Downtown Style,
Uptown Class
164 E. 70th Street
UPPER EAST SIDE
A stunning renovation brings a six-story 1901 brownstone into modern times.
5 BEDS | 6 BATHS | 2 HALF BATHS
SINGLE-FAMILY TOWNHOUSE
Upper East Siders in the know have been noticing lots more below-14th Street energy in the neighborhood. Partly, it’s because more and more New Yorkers have come to appreciate the fantastic housing stock on the Upper East Side, much of it in classic buildings from the turn of the last century. It’s also no secret that Brooklyn and Tribeca have gotten expensive, and you can often find more house for your buck in some of the older uptown enclaves.
This magnificently renovated 1901 townhouse at 164 East 70th Street, in the heart of the Upper East Side, offers five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two powder rooms spread across seven levels (six stories plus a cozy finished basement). The 7,400-square-foot mansion has emerged from a top-to-bottom reno and reimagination by BWArchitects in partnership with PSA Studios and Kari McCabe that opened up the home and brought in lots more bright natural light.
The home now feels fully updated for modern families, yet the stunning original architectural details are all still there—six wood-burning fireplaces, elegant plaster moldings, restored oak paneling, and 10- to 12-foot ceilings.
The architects and designers also made sure that all of the important tucked-behind-the-walls stuff was done, too. The nearly 20-foot-wide mansion now boasts nine zones of central air conditioning, a new roof, radiant-heat floors, a new boiler, and a repointed and resealed rear façade. An elevator connects all floors—basement and roof included.
From the street, you can step into the ground-floor garden level or head up the stoop to the parlor floor. It features a grand salon in the front and a stunning two-story wall of casement windows in the open-plan kitchen/dining room that overlook the rear garden. The A-list appliances are by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Bosch. A sweeping staircase leads back down to the garden level and its big entertainment room. The ground floor also holds an en-suite bedroom that’s perfect for staff or guests.
This brownstone is made for entertaining, with a bar area on the garden level and a second wet bar in the huge living room on the third floor. Outdoor spaces include a 610-square-foot south-facing garden that overlooks the historic carriage houses on East 69th Street and the potential for a rooftop garden. In the living room, three sets of French doors open to a terrace that overlooks the garden.
The away-from-it-all primary bedroom suite takes up the whole fourth floor. It offers dressing areas, a fireplace, lots of storage, and in the back an enormous bathroom with an oversized tub, a walk-in shower, two sinks, and yet another wood-burning fireplace. There is more storage in the basement, which also holds a wine cellar, all of the mechanicals, a cedar closet, and a multipurpose room that works as both a home gym and a laundry.
There are two more bedrooms on the fifth floor, and then the big reveal stands at the top of the house—a windowed basketball court/recreation room with 15-foot-five ceilings.
This brownstone is made for entertaining.
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Licensed RE Salesperson
Cathy Franklin
BY INHABIT EDITORS
