House of the Day Prospect Heights

Prospect Heights Brownstone With Mantels, Pier Mirror Asks $4.295 Million

In the historic district close to Grand Army Plaza, the two-family is lush with woodwork, stained glass, and original tile.

prospect heights parlor with pier mirror, fretwork, stained glass

Photo via Compass

by Susan De Vries

04/09/2026 0

There are plenty of details to swoon over inside this 1890s brownstone, with fretwork, stained glass, mantels, built-ins, and more on view. The two-family at 291 Sterling Place sits within the Prospect Heights Historic District, near Grand Army Plaza and a short walk to the green oasis of Prospect Park.

It is one of a row of 22 houses constructed by William H. Reynolds on the block in 1897. Reynolds, whom Brownstoner columnist Suzanne Spellen described as the “Brooklyn developer extraordinaire,” acted as both the builder and architect for this row, according to the filing. That same year, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle covered the building ventures of the former senator, crediting him with building more than 138 private homes and 16 apartment houses to date. The paper reported his current project, the houses on Sterling Place, were to have extension dining rooms and the “latest improvements.”

Reynolds designed the row with a sprinkling of Renaissance and Romanesque Revival details. No. 291 leans toward the Romanesque with round brownstone arches dominating the parlor and third floors. The panels of foliate detail ornamenting the facade looks crisp and clear in the circa 1940 tax photo.

The two-family is configured with an owner’s triplex over a one-bedroom garden rental. The triplex has its kitchen on the parlor floor in that rear dining room extension and two bedrooms and a full bath on each of the two upper floors.

All of the lush woodwork starts in the entry with wainscoting, moldings, a wood floor, a built-in bench, and a stair that incorporates a mirror. The latter nicely reflects the fretwork ornamenting the doorway to the parlor. The high-ceilinged parlor boasts a substantial pier mirror, stained glass, a ceiling medallion, and picture rails.

A columned screen ornamented with fretwork divides the front parlor from the second parlor, which is set up as the dining room. A grand mantelpiece incorporates columns, animal heads, foliate ornament, and an onyx surround. An Art Deco-era chandelier hangs from a ceiling medallion.

Much of the detail in the dining room extension was left intact — including another mantel, the wood floor, and stained glass — and a modern kitchen was inserted along one wall. A seat in the bay window provides a perch for a casual meal. A door opens to a rear deck.

Not shown in the photos, but apparent in the listing, is that each of the upper floors still have intact pass-throughs joining the front and rear bedrooms. The floor plan indicates two sinks and storage. Each of the four bedrooms has a wood mantel, and those pictured appear to have their original tile surrounds.

One of the two full baths in the owner’s unit is shown, and it is a period bath lover’s dream with original subway tile with a decorative border tile seen in another house in the row, a marble sink, and a claw foot tub outfitted with brass shower hardware.

The garden level unit is a bit more modest, but there are still some period flourishes. The street-facing living room, once an informal dining room, still has the expected wainscoting, a mantel, and a built-in sideboard. There are some original built-ins in the kitchen as well, along with some bead board.

There aren’t any views of the outdoor space, but the 131-foot-deep lot might offer some potential for someone with a green thumb.

The house last changed hands in 2000. The listing doesn’t note any recent upgrades, but the photos seem to show the period details have been lovingly cared for.

Listed as a co-exclusive with Patty LaRocco of Compass and Abdul Muid of Ivey North, the house is priced at $4.295 million. Worth the ask?

[Listing: 291 Sterling Place | Broker: Compass] GMAP