141 E. 3rd Street
Photo-Illustration: Curbed; Photo: Compass
For under a million dollars, one can find all sorts of housing configurations: park- and subway-adjacent studios, one-bedrooms hidden in carriage houses or former shoe factories, and even the occasional true two-bedroom. We’re combing the market for particularly spacious, nicely renovated, or otherwise worth-a-look apartments at various six-digit price points.
This week: a very personally appealing duplex in Ditmas Park.
45 Perry Street
Photo: Corcoran
I’m not always one for brick, but I do like it in this alcove studio with oversize windows and nicely aged hardwoods. This one’s in a co-op building on the ever-charming Perry Street. The last owner kept it for around 50 years, using it for rental income for the last 30. The layout almost gives it a one-bedroom feeling: a sleeping nook set apart on the north side of the apartment (with a decorative fireplace) and then a shared living room and kitchen with additional exposures on the east side of the building. The kitchen is a little dated, and you’ll likely want to update the dishwasher. Not much in the way of storage, but there’s room for a bigger island than what’s currently in there, which could help. No shots of the bathroom in the listing, but I’m seeing it’s one of those split situations — toilet and sink in one room, shower and sink in the other. (I’ve seen worse!) The building is no frills — a walkup with no amenities to speak of, but monthlies are okay at $1,517 and it’s a doable third-floor trek. You’re mostly paying for the location, which is great: walkable to Via Carota, cafés and little shops in every direction. Closest train is the 1 at Christopher Street, but several more options await at 14th Street and West 4th.
299 Prospect Place
Photo: Compass
There are beautiful parquets, pleasing arches, and great trim on the windows in this one-bedroom condo on Prospect Place. It’s also south-facing. The shared living and kitchen has an oversize decorative fireplace and enough room for a small sectional and a dining setup. The kitchen has decent storage, and current staging makes good use of the space above the cabinets. No dishwasher, but you can cope. The bedroom is sweet with the same south-facing leafy view as the living. There are only two closets — one in the bedroom, one at the entry — but the ceilings are high, so store up. The bathroom, also windowed, is classic with black-and-white tile and a tub. Maintenance and taxes come to $580, and the building has laundry, storage, and bike parking. It’s a walkup, but the fourth floor is manageable, in my opinion, and gets you top-floor views. Location really couldn’t be better — Vanderbilt is right there with its excellent Food Town and Canyon Coffee, if you can get a spot. Also tantalizingly close to the new Pies ’n’ Thighs location. The 2/3 at Grand Army is a five-minute walk, and the B/Q at Seventh Avenue is about the same. And it’s just a little bit farther to the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library and everything at the north end of Prospect Park, including the Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden.
141 E. 3rd Street
Photo: Compass
There’s something oversaturated and odd about the listing photos, but there’s so much to like about this prewar one-bedroom co-op at the Ageloff Towers. (The Art Deco lobby, for starters.) This one-bedroom is on a high floor, with high ceilings and west-facing views in the bedroom. The living room is north-facing and the view is maybe a lot of wall, but being on the 11th floor is going to help you with light since the building tops off at 12 stories. Lovely hardwoods and custom built-ins throughout, great beamed ceilings, and a really nice reno on the bathroom. (The blue tile!) Plus an actual foyer that includes an entry closet and more built-ins. The bedroom will get the best light and has three closets. The kitchen is small but windowed, with a backsplash of the same blue tile as the bathroom. It’s also nicely separated from the living room. Monthlies are on the higher end at $1,990, but the building has a 24-hour doorman, a super, a private courtyard, laundry, and bike storage. The place is chic, as Nick Gavin listings tend to be. The location is great — near Superiority Burger and Morgensterns if you’re walking in opposite directions. Fill up those built-ins with frequent trips to Mast Books. F train at Second Avenue.
415 Argyle Road
Photo: Compass
This one hurts a little, personally. A two-bedroom, two-bath duplex co-op on a great block in Ditmas Park. The previous owner combined two units, and the result is a houselike space in an apartment building. There’s also a terrace! The living room is frankly huge, since all it really has to be is a living room. The open kitchen is a bit dated but has updated appliances. (I’d replace the current tile with terra cotta something.) The first floor also has your first bathroom and a walk-in closet. Up a mostly enclosed little corner staircase to the second floor and you’ll find both bedrooms and the second bath. There are also four closets. Bedrooms and the living room share the same western exposures on decently high floors. Apparently, in-unit laundry is allowed, too. The two-elevator building is well maintained, and the $1,697 in maintenance pays for a live-in superintendent, full-time porter, basement laundry, and bike and car parking (though both have waitlists). The building also has an A energy rating, which seems hard to pull off in these older places, so that’s nice. The location is sweet — near the library and a nice elementary school with a large playground that pops off on weekends. The Q is just a few blocks away. There’s a newish boba place that is always busy and has great onigiri.
