Park Slope Neo-Grec

This four-story home, located just beyond the Park Slope Historic District, is one of ten Neo-Grec style rowhouses built together between 1886 and 1888. Unfortunately, over time, much of the building’s original character had been stripped away. Our clients entrusted us with the tasks of simultaneously reviving its historic detail and adapting the building for modern family life.

Our design re-created the building’s absent stoop and cornice, returned the main staircase returned to its original configuration, and called for the installation of period-appropriate mouldings and casings. These interventions reaffirmed the building’s architectural lineage.

At the same time, we created modern details such as a tailored cabinet to support a 180-gallon tropical aquarium and called for the reconstruction the existing rear wall accommodating larger openings fitted with sliding glass doors, drawing natural light deep into the home. On the roof level, a pergola demarks the extension of living space into the open air. A sauna and outdoor shower create moments of retreat, while planted vegetation along the street-facing edge provides privacy and greenery.

Within the residence, new uses—from a podcast room to a playroom—support the full spectrum of family life. At the street, the rowhouse is once again a good neighbor, contributing to the historic rhythm of the block.