A rooftop terrace, snazzy renovation, and a historic location?what more could you ask for in a Greenwich Village townhouse? This five story, five-bedroom home at 85 Charles Street just hit the market for $18.5 million. Purchased by a Paul Glover (there are quite a few of them running around) in 2004 for $4.11 million, the home was extensively renovated by Hottenroth + Joseph Architects in 2006. It features five working fireplaces, a terrace, a rooftop garden with a kitchenette and outdoor shower, a formal dining room, a full-floor master suite, four full bathrooms, and two half baths. Historic details like the alabaster mantels, crown moldings, and French doors have all been restored.
The house was built in 1868, but the history of the property goes back well beyond that, as the land was the farm and rural estate of Sir Peter Warren:
Although most of the 300-acre Warren farm was divided up and sold off for development by the early to mid-nineteenth century, this block bounded by Charles, West 4th, Bleecker, and Perry Streets was the only one in the entire Village to remain rural well into the 1860s. The Warren farmhouse survived on this site, albeit in altered form, and was owned by Abraham Van Nest, a prominent merchant and benefactor of Rutgers College. After Van Nest's death in 1864, this last remaining piece of Village farmland and the Van Nest/Warren farmhouse were sold off for rowhouse development. This section of Charles Street was named Van Nest Place in honor of the last estate owner in the Village, and 85 Charles Street, built in 1868, was originally 18 Van Nest Place (it did not acquire its Charles Street address until 1936).There are no floorplans yet available, but we'll update if they are posted.
· Listing: 85 Charles Street [Elliman via StreetEasy]
· Gone But Not Forgotten: Van Nest Place [GVSHP]
Loading comments...