Greenpoint Rowhouse

We had to convince the owners of this wood-framed Greenpoint rowhouse to renovate rather than sell. The house was awful. The wood framing was collapsing; the cellar flooded seasonally; and the cladding was vinyl and asbestos. But we saw potential. And now, they owners are glad they stayed. Since the house is in Greenpoint’s landmark district, we gave the front façade a new period-perfect polychrome cornice. Below that are replicas of the original windows, casings, and clapboards. And at sidewalk level, an etched glass wall of windows gives luminous privacy. In the back, French doors in black steel open onto a new deck to the garden. A catwalk playroom overlooks the two-story kitchen at the heart of the house. The open riser stair is made from salvaged floor beams. Best of all, the wine cellar is bone dry.