Bay Ridge antebellum with wood floors, decorating details asks $379K

The practical layout consists of a kitchen/diner, a spacious living room and four cupboards.

Photo via RE/MAX Elite

by Susan De Vries

In an Art Deco building in Bay Ridge, this one-bedroom is relatively modest but has potential with wood floors, a practical layout, storage space and some period details. It is located on the top floor of 145 95th Street and just steps from the green space of Shore Road Park.

When the six-story brick building was completed in 1931, it was known as Harbor Heights Hall and builders and owners A&A Construction Company taken out a big advertisement in that year’s Brooklyn Daily Eagle listing the many modern amenities and all the tradesmen involved in its construction. They praised the neighborhood as “one of the few places in Brooklyn that still retains the peace and charm of the suburbs.” The building included a ‘modernist’ exterior, a ‘uniquely decorated and designed lobby’, roof gardens and 24-hour doorman service.

The Art Deco building was designed by architect Boris W. Dorfman with bands of horizontal and vertical brick details. Those brick accents stand out a bit more clearly the tax photo from around 1940. Dorfman designed several other exuberant examples of the modern style in the neighborhood, including other apartment buildings and commercial buildings.

Inside, the units originally had hidden radiators, tiled bathrooms in ‘delicate colours’, a mirrored door in the master bedroom and Craftex in the living areas. Craftex, a 1920s brand name for structured wall finishes, still adorns the walls in the foyer and living room of this unit.

The front door opens into the foyer, which has two cabinets with original hardware; one of those closets is a walk-in closet. An arched doorway leads to the living room, which is spacious and suitable for a sitting and dining area. Details include two windows, a coved ceiling, picture rails and a wooden floor.

The dining area in the kitchen also has room for a table and chairs. A new owner could give the kitchen a style update, but it appears to be in good repair with wooden cabinets and a tiled backsplash.

A touch of color decorates the walls in the bedroom. It is a spacious room with two lighting, wall frames and picture rails.

The bathroom still features some decorative details in the “delicate colors” promised in the ad, including a pedestal sink and a bathtub. A newer vanity provides additional storage space.

Facilities in the building include a live-in super, bicycle shed, laundry room and storage spaces. The ornate lobby featured in the 1931 advertisement still has plenty of style with a fireplace, stained glass windows with geometric patterns and a terrazzo floor. The maintenance for this unit is $965 per month.

The apartment building shares the block with a 19th century survivor, the individually designated Bennet-Farrell-Feldmann House. It was built in the 1840s and moved to this block in the early 20th century.

Raluca Roman of RE/MAX Elite has the listing for this one-bedroom unit priced at $379,000. What do you think?

[Listing: 145 95th Street #D6 | Broker: RE/MAX Elite] GMAP