For many people, “New York City” means either snooty Park Avenue apartment houses, glass skyscrapers stacked with cookie-cutter condos, or maybe cramped tenement buildings. But there’s so much more to the city than this. And, while prices in Manhattan are notoriously sky high, a buyer can definitely get more bang for their real estate buck in Brooklyn, where there are still some old-school neighborhoods that have a much less frenetic, go-go-go vibe than Manhattan.
Such is the case with this handsome Victorian, located in Prospect Park South, a small and historic neighborhood in Flatbush that’s close to the fantastic green space of the park, as well as the B and Q subway lines that travel across Brooklyn on their way in to Manhattan and out to Brighton Beach.
Built in 1920, the gracious four-floor home boasts tons of old-school details but was gut renovated over the past year, making for a seamless turnkey purchase of a charming and homey vintage residence ready for a contemporary lifestyle. And with six large bedrooms, three baths and two powder rooms, there’s plenty of space for a large extended family. Set on a 4,500-square-foot parcel, the 4,045 square-foot house is asking just under $3.5 million, about the same price as a sleek duplex condo in artsy Chelsea or a two-bedroom co-op in an elegant Fifth Avenue building. Listing agent is Steve Halpern of Compass.
Enter from the front porch, which features a pair of hanging egg chairs rather than traditional rocking chairs. Inside, the foyer gives glimpses of what’s to be found throughout the entire property: restored stained glass windows, original pocket doors, elegant moldings and trim work, and an array of original millwork, notably in the stairwell.
The playfully furnished double living room stretches to 30 feet long and the dining room, with its two exposures, has a charcoal slate tile floor. But it’s the two-room kitchen that’s the standout of the house. The original tray ceiling and oak floorboards are matched with an industrial-sized Thermador stove, an attractive blue and white quartzite breakfast bar, a deep sink with hands-free faucet, a garbage disposal, and a hot-and-cold reverse osmosis water filtration system. Behind the kitchen are a mud room and a powder room.
Upstairs, in the homeowner’s suite, a bedroom was sacrificed to create a huge dressing area and a roomy bathroom complete with deep soaking tub, rainforest shower and radiant heated floor. Two more second-floor bedrooms share a white-bricked hall bathroom, while the third floor offers three additional bedrooms and a stunning zen-like bathroom with a another deep soaking tub and pebble-tiled shower
Need more space? There’s a pull-down staircase to the attic and the finished basement offers a full gym and half-bath, an office, a laundry room, and plenty of storage.
A slender terrace runs along the back of the second floor, where it overlooks the backyard. A large deck outside the kitchen was just redone and the lawn planted with fresh grass.
That’s right, if you know where to look — like, say, Prospect Park South — you really can have both a big deck and a lush lawn right in the city! Who says you can’t have the comforts of the burbs in a convenient urban location?
