Real Estate

Landmarked Brooklyn Heights Carriage House With Lofty Living Room, Indoor Parking Asks $6.5 Million

Noted contemporary architect Leslie Gill converted it into a three-bedroom in the ’90s, adding custom designed shelving, rails and skylights, and smart space planning.

Photo by DDReps, courtesy of The Corcoran Group

by Stephen Zacks

06/03/2019 4 minute 0

We know not which gent originally rode his buggy into this late 19th century carriage house or exactly when it was built, but its magnificent arched entrance and windows recall features of Romanesque Revival architecture, and old maps show a stable at the property by 1880. Converted into a one-bedroom residence by the 1970s, 4 Hunts Lane was renovated a second time in 1998 by the highly decorated architect Leslie Gill — a graduate of Cooper Union and longtime professor at Columbia University — who took the reins to transform it into a contemporary three-bedroom loft-style home.

True to the tradition of those schools, the description on her site weaves a narrative that references the 19th century landscape painting technique of Luminism to argue for the use of light in the renovation to create an illusion of depth and what is described as an interior terrain. On the ground level, the function of housing and servicing steeds is recalled in an enclosed parking spot for a car beside a powder room and office, the latter lit by an existing window facing the mews block. To the rear, a patio, windows and glass doors surround and brighten the open plan kitchen and dining room, installed with mid-century modern-style wood shelving and cabinets, and wood and soapstone counters.

The converted hayloft on the second floor is the showstopper. Given the landmark status of the facade, adding skylights was key to bring additional daylight into the building. The result is a grand street-facing double-height living room with exposed beams, which is approached by a long straight staircase with a custom railing, lined at the top with custom built-in shelves and cabinets. The bathrooms are outfitted with what are described as rustic terra-cotta tiles.

To the rear on the second floor, a pass-through to the master bedroom and bathroom accommodates five closets. The staircase continues to a lofted third floor facing the rear with two bedrooms and a shared bath. The cellar has west-facing double doors and windows looking into a small breezeway. The cellar contains a studio space as well as a laundry room.

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In the hands of the same family since 1992, 4 Hunts Lane sold in August 2018 for $5.35 million. Deborah Rieders and Sarah Shuken of Corcoran are handling the listing (in a co-exclusive with Nick Gavin and Josh Doyle of Compass), which is asking $6.5 million.

It’s unclear what, if anything, the current seller did to the property, beyond the appealing staging with modern furniture — presumably not included with the sale — but if it sells for ask, he stands to gross more than a million. What’s your bet?

[Listing: 4 Hunts Lane | Broker: Corcoran] GMAP