Townhouses

Before buying a penthouse at Tribeca's 92 Laight Street in 2004 for $9 million, three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep called this lovely townhouse in Greenwich Village home. She purchased the five-story brick residence at 19 West 12th Street for $2.1 million in 1995, and then sold it 10 years later for $9.1 million to heiress Libet Johnson, according to LL NYC. Built in 1895, the home retained much of its historic detail when Streep resided there, but it's since been given an uber-contemporary makeover, most notably the Calacatta marble master bathroom that the listing describes as "unequivocally one of the most sensational in the city."
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September 28, 2016

Not too big, not too small, turnkey Prospect-Lefferts townhouse is just right–and just $1.95M

On a quiet block of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens--lined with similar round-fronted row houses and low-rise brick apartments--this thoughtfully-renovated, 20-foot-wide limestone townhouse is move-in ready, no contractor required. Asking $1.95 million, 176 Lefferts Avenue changed hands in 2014 for $1.6 million, and just before that in 2013 for $830,000 to a local developer–so you can see how much property values in this neighborhood have changed in recent years. Though the home has been renovated for use as a one-family, it's legally a two-family if you wanted to take advantage of the income–or other expansion–potential.
Explore all three floors

Distinctive Homes

September 27, 2016

1890s carriage house fronts a glass-walled Gramercy home with six terraces for $16.8M

A block from Gramercy Park, 150 East 22nd Street lies just outside the borders of the Gramercy Park Historic District, but the property's owners have preserved and restored one of the most substantial carriage houses still in existence in the coveted neighborhood. The original carriage house, commissioned by one Miss E.L. Breese, a prominent New York socialite known for her rare (for the time) level of independence, was constructed in the Neo-Flemish style in 1893. It now functions as a private garage for the home, its uniquely decorative façade enveloping the front of a thoroughly modern five-story townhouse–on the market for $16.8 million–that spans nearly 7,000 square feet and boasts an elevator, six bedrooms and six terraces including an amazing rooftop paradise.
Check out this amazing combination

September 26, 2016

‘House of Cards’ and ‘The Strain’ actor Corey Stoll buys $2.4M Windsor Terrace townhouse

Native Upper West Sider and actor Corey Stoll--best known for his Golden Globe-nominated role as Congressman Peter Russo on "House of Cards" and for playing Dr. Ephraim Goodweather on "The Strain"--has a new Windsor Terrace townhouse, according to LL NYC. He and his wife, Broadway actress Nadia Bowers, dropped $2.4 million on the charming and quaint home, which was recently renovated and is just one block from Prospect Park.
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September 20, 2016

Fort Greene brownstone from ‘Girls’ looks even better in real life, asks $5.6M

Remember that season on Girls where Lena Dunham's character falls for a handsome doctor with a gorgeous, pristine renovated brownstone? The townhouse that hosted those episodes is, in fact, the same 5,600-square-foot landmarked home that just hit the market for $5.6 million. Located at 52 Oxford Street in leafy, historic Fort Greene, it's currently owned by actor, screenwriter, and sometimes interior designer, Billy Morrissette, and according to the listing, also did star turns on Elementary, SNL and Difficult People. But the five-story 19th-century beauty with thoughtfully chosen and luxurious finishes, a sprawling deck, a deep landscaped yard and an industrial-chic glass-walled sun room has plenty of star power even when the cameras aren't rolling.
Tour all five star-quality stories of townhouse glory

September 16, 2016

Historic and possibly haunted mansion near Navy Yard is priced to scare at $4.5 million

Though we can see how the otherwise potential-filled historic–and allegedly haunted–Lefferts-Laidlaw mansion at 136 Clinton Avenue in the Clinton Hill/Navy Yard/Wallabout neighborhood may terrify prospective buyers with an ask of $4.499 million, an 1878 New York Times account describes the persistent and mysterious ring-and-run situation that apparently plagued the home’s then-resident, Edward F. Smith. Neither crafty attempts to discover who was responsible for “doorbells rung, doors rattled" on a nightly basis and a brick hurled through a window, nor police intervention could produce a culprit. The house became a fixture on the map of spiritualists who held seances on the sidewalk. Locals suggested the pesky poltergeist might be either a lawyer who had committed suicide on the premises, or, as Mr. Smith suggested (possibly with some sarcasm attached as it was, after all, Brooklyn), Satan.
Does this house look spooky to you?

