38 PRINCE STREET
By Daniel J. Bollinger
Imagine living in a single-family landmarked townhouse with three protected exposures in Nolita (North of Little Italy). Welcome to 38 Prince Street directly across from Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Five levels plus a basement encompassing seven bedrooms, seven full baths, and three half baths all connected by a sweeping staircase and one of the city’s largest residential elevators.
The townhouse combines excellent clean, minimalist architecture (late Federal period) with some ornate details (Greek revival) like the North and South facing Oculus windows on the top floor. The top floor also has original exposed beams which are another defining feature of this house. Time Equities Inc., Hamlin Ventures, and Marvel Architects should be very proud of what they have accomplished.
SIMPLE YET ELEGANT
The two most defining spaces of this masterpiece are the English basement housing the common areas and the third-floor master level. The English basement houses the kitchen and dining area and leads out to the two-tiered backyard. The kitchen has been designed by Smallbone, and their custom cabinets are made of walnut. Simple yet elegant horizontal slots with Waterworks nickel features create a warm and homey feel. There is even a walk-in pantry. The centerpiece of this kitchen is the stainless steel La Cornue Chateau 150 Range and vented hood. It is an excellent choice for 38 Prince because like the design of this residence, this range is both sleek and elegant. The selection of stainless steel complements the warm walnut cabinets and the single slab Colorado Lincoln honed marble countertops and backsplash tie this tasteful yet modern kitchen together. The kitchen is large, and the dining area next to it is also quite large. There is a fireplace in the dining area but what sets this family area apart is that it leads straight to the backyard. A 1,600 square foot two-tiered backyard. The floor to ceiling glass doors open completely to expose the yard for an indoor/outdoor living. This is a classic design that provides for a private family time in the middle of the bustling city.
WINNING DESIGN
The master floor is another defining feature of this residence. An oversized master bedroom, a study, and a true master bath with dressing room and powder room comprise this floor. The master bath boasts two exposures, a bidet, a Waterworks free-standing sculptural bathtub, and a wet room. The wet room has a marble seating bench, a great niche factor, and a steam shower. There is a multitude of counter space with two vanities both made of walnut and aged bronze with free-standing vanities and under mounted Duravit sinks. The entire bathroom is encased in honed Calacatta marble with bronze inlays which create the elegant feel; a huge mirror custom designed by Nebil Gokcebay (of Marvel Architects) opens up space even more. This is a very original master bath in layout and scope. Worthy to be one of The Classicists AD100 honorees in Architectural Digest.
Three more levels consist of a parlor floor, secondary bedroom floor, and a top floor with a den and two additional bedrooms. The parlor floor has a grand entertaining room with a fireplace and wet bar and another dining room in the rear. The secondary bedroom floor has three bedrooms and a playroom and three full baths. The top floor has two more bedrooms and a family room with another fireplace. All of the secondary bathrooms are designed elegantly with marble mosaic floors, honed marble tile walls, custom vanities with 1.5-inch thick marble countertops and under mounted Duravit sinks. In addition to Robern recessed medicine cabinets there are Toto water closets, Waterworks classic drop-in bathtubs and Waterworks matte nickel fixtures and accessories. They mix up the powder rooms with polished Calacatta Borghini marble slabs floors and wainscoting and Carrara marble tiled walls.
This is a one of a kind opportunity to own a landmarked townhouse in a very exclusive area of NYC. Not enough can be said about 38 Prince. With the skylights and original exposed beams on the top floor, a staff room with full bath in the English basement, a mud room, a front garden, and a freight sized elevator in the townhouse this is truly a rare gem. Smart wired, marble mantles on all three fireplaces and numerous pocket doors throughout this townhouse show elegant design throughout.
For more information on 38 Prince Street, visit 38prince.com.
