Real Estate

Beguiling Bed Stuy Brownstone With Oriel and Four Mantels Asks $1.395 Million

The well-preserved home has historical features and may need some superficial work — and possibly more, we cannot say for sure — but doesn’t come with the sticker shock of a fully renovated designer townhouse.

by Stephen Zacks

10/02/2019 3 minute 0

An alluring brownstone in Bed Stuy with a three-sided oriel on the parlor-level topped with cast-iron ornament, incised window and door hoods, a handsome modillioned cornice and original stoop railings is somewhat of a throwback to listings before this most recent boom. The well-preserved home has historical features and may need some superficial work — and possibly more, we cannot say for sure — but doesn’t come with the sticker shock of a fully renovated designer townhouse.

The house, located at 574 MacDonough Street, dates from around 1890 based on historical maps: it’s a three-story, single-family row house with finely carved exposed wood newels and turned balusters painted white, parquet floors, four wooden mantels, crown molding and pocket doors from the front to the rear parlor, now identified in the floor plan as one of two bedrooms on the parlor level.

On the garden level is the kitchen, nicely renovated at some point with tile floors, wood cabinets with glazed doors and at least one stainless steel appliance, though some water damage is evident here as elsewhere. French doors topped with an arched transom from the kitchen open to the garden, which has a large tree and pavers.

Most of the fixer-upper work may be on the top floor, where the bedroom shown has a mantel, a scalloped doorway and built-in ledges along the windows. But at the least, the hardwood floor and ceilings need refinishing and painting. Another small bedroom on the top floor looks to be in good condition, with all its details intact. The bathroom has been updated, with tiles covering everything.

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The home is slightly narrow at 16.33 feet and there’s another bathroom on the garden level. This is a particularly coveted block known for its strong community and its annual block party. It’s been in the hands of the same family for decades, according to the listing. We saw a renovated house on the next block, only slightly wider, asking for $1.5 million last week. This listing is by Mordy Werde and Avi Werde at Compass, and the asking price is $1.395 million. Will this one get the ask?

[Listing: 574 MacDonough Street | Broker: Compass] GMAP