For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

From the wine cellar to the landscaped roof deck, this 19th-century Greek Revival mansion represents five stories of pristine restoration, with historic flourishes accenting modern style and ease of living. Asking $11,500,000, the 6,094-square-foot two-family townhouse at 20 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District has some notable literary history: Norman Mailer had his writing studio here. The house was also, according to the listing, the inspiration for Mailer’s 1951 novel “Barbary Shore.”

On an elevated cul-de-sac street that meets the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, this impressive 26-foot-wide brick home has no fewer than four outdoor spaces serving an owner’s quadruplex and a garden apartment. All floors feature historic architectural details like fine plasterwork, 12-foot ceilings, wood-burning fireplaces, and marble mantels. On the home’s lowest level is a sauna and custom wine cellar. Modern comforts include state-of-the-art security and central air conditioning.

The home’s front stoop rises to a double doorway. The owner’s quadruplex starts on the parlor level with formal living and dining rooms and a covetable kitchen. The sun-filled living room features parquet floors and 12-foot ceilings.

In the kitchen, you’ll find honed black granite countertops, bespoke millwork, and stainless-steel appliances from Bosch, Dynasty, and Sub-Zero. The kitchen overlooks the rear garden.

The adjacent dining room opens onto a spacious ironwork deck that descends to a shaded private garden.  Stone pavers are framed by greenery and a tall wooden fence.

On the third floor are two bedrooms, both with large walk-in closets. One of the two gets a private balcony overlooking the garden. A cozy library room is on this level as well.

On the home’s fourth level is an enviable primary suite with two walk-in closets and a windowed en-suite bath with a step-in shower and deep soaking tub. An additional bedroom and bath are on this floor as well.

The home’s fifth floor holds a large skylit entertaining space beneath high ceilings. Enjoy a wet bar,  a study/home office/bedroom, a screening lounge, a billiards table, and an adjacent powder room.

The landscaped rooftop deck offers Manhattan skyline and New York harbor views. There’s plenty of space for lounge furniture and planters, for entertaining or star-gazing.

Back downstairs, the separate garden unit is perfect as a rental or a guest or family suite. This apartment consists of a large living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, laundry facilities, and a spacious bedroom. The apartment has access to the rear garden as well.

The cellar level has not been forgotten. In addition to a laundry room, cedar closet, and storage rooms, there’s a sauna with a shower suite–and a separate 1,800-bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar.

This iconic Brooklyn home is steps from the Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and One 15 Brooklyn Marina in a neighborhood filled with dining and shopping options.

[Listing details: 20 Remsen Street by Lucia Cousins, Brandon Bogard, and Mallory Bogard of SERHANT.]

RELATED: 

• This $2.4M Brooklyn Heights co-op is a turnkey classic six with a private balcony and skyline views
• All aboard a charming $2M three-bedroom townhouse flat in historic Brooklyn Heights
• This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

 All photos courtesy of SERHANT. Studios