Spacious Bay Ridge Co-op With Curvy Deco Mantel, Five Closets Asks $389K

This one-bedroom in a 1930s Bay Ridge building has a roomy foyer, multiple closets and arched doorways.

by Susan De Vries

03/30/2021 4 minute 0

This one-bedroom in a 1930s Bay Ridge building has many of the features you would expect, like a roomy foyer, multiple closets and arched doorways, but it also has a surprise element: a curved Deco-style mantel.

The corner unit is in 8020 4th Avenue, a six-story pale brick building with some detailed brickwork, including piers that accent the corners and add an element of verticality. The building has lost its original entry, or perhaps the details seen in the historic tax photo are just hiding under that dark black shell. The building was one of 22 elevator apartments completed in the borough in 1934, according to a story in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reporting on the success of six-story elevator apartments.

Inside the unit, the fairly spacious layout appears original, with rooms radiating off the foyer and wood floors extending through the living room and bedroom. The expected arched doorways leading to the rooms are a bit more decorative than typical and feature shouldered arches, identified by their curves and flat center, rather than simple rounded arches. The curves are repeated in the eye-catching decorative mantel in the living room. A look at other units in the building shows the same feature.

Save this listing on Brownstoner Real Estate to get price, availability and open house updates as they happen >>

The kitchen could perhaps use a style boost but it does have room for a table, sports two windows and appears in good repair. When first built, an arched opening created a niche for the kitchen and separated from the almost formal dining area, an old listing for another unit in the same line shows. (A master plasterer could re-create the arches; covering the tile and painting the cupboards could also change the look.)

Four closets, including two walk-ins, are off the foyer while the fifth is in the bedroom. The bedroom also has two exposures, one with a view and one facing the brick wall of the neighboring building. The room is large enough for an office or crafting corner — or could be made into two bedrooms with a new door to the living room.

A black and white scheme can be found in the bathroom, which has an original tub with added grab bars and a glass door.

There are some nice details in the building’s lobby, including a terrazzo floor, elevator door with a porthole, a corner fireplace and geometric-patterned ornament. Amenities in the building include a live-in super, laundry room, gym, bike racks and patio. Maintenance for this unit is $787 a month.

The apartment last sold in 2017 for $365,000. Robert Coppolino of RE/MAX Elite has the current listing and it is priced at $389,000. What do you think?

[Listing: 8020 4th Avenue, APT B4 | Broker: RE/MAX Elite] GMAP