September 15, 2016

For $1.6M this sweet Red Hook townhouse with a studio, garage and garden is a great condo alternative

While this compact and cute townhouse at 98 Pioneer Street on one of Red Hook's most Red Hook-y blocks may not be a grand mansion, at 2,148 square feet, it's bigger than most condos in its ($1.6 million) price range, and there's plenty of value packed in. First, a separate studio apartment with a garage and workshop, renovated and suitably adorable with garden access, is ready to be rented for extra income or used as a workspace or guest suite. There's a lovely landscaped garden, two additional balconies and plenty of thoughtful, modern renovations that you might find in newly-minted apartments with far less charm.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

September 14, 2016

Park Slope’s priciest townhouse gets a price cut to $12.75M

When the drop-dead gorgeous townhouse at 838 Carroll Street in Park Slope first hit the market, it made headlines with its $15 million price tag. That was earlier this year and apparently nobody bit, because a new ask of $12.75 million is now on the table. Even with the price cut, it's still the most expensive home for sale in the neighborhood.
Get ready to drool

August 31, 2016

$1.5M Bushwick townhouse charms with its blend of modern and historic

This Bushwick townhouse, at 169 Schaefer Street, has got a little something for everyone: details like the original fireplace mantle and wainscoting for the old house lover, a fancy, renovated kitchen for those who prefer something modernized, and a garden-level duplex rental for a buyer looking to make extra money from a renter. The two-family, semi-detached home was recently renovated to blend the old and the new, and it's now asking $1.449 million.
Go inside

Distinctive Homes

Kate Spade founder’s boho East Village townhouse returns as a $40,000/month rental

We'll take any opportunity to admire the four-story townhouse at 215 East 12th Street in the East Village, just south of the bustle of Union Square, and its appearance on the rental market for $40,000 a month is as good an excuse as any. Just a few months ago, the townhouse owned by Pamela Bell, one of the founders of fashion brand Kate Spade, popped up for sale at $16 million accompanied by many pretty pictures of its gently renovated historic-chic interiors and beautifully-preserved 1800s origins. Bell bought the house in 2007 for $4.3 million, so there's a tidy sum to be made if it snags a buyer; in the meantime, renters get a chance to experience nine-bedroom garden-filled townhouse living in a vibrant, 24-hour neighborhood.
Take the tour

August 30, 2016

$4M 19th century brick townhouse in Williamsburg masquerades as a loft

Williamsburg is best known for its stock of new condo buildings and converted warehouses, but the neighborhood boasts its share of historic gems in the form of 19th century townhouses. They don't come on the market very often, so that's why this one at 130 North 1st Street is asking nearly $4 million. Inside, it looks more like a loft than a townhouse--this is still Williamsburg, after all.
Take an interior tour

Distinctive Homes

August 29, 2016

Facebook co-founder Sean Parker buys three Greenwich Village townhouses to create mega-mansion

There must be something about the Village and Facebook that go together. Back in January, the social media company's co-founder Chris Hughes sold his Soho loft for $8.5 million and relocated to a $23.5 million West Village townhouse. And now the Post reports that the other founding partner, Sean Parker, who also created Napster, has acquired three homes along West 10th Street, where he plans to create one big mega-mansion.
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August 26, 2016

$3.5M Boerum Hill carriage house comes with a three-family townhouse in the front for rental income

And that's only one of the many possibilities for this unusual Brooklyn property. On a quaint and classic Brooklyn block in Boerum Hill, this three-family row house at 104 Butler Street is currently being used as a source of income from three separate apartments. Through the picturesque garden at the back, a three-story, four-bedroom carriage house is occupied by the home's current owners. A new owner could leave the setup as-is, use both of these 19th-century houses as a multi-generational home for family, or create condos in the front, with many more options imaginable. The ask is $3.45 million.
See some of the interiors and get ideas

Distinctive Homes

August 22, 2016

Local writer raising $150,000 to save Langston Hughes’ $3M Harlem townhouse

By Dana Schulz

Prolific writer and leader of the Harlem Renaissance Langston Hughes lived at 20 East 127th Street, an 1896 brownstone, in the 1950s and '60s, until he passed away in 1967. As Curbed notes, in more recent years, the ivy-covered, landmarked home has been plagued by lawsuits over its use and maintenance. The current owner listed it for $1.2 million in 2009, but it didn't sell even after the price was lowered in 2010. Today, it's estimated to be worth more than $3 million, though it's sitting vacant with its paint chipping. But local writer Renee Watson has big plans for the house that don't involve a multi-million-dollar sale that could potentially gut the interior, where Hughes' typewriter still sits on a shelf. CNN Money reports that she's launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $150,000 to rent the home, renovate it, and turn it into a cultural center for Harlem-based artists.
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Celebrities

August 16, 2016

Harriet the Spy’s $5M Upper East Side Townhouse Finds a Buyer

By Dana Schulz

In May, the Queen Anne-style townhouse said to have inspired the fictional Upper East Side home of "Harriet the Spy" hit the market for the first time in 70 years, asking $4.95 million. And in less than three months it's already entered entered contract, reports Curbed. Author Louise Fitzhugh lived on 85th Street, so it's no surprise that this gorgeous 1880s property at 558 East 87th Street sparked her creative juices. Located on the corner of a quiet and leafy Yorkville block in the Henderson Place Historic District, the 3,000-square-foot stunner overlooks Gracie Mansion, Carl Schurz Park, and the East River, "the perfect setting to get into covert shenanigans, à la Harriet," as 6sqft previously quipped.
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July 28, 2016

Rupert Murdoch’s Multi-Terraced West Village Townhouse Sells for $27.5M in Just Five Months

Last August 6sqft reported that News Corp. head and Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch had put his West Village townhouse–the one he'd bought just five months prior for $25 million–on the market. Now, just five months after listing the 25-foot-wide, four-story brick home for $28.9M, the house has found a buyer, the New York Observer reports. Whomever is behind the entity known as West 11th Street, LLC has purchased the 6,500-square-foot Greek Revival manse for $27.5 million. The deal represents a $2.5M profit for Murdoch (and we all know how much he needs a few more million).
See what else makes this townhouse so buy-able

July 22, 2016

What You Need to Know When Buying a Townhouse in New York City

By Diane Pham

Historic details, gardens, privacy, numerous bedrooms and bathrooms… In a crowded city like New York where quarters often come cramped, townhouse living is truly what real estate dreams are made of. However, while townhouses can offer far more space and flexibility than say an apartment in a glass tower, unlike buying into a condo or a co-op, they also come with a whole other […]

Real Estate Trends

July 13, 2016

Incredible 1842 West Village Townhouse With Multi-Level Garden Asks $9M

By Ondel Hylton and Dejah McGibbon

The listing for this three-story townhouse at 41 Bethune Street says it's on one of the most desirable residential blocks in New York City, and it would be hard to argue with that. Who wouldn't wan't to live tucked into the leafy and historic townhouse-lined blocks of the West Village—so adorably out of step with the grid—near the Hudson River? And that's pretty much all a two-family 19th century townhouse needs to ask $8.995 million any day of the week, especially if it's not, say, the narrowest house in the city (though there's a certain amount of cachet in that honor). So with that as a starting point, this nicely-preserved brick home is sure to get attention. The raves, though, are likely to be over the multi-level backyard deck where an urban garden is in full bloom.
Get a closer look at this Village house and garden

July 12, 2016

LPC Approves Faux-Classical Mansion on Notorious UES Site of Blown Up Townhouse

Ghoulish history be damned, the Woodbine Company has just received tentative design approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission to build a single-family, faux-classical mansion upon the parcel where Dr. Nicholas Bartha blew up his townhouse ten years ago. The now vacant 20' x 100' parcel once held the home of Dr. Bartha who purposely tampered with a gas line to destroy the five-floor mansion to punish his ex-wife for divorcing him and having the court rule that he had to sell the house as part of the settlement. The doctor vowed in an e-mail, "I will leave the house only if I am dead," and on July 10, 2006, set off an explosion which shook the typically quiet Upper East Side block. Only the doctor was inside during the time of the explosion and he succumbed to his injuries five days afterwards.
More on what’s coming to the infamous site

July 8, 2016

Actress Lake Bell Lists Clinton Hill Townhouse for Double What She Paid

Back in 2013, just a few months before they tied the knot, actress Lake Bell and tattoo artist to the stars Scott Campbell dropped $1.55 million on a quaint Clinton Hill townhouse. Three years and one baby later, they've listed the home at 119 Vanderbilt Avenue for $3 million, double what they previously paid. Located in the Wallabout Historic District, the four-story home was built in 1850 and has been "customized from top to bottom." Bell and Campbell have configured it as a single-family residence--complete with historic details like a wood-burning fireplace, original marble mantles, custom engraved oak floors, panel molding, and antique lighting--but it's a legal two-family duplex.
Check it out

July 6, 2016

$1.4M Townhouse in Rising-Star Sunset Park Includes a Magical Backyard Studio

While it may not be palatial, this sweet three-bedroom, two-story (plus finished basement) townhouse at 455 37th Street in Sunset Park on a lovely street of tidy 1900s row houses would make a terrific “condo alternative.” Sunset Park, which the listing reminds us was recently dubbed the nation's number one "edgy cool" neighborhood, is indeed a rising star. With exciting projects in the works at Industry City, an amazingly diverse mix of residents, proximity to transportation, parks and the waterfront and even a recent turn as the winter home of the Brooklyn Flea, Sunset Park is one of those places you might wish you’d moved to years ago. But there are still deals to be had among the just-as-diverse housing choices, like this well-preserved home asking $1.405 million. And a magical back yard with an utterly charming garden studio are definitely something you won't find in most condos.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

June 30, 2016

The Upper East Side Townhouse Where Henry Fonda Married a Countess Asks $11M

This elegant five-story single-family townhouse at 151 East 74th Street has been a home to a president's son (Captain Kermit Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt) and Hollywood royalty. The late, great actor Henry Fonda called the nearly 6,000-square-foot townhouse home and hosted his wedding to 23-year-old Italian countess Afdera Franchetti here in 1957. Built in 1878, the brick Colonial Revival style home remains an elegant address, and is on the market for $11.225 million. There have been recent improvements and upgrades, with plenty of potential left for transformation. With that many floors, two decks, a landscaped backyard and a prime Upper East Side location on a gorgeous townhouse block near Central Park, the landmarked home might be just the one for a certain outgoing president who has expressed interest in living in New York City after leaving the White House. There's definitely plenty of room for college kids and their friends, dogs, staff and security personnel.
Tour the townhouse

June 22, 2016

Massive Maya Lin-Designed Tribeca Townhouse Gets Thumbs Up From Landmarks

By Ondel Hylton

While better known for its manufacturing buildings converted to retreats of discreet loft living, Tribeca is ushering in a mini-Gilded Age of mega-modern townhouses that are rising from the neighborhood's modicum of narrow lots. Yesterday, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved Maya Lin Studio's design of a five-story, 20,000-square-foot single-family mansion at 11 Hubert Street that will use the structural bones of an existing three-floor commercial building and add more than 6,000 square feet of floor area throughout. The nondescript commercial structure is a vestige of a never-finished 1980's residential project that Lin, in collaboration with architects Bialosky + Partners, hope to rectify.
More details this way

June 20, 2016

Historic Prospect Heights Rowhouse, Asking $12,500/Month, Has All Its Woodwork Intact