Decorative Brooklyn Heights Brownstone Closes for $7 Million
A beautiful, Italianate brownstone at 37 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District sold for $7 million through a listing held by Brown Harris Stevens. It was originally listed for $6.2 million when it went on the market in January. The buyer is Jeremiah T. Healey, former Jersey City Mayor from 2004-2013, and his wife Megan McKee Healey, a tax law professor at NYU.
Built in 1899, the 25-foot-wide, 7,000-square-foot home retains a wealth of historic details including fanlight windows, cast iron vent covers, etched pocket doors, and wood-paneled chair rails. The decorative elements such as ceiling medallions, painted borders, and fancy ceiling moldings were likely to the taste of the previous owner, but they certainly add a bit of whimsy to the classical home.
The home has eight bedrooms, eight full baths, and 13-foot ceilings. The cellar level is finished and comes complete with a gym, laundry room, full bath, and space to spare (wine cellar, play room, man cave–oh the possibilities!). It’s currently configured as a one-family house, though the certificate of occupancy allows for a two-family residence.
Fireplaces warm up almost every room in the brownstone. Those in the child’s bedroom, living room, and sitting room are tiled with carved wooden mantles. In the dining room is a stately marble fireplace and in the master bedroom a stone design. Off the kitchen is a lovely patio with space for a barbecue and for gardening.
What do you think; should the new owners keep the traditional design or give their townhouse a modern update?
Images via Brown Harris Stevens