Carroll Gardens 'Cottage' With Hobbit Door, Terrace Asks $1.825 Million

On Carroll Gardens’ historic Dennett Place, this compact charmer is as quaint as its one-block street.

by Hannah Frishberg

05/16/2018 5 minute 0

On Carroll Gardens’ quirky cul de sac, Dennett Place, this compact charmer at No. 9 is as quaint as its one-block street. The house, which along with the rest of the workmen’s brick row most likely dates from the mid-19th century, boasts one of the strip’s identifying hobbit doors.

Houses on the street show up on maps dating to the 1850s, and in 1860 a “cottage” on the street was renting for $9 a month, an old ad in the Brooklyn Eagle reveals.

If you’re expecting original details inside, you’ll be disappointed, but the property does boast a charming rear terrace off the parlor floor and a workable floor plan — no small feat considering its diminutive size.

Currently set up as a one-bedroom rental over an owners’ duplex, the property appears to be in move-in condition, albeit with workman-like finishes and baseboard heating. Some buyers might want to add moldings, mantels and built-ins to up the charm factor or reconfigure as a single-family.

The top-floor apartment comprises two rooms with a murphy bed, strip kitchen, washer/dryer hookup, and one closet. The owner’s duplex has four rooms, including one bedroom on the parlor floor (and a potential second bedroom on either level).

One quirk to note: The parlor-floor bedroom does not share a floor with the sole bathroom, which is located in a ground-floor extension. The unit has five closets and a storage shed as well as a backyard, not pictured.

The parlor floor entry has the house’s one shred of historic detail (although likely not original): a tin ceiling.

On the exterior, the house’s original brick is still visible, painted white, and makes a pretty sight at the rear of the property. In the front, the facade has been stucco’d over and lost its Italianate cornice with paired wood brackets.

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Old 1930s tax photos of the adorable one-block street indicate the whole row may have once sported shared porches at the tops of their stoops — a feature that may also shed some light on the mysterious hobbit doors.

Because the low stoops are turned sideways and front the sidewalk, there is no room for the usual lowered front yard and steps down to the garden floor, which allow a normal-height door under the stoop. But instead of leaving out the service entrances altogether, the builder shortened their doors. At one time, they were crowned and framed by the shared porches.

Another idiosyncrasy: The street’s name is spelled with a double “t” in historic records but only one “t” on the current street sign.

Despite the row being locally beloved and one of a kind, the homes are not protected by any historic district. A few houses on the row have built an additional story, including at 10 Dennett Place, across the street. Some have lost their stoops and diminutive doors.

The home is an equidistant 5.5 blocks from the F and G trains at the Carroll Street and Smith-9th Street stations. The elevated tracks and the BQE are close by but far enough away that they shouldn’t be audible.

Four Compass agents have the listing: Jessica Henson, Kim Soule, Amara Fish and Eugenia Vainberg. It’s asking $1.825 million. What do you think?

[Listing: 9 Dennett Place | Broker: Compass] GMAP