There remains, despite the lust for penthouses in the sky, a distinct little piece of New York, one made up of chic, traditional brownstones and elegant green gardens, in which 112 West 78th Street fits perfectly and for which demand remains high. The 17-foot-wide home, with three floors of living space and a basement, was recently listed as a rental with Corcoran for $28,000 a month, and boasts contemporary renovations throughout its 12 rooms, but retains an Old World allure.
Ascending the tall stoop and entering the foyer, one is quickly impressed by the light-flooded parlor’s 14-foot-high ceilings (though the living-room balcony overlooking the tree-dotted backyard does vie for attention). A glittering pendant chandelier hangs from a ceiling medallion that mimics the elaborate detail on the mantle of the large fireplace.
Further into the living room is a built-on solarium—with large glass windows looking out onto the adjacent balcony, it’s a far more stylish version of the common people’s den. (And like many a den from a certain era, it boasts a wet bar.)
The home is marketed as a five-bedroom, one of which is next to the entry on the parlor floor. An elegant, curved wooden staircase leads up to three additional bedrooms—two smaller, side-by-side rooms with en-suite closets and a shared bathroom, and the master suite, across the way. The latter has a private terrace and its own fireplace.
The last bedroom can be found on the garden floor, and each of the four bathrooms in the home is bedecked in chic white marble vanities and black-and-white basket weave ceramic tile floors.
The townhome has “a country French flavor,” Corcoran broker Lydia Sussek said, and, we don’t entirely disagree. It feels especially so in the open-plan chef’s kitchen on the garden floor, with stainless steel appliances warmly accented by wide-plank oak and stenciled pine hardwood floors, white cabinets and a bright-blue and white-tiled backsplash. Yet another fireplace (there are a total of four) is found in the adjacent dining room, along with a second wet bar. If two of those does not suffice, interested parties should note that there’s also a full wine cellar in the subterranean basement.
