Brooklyn Heights Studio With Archways, Four Closets, Deco Bathroom Asks $525K
While not abundant in square footage, this Art Deco-era studio has all the benefits of apartments from that era, including a separate dining space, arched doorways and decent closet space. The co-op unit is on the third floor of The Mansion House, the six-story 1930s apartment building at 145 Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights, giving it a location within walking distance to shops and parks spanning several nearby areas, including Downtown Brooklyn.
The Mansion House moniker is a nod to the building formerly on the site, a mansion that was used for an academy for young ladies before being turned into a hotel. When it was demolished in 1930 some tenants had been in residence since the 1880s. The land stayed vacant for several years, prompting some ghost stories, before construction began in 1935 for the current building.
Designed by Arthur Weiser, the restrained brick building has touches of the Colonial Revival, with urn-topped brick pillars guarding a brick pathway to the recessed entrance with a columned portico. A sketch of the building in an early brochure and the circa 1940 tax photo both show shutters on the central windows of the second floor. While gone, the shadows of the shutters are still visible.
Save this listing on Brownstoner Real Estate to get price, availability and open house updates as they happen >>
The same brochure lists the many “modern conveniences and improvements” designed for residents, many still found in this studio unit. A foyer with three closets and niched shelving leads to the raised dining area with arched openings to the living room. The windowed space, referred to as a dining balcony on the early floor plans, has its original iron railing and the fourth closet. The living area, which is large enough to fit both seating and sleeping areas, has three windows on two exposures and a view to the charming carriage houses of College Place.
The windowed galley kitchen has white cabinets and counters and appears in good shape although perhaps ready for a style tweak.
For some reason the listing photos don’t include a shot of the tiled Art Deco-era bathroom, which, at least in the glimpse available in the video tour, looks fairly fabulous for lovers of vintage style.
The 107-unit elevator building has laundry and storage in the basement and an attended lobby. Maintenance for this unit is $774 a month. It is listed at $525,000 with Brian Lehner of Brown Harris Stevens. Worth the ask?
[Listing: 145 Hicks Street, APT B36 | Broker: Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP
Photo by James Dowd for PropertyShark
Related Stories
Email [email protected] with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
Bathroom at a Glance
Who uses it: A couple in their 50s
Location: Mukilteo, Washington
Size: 176 square feet (16 square meters)
Designer: Kristine Tyler of Tree Frog Design
Tyler used dark and light gray large-format tile across the walls and floors. She persuaded the homeowners not to cut off the tile on the back wall at the shower and instead to extend it across the entire wall. “It makes the space feel more expansive. In the ‘before’ picture you notice that the tiles are only encompassing the shower, and it divides up the room and makes the space feel more choppy,” she says.
Tyler stopped by the site one day during the renovation and made sure the tile was installed up to the ceiling peak in the shower area. “The tile installer mentioned that they were planning on capping it off at 84 inches. The homeowner met me there and I encouraged them to extend the tile all the way up, so the eye isn’t drawn to the transition,” she says.
Find a bathroom designer near you