6 Timeless New York City Townhouses
Few residential styles out there can rival the celebrity of a New York City townhouse. Sometimes referred to as row houses and colloquially known as brownstones — technically only applicable to those constructed out of a specific sandstone, but you try arguing that with a New Yorker — they are a quintessential element of life in the Big Apple. These six picturesque homes have withstood the test of time, remaining as relevant and desirable as the day they were built.
Manhattan
If there’s one word to describe this townhouse, it’s rare. Not only is the c. 1802 four-bedroom home one among a treasured nonet of Federal-style townhouses in Tribeca, but it also has a back garden — granting a private outdoor space and sense of stillness in the always-moving city. Although thoughtful upgrades have brought the residence into the 21st century, its red-brick facade and prewar proportions help conserve its alluring original character. Extra-large windows throughout frame charming city views to the north, south, and east, all the while allowing ample light flow across hardwood floors. Uncover a relaxation haven on the finished lower level, an ideal setting to compose the dream media room or den. This space is stocked wall-to-wall with cabinetry and also boasts a custom workspace with a built-in desk.
Listed By: Barrie Mandel and Trisha Lawton of Corcoran’s SoHo Office.
This four-bedroom Upper East Side townhouse has been exactingly remastered, blending 19th-century detailing (original moldings, wood-burning fireplaces, built-in shelving) with modern amenities. Natural light streams into the foyer from a top-floor skylight, setting an immediate mood of inviting warmth. Host with the most from the garden level, where a newly redone kitchen with an immense center island flows seamlessly to a dining room that opens to a back garden via French doors. The lushly landscaped private outdoor space features a built-in firepit and brick seating area, plus an elevated dining terrace. Meanwhile, the lower level’s 1,500-bottle wine cellar ensures any occasion has its perfect pairing. Once all the guests are gone, the primary bedroom is a heavenly escape; its skylit ensuite flaunts a soaking tub, a walk-in shower, and a steam room.
Listed By: Ryan McErlean and Noble Black of Corcoran’s East Side Office.
Salty dogs and landlubbers alike can agree this South Street Seaport townhouse, the waterside edge of Manhattan’s Financial District, is a catch. The soaring former warehouse for dry goods, constructed in 1825 to service ships docked at Beekman Slip (today’s Fulton Street), sails forth into contemporary comforts while also keeping the past alive. Its wide-board floors are original, the hewn ceiling beams are reclaimed from an 18th-century barn, and the doors are imported from an English countryside estate. Aesthetically, the primary bath and its central porcelain tub wouldn’t feel out of place in a sea captain’s cabin. No matter where you take the handsomely dramatic staircase, it’s apparent this home has been carefully curated at every step. Best yet, a private rooftop garden, boasting vistas of the historic surroundings, caps it all off.
Listed By: Richard Ziegelasch of Corcoran’s East Side Office.
Brooklyn
Original details and fresh updates dance in lockstep to showcase an irresistible townhouse form in Cobble Hill. Several elements date to the home’s 1852 provenance, including four carved marble mantels. One houses a functioning wood-burning fireplace in the living room, where a custom-built bookshelf charmingly frames an extra-wide doorway and floor-to-ceiling windows help natural light wash over everything. Adjoining is a dining room spanning the townhouse’s full 20-foot width — wonderful for those large-scale gatherings — with three sets of French doors opening to a deck draped in wisteria. Spiral stairs lead to a garden featuring a pergola-covered patio and a bluestone sitting area around a Koi pond. From there, fold aside glass doors to arrive at a custom chef’s kitchen. Conclude the journey in the finished cellar, which holds two offices, a workshop, and abundant storage.
Listed By: Ellen E. Newman, Cara Sadownick, and Maxim Lockhart of Corcoran’s Brooklyn Heights Office.
Industrial and rustic chic meet down a one-way street in this Greenpoint townhouse. The neoclassical home feels loft-like across all three of its floors, where you’ll marvel at the exposed timber beams, burnished steel columns, Arts & Crafts woodwork, and more. Its triple parlor feels almost boundless, encompassing a living room with a bay window, a partially skylit dining room, and a kitchen bursting with flair like aged brick backsplashes, ebonized wood cabinetry, and a built-in banquette. Four bedrooms currently populate the upper level, a setup easily reconfigurable as differing lifestyles call for. That flexibility extends to the windowed lower level, which can serve as an income-generating rental, a home gym, or a home office. Outside, the backyard is a picturesque respite with space to store chopped logs — after all, you’ll need them to work the wood-fired hot tub.
Listed By: Deborah L. Rieders, Sarah Shuken, and Albi Zhubi of Corcoran’s Brooklyn Heights Office.
Get your eye caught in perpetuity at this Bedford-Stuyvesant townhouse, from its red-brick facade topped by a black cornice to its mosaic-tile vestibule to its sleek interior flaunting lime-washed walls, white oak hardwood, and designer touches. The home spans five floors, including a finished basement. A 55-foot-deep parlor level smoothly blends a winning living room, a knife-sharp kitchen, and a craveable dining room — while also letting each space stand distinct. Access a back deck via a glass door in the dining room, with steps down to a backyard and garden. Alternatively, venture up a custom staircase to the full-floor primary suite, headlined by its king-sized bedroom, extensive dressing room, private terrace, and minimalist spa-worthy bath. Elsewhere, find three bedrooms and two full baths on the fourth floor, and a spacious one-bedroom apartment with backyard access on the garden level.
Listed By: Nick Hovsepian, Leslie Marshall, and Stephanie Wilberding of Corcoran’s Brooklyn Heights Office.
