New Low in Townhouse Design?
The new owners of a Second Empire wood-frame townhouse in Bed Stuy added brick veneer, mismatched doors and air-conditioning compressors to the front facade.

Photo by a Brownstoner tipster
A Brownstoner reader sent in this photo of a renovated wood-frame townhouse close to the corner of Bedford Avenue in Bed Stuy with the comment “a new low in townhouse design.”
The house is one of a row of four that originally had mansard roofs and porches, the 1940 tax photo reveals.

Owned by the same family since 1971, the house at 196 Putnam Avenue was purchased in 2018 for $1.28 million by an LLC. The LLC removed the enclosed porch, added a second door that doesn’t align with the one next to it, replaced the siding with brick veneer, and added compressors for HVAC to the front instead of the rear or roof. They’ve been renting out both of the recently renovated units since then, asking $4,250 a month for the garden duplex and $3,500 a month for the top duplex.
We doubt the masterminds of the new facade were inspired by Renzo Piano. What’s your take on the new look?
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