1397 Dean Street1

This four-story, four-unit Queen Anne–style row house is unusually large — 3,845 square feet spread across four floors. The exact layout is a mystery since there is no floor plan, but according to the the listing it has nine bedrooms and four bathrooms. The home, at 1397 Dean Street, is just a few blocks from the Kingston-Throop stop on the C train.

When the home was built in 1896, by John Fraser, who also built the four adjoining houses from 1397-1407 Dean Street and four others on Brooklyn Avenue, it and its neighbors were designed to appeal to Brooklyn’s upper classes.

According to the city’s Crown Heights North Historic District Designation Report (PDF), a Brooklyn Eagle ad for the homes touted the row houses as “finished throughout with choice polished hardwood” and featuring a “dumbwaiter, parquet floors, gas logs, open fireplaces, open plumbing, tiles and marble bathrooms, console and mirrors throughout, refrigerators, gas fixtures, and all the latest improvements.” The house was once home to Ludwig Nissen, president of the Stuyvesant Heights Bank.

In the ensuing 120 years the home has lost most of its details. Plaster has been removed to reveal brick in some rooms. Laminate flooring has replaced, or hopefully just covered up, the original parquet. Much of the woodwork is gone and drop ceilings cover over what were at one time certainly beautiful plaster ceilings.

In a few of the photos, some original flooring, moldings, doors and even stained glass can be seen. Who knows what’s above the drop ceiling or under the laminate floors? The building needs an incredible amount of work top to bottom including on the facade — which will not be cheap in a historic district.

While less is usually more with a flip, this flipper is particularly ambitious and minimalist. The home just sold for $1,300,000 at the end of November. If it sells near the asking price, the owner will make about $700,000 before expenses.

That is a pretty penny to “earn” in just a month or two, even in this market. And from the photos it appears that they haven’t even put up a coat of paint, let alone invested any money in repairs or a renovation.

What do you think? The home has a grand history and perhaps some hidden details. It certainly has the potential to a become a wonderful and vast single family home or even a large duplex with two rentals. But is it worth nearly $2,000,000 in its current state?

[Listing: 1397 Dean Street | Broker: Massada] GMAP

1397 Dean Street2

1397 Dean Street3

1397 Dean Street4

1397 Dean Street5

1397 Dean Street6

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