Prospect Park South

Actress Michelle Williams in Contract on Prospect Park South Mega-Mansion

Photo at left by Gage Skidmore for Wikipedia Commons; photo at right by Kate Leonova for PropertyShark Golden Globe-winning actress Michelle Williams is the buyer of Prospect Park South’s most prominent house — a move we would not have predicted for such a famous actress. The gigantic Colonial Revival mansion at 1440 Albemarle Road has been on the market for…

by Cate Corcoran

06/30/2015 11

Photo at left by Gage Skidmore for Wikipedia Commons; photo at right by Kate Leonova for PropertyShark

Golden Globe-winning actress Michelle Williams is the buyer of Prospect Park South’s most prominent house — a move we would not have predicted for such a famous actress. The gigantic Colonial Revival mansion at 1440 Albemarle Road has been on the market for about a year, most recently asking $2,450,000.

It’s a surprising choice of neighborhoods for a celebrity, but clearly Williams loves Brooklyn and has an independent streak when it comes to real estate. Brooklyn was largely unexplored territory for celebrities when Williams moved to Boerum Hill with then-partner Heath Ledger a decade ago.

She helped draw other boldface names to the borough, and recently sold that row house for $8,800,000, as we reported at the time.

Photo by Mary Kay Gallagher

No doubt Williams’ presence will help raise the profile of Prospect Park South and cement real estate values in the area, where prices have been rapidly rising. As with nearby Ditmas Park, prices for the large, standalone houses the area is known for have recently hit $2,000,000 and up. About a decade ago, houses ranged from $800,000 to $1,300,000.

Called the “Tara of Prospect Park South” in the listing, the house features a double height front porch and a sweeping “bridal” staircase inside. It has 18 rooms and eight fireplaces.

Photo by Mary Kay Gallagher

The Colonial Revival style is a grab bag of early American styles as well as Victorian elements, “all on some heavy architectural steroids. This was a home built to impress, and it does so quite well,” said our own Montrose Morris in a Building of the Day in 2011. Even the garage has columns.

Photo by PropertyShark

The listing, by the way, is from the queen of Victorian Flatbush real estate, well-known agent Mary Kay Gallagher, who is 95 years old. We’ve profiled her several times, including in this 2012 Hot Seat interview.

Photo by InsertSnappyNameHere via Flickr

The house has many original features, including an original bathroom, built-ins and leaded glass windows. No doubt it could use a bit of polishing. We’re hoping Williams will be the deep-pocketed buyer with the means and taste to restore the house’s original clapboard exterior. It has been covered in asphalt shingles for decades.

Photo by Mary Kay Gallagher

Williams first rose to prominence as a teen when she played the part of Jen Lindley on Dawson’s Creek. Most recently she is best known for her role as a supporting actress in Brokeback Mountain. She recently won a Golden Globe for playing Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn.

Williams was introduced to the Prospect Park South neighborhood by her friend David Lindsay Abaire, a well-known playwright who also lives in the neighborhood, according to Ditmas Park Corner. The local blog broke the news Williams is in contract on the house.

[Source: Ditmas Park Corner]