Unusual Cobble Hill Townhouse Could Be Pre-Civil War, Asks $3.5 Million

This brick townhouse, at 16 Butler Street in Cobble Hill, might look ordinary at first glance but its age and style are unusual.

It could be one of the oldest structures in Cobble Hill, and it’s received an eclectic redesign by an architect that mixes period detail and modern updates.

The listing calls the house “Federal,” and while it may in fact be Greek Revival, it appears to predate the Civil War in any case. (FWIW, the earliest surviving houses in the nearby landmarked district are Greek Revival, not Federal, but this house’s features certainly could indicate it predates them.)

The house is very wide at 23 feet. Another marker of its age is those lovely wide-plank floors — other old details include several working fireplaces, tin ceilings and plaster crown moldings.

Architect Stephen Wanta has exposed beams, opened up the back, and installed modern kitchens and bathrooms with sleek tubs. (The Manhattan-based firm has worked on a wide variety of commercial and residential projects in New York City, including historical ones).

The four-story house is set up as a triplex over a one-bedroom rental on the garden floor — which is quite a nice one, or at least has a fetching living room with exposed beams, not to mention its own washer-dryer.

The triplex has a full-floor master suite on top, with a skylit walk-through closet and a wall of windows facing a terrace. There’s also a gas heating stove in there — and a number of others throughout the unit.

There are three bedrooms on the floor below, along with a fetching, light-flooded bathroom with a radiant-heated Moroccan-tiled floor.

There’s more floor-to-ceiling glass to be found in the sitting room to the rear of the parlor floor, adjacent to the kitchen, which sports exposed brick and a floor of reclaimed French sandstone tile. There’s a deck beyond it leading to a lush back yard, which sports both a pergola and an elevated playhouse. (It’d be nice to see some closeups of that one — perhaps it could be an office in the warm months.)

All windows were replaced in the renovation, as was the roof; central air was installed. The front door and its Federal-style surround were also replaced with a modern door in the renovation, old photos show; perhaps it wasn’t original or the owners stashed it away somewhere for safekeeping.

The garden has been featured on tours and has a small playhouse, according to the listing, which also mentions P.S. 29, a significant plus for parents of youngsters, or those aspiring to be.

The location is in-demand, although the house is directly across the street from a school, which could be a deterrent for some buyers.

New to the market, and listed by Terry Naini of Town Residential, the house is having its first showing at an open house from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 13. The ask is $3.5 million.

An appropriate price point? What do you think of the house?

[Listing: 16 Butler Street | Broker: Town Residential] GMAP

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