This $635K Washington Heights Co-op Is a Ground Floor Opportunity With Lofty Ambitions

At first glance, the price of this 1,245-square-foot well-configured and loft-like co-op in Washington Heights looks like a pretty good deal. The same spot in the parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn where one usually finds sprawling industrial-chic lofts would undoubtedly be several times more than the $635,000 ask. Upon further inspection, it becomes evident that this apartment at 447 Fort Washington Avenue occupies the building’s basement. We’re assuming it’s been excavated enough to be legal, but even the listing prepares us for the fact that “…this lower first floor garden apartment is sublimely peaceful with no neighbors above, below or beside.” It’s certainly a nice-looking lower first floor garden apartment, though.

In addition to the no-neighbors-because-it’s-the-basement thing, keep in mind that the neighborhood is known as a no-longer-secret spot to find relatively reasonable real estate in NYC; the Times called it “affordable Manhattan,” pointing out that the median price for apartments in Washington Heights was less than $500,000 in Q1 of 2015. On the other hand, a similarly-outfitted, though much larger, Cobble Hill duplex condo loft consisting of a ground floor and basement is listed for $2.85 million. So perhaps this lofty lower lair in upper Manhattan deserves further investigation after all.

In what is indeed a “downtown-style loft in Hudson Heights,” industrial elements like exposed brick, beams, and pipes frame the large space and give it that raw loft look. It’s far enough above ground to be sunlit from the south and west (according to the listing), and it might, in fact, be “sublimely peaceful” which is a definite bonus in NYC. Espresso-stained wide plank flooring and nine-foot-plus ceilings definitely make the space look less subterranean, as do the apartment’s ten windows (if you don’t think about the fact that you’re looking up at most of them).

There’s plenty of room in the kitchen, which boasts over ten feet of granite counters in addition to custom cherry cabinets, a pull-out pantry, Samsung and Bosch appliances and a breakfast bar, adjacent to the expansive central great room.

The apartment gets major points for bedroom layout: Two large bedrooms are on opposite sides, great for guests or kids. The large master bedroom has an enviable room-sized dressing room/walk-in-closet designed by Closet Factory. A third tiny room just off the master is perfect for a nursery or office.

The second bedroom is divided in two sections which can be great for any number of reasons (bedroom/office, etc.), but also works as a closet space, as this bedroom appears to have no closet otherwise.

The renovated bathroom looks nice and bright.

You also get “easy access to the building’s planted common outdoor space” for obvious reasons. That could be a good thing; you’ll feel like you have your own back patio (which, it should be mentioned, is one perk of having a ground floor apartment that’s missing here). And it looks pretty nice.

The Pinehurst co-operative offers a resident superintendent, bike and private storage, a fitness room and laundry. Located in the heart of the Washington Heights enclave of Hudson Heights, you’re near gorgeous and view-blessed Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters, with easy access to tennis courts and bicycling trails along the Hudson River. The neighborhood is beloved by residents for a growing cache of cafes, restaurants and markets, and the A express train is nearby for easy commuting.

[Listing: 447 Fort Washington Avenue, Apt. B by Kelly Cole and Paul Cole for Corcoran Group]

[Via CityRealty]

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• Adorable Two-Bedroom in Hudson View Gardens Offers Partial River Views
• Washington Heights’ First Two Hotels Set to Open This Summer

Images courtesy of Corcoran Group.