach  | February 29, 2016 - 12:59PM
image

Brooklyn Heights was NYC’s first landmark district, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a property more emblematic of the neighborhood’s grand past than this co-op. The three-bedroom duplex, listed with Douglas Elliman for $4.82 million, is in a townhouse built in 1856 by the Pierreponts, who left their mark throughout Brooklyn Heights and were behind the creation of Green-Wood Cemetery. The house was later converted to four co-ops, which were developed by renowned architect Norval White, so the space certainly has its design bonafides.

image

image

Upon entering the parlor floor, its lofty 12-foot ceiling rendered even more remarkable by a hand-painted mural, you might feel as though you stepped into a museum. Lovers of Italianate architecture will find plenty more to swoon over, between the elaborate millwork, parquet floors, and massive windows. Note, too, the etched glass over the doors, extensive wainscoting, and details around the fireplace and mirrors.

image

image

If all that’s a bit heavy for you, the sunroom, which overlooks a garden, lightens the mood. On the second floor, a library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a reading nook outfitted with dreamy wallpaper is a bookworm’s fantasy.

image

The kitchen belongs to more modern times—though the flooring lends a pleasantly quaint touch—and is very chef-friendly, with its ample granite countertops and new appliances, including a dishwasher and Subzero refrigerator.

image

image

The second-floor master bedroom has a slightly sunken floor; from there, step up into a sitting room and home office that both lead open onto the garden. The bedroom also boasts four large closets, plus an en suite bath with a double vanity. Walk past the laundry room, den, and additional bathroom for the second bedroom, which faces the street and has its own aura of history, thanks to its stone fireplace.

image

The listing notes that much of the basement will belong to this apartment’s owners, offering the potential to convert it to more livable space. And the building’s curb appeal is tremendous; the townhouse’s grandeur makes it a stop-and-stare centerpiece of a neighborhood that’s rich in history.

 

Alanna Schubach

Contributing writer

Contributing editor Alanna Schubach has over a decade of experience as a New York City-based freelance journalist.

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

topics: