This $2.2M Bed-Stuy townhouse is a 19th-century beauty seeking a 21st-century life
Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff for The Corcoran Group
Unspoiled 19th-century brownstones with intact period details are becoming rare in the 21st century, as sweeping renovations render many of the city’s historic homes luxurious and livable–often at the expense of vintage character. Built in 1893, this elegant white-painted townhouse at 102 Decatur Street on a landmarked Bed-Stuy block is a treasure trove of architectural details on each of its four floors, ready for restoration or transformation. Asking $2,200,000, the home has an equally storied cultural pedigree: Former tenants include Brooklyn Dodgers baseball legend Joe Black; notable neighbors and visitors gathered here during its years as an artistic, musical, and intellectual salon.
The 20-foot-wide townhouse includes four floors and a backyard as well as a full cellar. As a legal three-family dwelling, it offers options that include the creation of a grand single-family home or a duplex or triplex with rental income.
Historic details begin at the front door: Original doors open to reveal ornate fretwork throughout the parlor floor, framed by dramatic bay windows with stained glass transoms and plantation shutters, high ceilings, and parquet hardwood floors. Rich wood pocket doors mark the transition between this floor’s elegant chambers.
A classic brownstone staircase features detailed wainscoting and turned mahogany banisters. Built-in cabinets have beveled glass doors. Eight fireplace mantles feature hand-fired terracotta tiles and carved wood surrounds beneath ornate plaster medallions and crown moldings.
Downstairs on the garden level, the front sitting room boasts ornate wainscoting and an original Tiger oak sideboard. At the rear, a spacious kitchen has been outfitted with modern appliances and designed with loads of European charm. Just outside is a lovely brick-paved garden with plenty of space for planting. This floor also offers a renovated full bath.
Bedrooms are on the top two floors, with plenty of flexible space. Back bedrooms have garden views, and all rooms include dressing rooms and walk-in closets that are sorely missed in new construction homes. The original Victorian layout is intact, with built-in armoires and wash basins between rooms.
Upstairs, a streamlined galley kitchen is ready to serve the top floors. Upper rooms follow the graceful lines of the home’s bay windows, and none are without vintage detail and well-preserved charm.
Outside, the front of the house features an original gas light pole, framed by a tall stoop and iron railings. The landmarked block is a postcard-worthy Brooklyn streetscape of historic row houses and tree-shaded sidewalks.
[Listing details: 102 Decatur Street by Deborah L Rieders and Sarah Shuken of The Corcoran Group]
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