Two-family house with hardwood floors in Bay Ridge costs $1.29 million

Built as the end of an early 20th century mixed-use development in Bay Ridge, this brick rowhouse features some vintage interior features, including an intact dining room, and is still set up as a two-family home. At 476 72nd Street, there’s one apartment per floor with wall moldings, wood floors, and stained glass.

In 1915, developer Patrick J. Carley bought the block frontage on 5th Avenue between 72nd and 73rd Streets and announced plans for a row of three-story buildings with shops on the ground floor and apartments above. He later had a similar section of buildings built between 77th and 78th Streets, with Fred Eisenla responsible for the design. Eisenla, of the successful firm of Eisenla & Carlson, is also likely the architect of these brick masonry buildings. There are slight differences in parapet style along the row, and some geometric patterns in brick provide some ornamentation. The row is framed by two two-family houses, one on 73rd Street and this one at 476 72nd Street. In the circa 1940 tax photo, the house can be seen to have a different balustrade on the second-story balcony and the front door has been replaced, but the windows and plain porch are still there.

Inside, both units have living rooms in the front and kitchens in the back, a full bath and two bedrooms. The second floor unit also has an office space and the first floor unit has a mudroom in the back with some storage and access to the yard.

While the building abuts its neighbors on the front façade, it is set back from the adjacent building on one side, so that the apartments have windows on three sides. The layout offers a certain flexibility: since some of the bedrooms are only accessible via adjoining rooms, the units could be used as spacious one-bedroom apartments with a work area.

Since the house hasn’t been for sale in decades, a new owner might want to remove some carpets and wallpaper, but from the photos in the listing, it looks well-kept and has plenty of charm potential.

The first floor apartment has a living room with a bay window, wall moldings, picture rails and wood flooring. The floor plans also show a columned room divider, which can be seen in the background of one of the bedroom photos. Shown in detail is the dining room with built-in corner cabinets, a plate rack, wainscoting with Lincrusta above and a coffered ceiling. French doors open to one of the two bedrooms.

Adjacent is the kitchen, which has wood cabinets, white appliances, some late 20th century art panels, and a drop ceiling with fluorescent lights. The kitchen also has wood cabinets, but a little more mid-century style. Both kitchens have windows and dishwashers.

Both units have a full bathroom, each with a stained glass door and vintage tiles, the latter being green on the bottom and yellow on the top.

The laundry room and storage room are in the basement. In the backyard there is a paved terrace with some lawn and space for planters.

The house is listed with realtor Alan Ng of RE/MAX and is priced at $1.29 million. What do you think?

(Offer: 476 72nd Street | Agent: RE/MAX) GMAP

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