Bright, Modern Clinton Hill Three-Bedroom on Biggie’s Old Block Offers Lots of Options for $950K

It’s not often that a three-bedroom apartment in prime Brooklyn rings in at under a million; if it does, it’s likely to be a co-op with a steep monthly fee, and/or badly in need of an update. This pre-war condo in the heart of Clinton Hill is the rare exception: tastefully renovated, it offers pretty pre-war details, three bedrooms, and a location that’s hard to beat.

207 Saint James Place is on one of this historic neighborhood’s most beautiful streets, lined with 150-year-old brownstones and wood-frames, carriage houses and churches. There’s plenty of colorful local history as well: The childhood home of Biggie Smalls is in a similar building just across the street at number 226–the late rapper’s former apartment sold for $725k in 2013. Having survived the ravages of the late 20th century, these ornate 1930s limestone apartment buildings can be a great place to find lovely and livable–and somewhat rare–apartments like this one.

This pretty pre-war home combines high-end finishes with classic original details like nine-foot-plus ceilings, oversized bay windows (the apartment boasts three exposures) and ionic columns in the spacious and sun-filled living room. One drawback: this is a walkup, but you get nice rooftop views and plenty of light (and exercise).

In the moderm and bright custom kitchen, a deep double farmhouse sink, marble and butcher block countertops, a vented Viking range, Bosch dishwasher, Liebherr fridge and a high-capacity washer/dryer make daily life easy. A newly-installed half bath fits behind a sliding door.

The dining room is spacious enough for family meals and other gatherings; dark slate-hued walls and white-coated beadboard wainscoting frame the room with a clean, modern contrast.

Just off the living room, more bright white and warm wood floors in the home office, along with custom built-in bookshelves and drawers.

In the master bedroom, floor-to-ceiling custom closets keep clutter under control.

There are two smaller bedrooms in addition to the larger master bedroom and the small office. As with the rest of the home (and according to the listing since it’s not pictured) a thoroughly renovated full bath incorporates luxurious finishes and classic touches including white Carrara marble countertops and an antique claw-footed bathtub.

A few caveats: In addition to being a walkup, some rooms are small, and the apartment itself is narrow (though not dark; all the windows help). That said, a look at the floor plan shows that space could be easily opened up and room use reconfigured. For example, removing a wall from the small, boxy interior bedroom would open up a larger living/dining space; the front room would make a luxurious master bedroom, with the side office functioning as a massive walk-in closet (or a baby’s room). Depending on how many were needed, either of the two remaining bedrooms would make a great office or guest room.

This eight-unit condominium building offers common storage, bike storage, laundry (in addition to the in-unit W/D) and a common rooftop deck. The neighborhood is a Brooklyn favorite, and this location puts you steps from subway access to both Manhattan and Brooklyn destinations via C/G trains and a short walk to Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park, Pratt, the Brooklyn Flea and the nearby neighborhoods of Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, Boerum Hill, Gowanus and Park Slope. You’re also surrounded by supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, parks and playgrounds.

[Listing: 207 Saint James Place #4R by Shinichi Morisawa and Cheryl Nielsen-Saaf for Corcoran Group.]

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• My 1,680sqft: Artist Anne Peabody Invites Us Into Her Landmarked Clinton Hill Carriage House
• Adrian Grenier Buys Five-Story Clinton Hill Townhouse for $2.1 Million

Images courtesy of Corcoran Group.