Ilé Kan Lábẹ́ Àwọn Igi ...

Àwọn òpópónà kan ń fún ọ ní ìdí láti máa rìn díẹ̀díẹ̀. West 149th Street ti jẹ́ ọ̀kan lára irú àwọn ìdènà bẹ́ẹ̀ fún ìgbà pípẹ́. Bóyá o ń lọ sí ìlà-oòrùn tàbí sí ìwọ̀-oòrùn, rírìn níbẹ̀ ti máa ń tọ́ sí i.

Tí ó dúró ní àdánidá lónìí gẹ́gẹ́ bí ó ti ṣe fún àwọn ìran púpọ̀, 531 West 149th Street jẹ́ àpẹẹrẹ ẹlẹ́wà ti ìṣàkóso ilé Romanesque Revival. Àwọn apá rẹ̀ tí ó yí ká, àwọn ohun ọ̀ṣọ́ brownstone tí a gbẹ́, àtẹ̀gùn iwájú rẹ̀ tó lẹ́wà, àti ẹnu-ọ̀nà irin tí a hun jẹ́ ìṣàfihàn àkọ́kọ́ nìkan ti ìgbóná, iṣẹ́ ọnà, àti àkànṣe tí ń dúró dè ọ́ nínú.

Kí o tó dé ibi ibùgbé àkọ́kọ́, ilé náà ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ sí í sọ ìtàn rẹ̀. Àwọn ilẹ̀ tí a fi tile mosaic ṣe, àwọn pánẹ́ẹ̀lì igi tó ní ọ̀ṣọ́ púpọ̀, wainscoting, transoms, àti iṣẹ́ gbígbẹ́ igi ń mú àkókò àtijọ́ kan wá sí ọkàn—àkókò tí iṣẹ́ ọnà ti ní ipò rẹ̀ nínú àwọn àyè ojoojúmọ́. Lókè, skylight irin galvanized ń kún gbọngàn àtẹ̀gùn àárín pẹ̀lú ìṣeré ìmọ́lẹ̀ àti òjìji tó dà bí àwòrán, tó ń yí padà lọ́pọ̀ ìgbà.

Ẹ̀ka ilé kọ̀ọ̀kan ní àkànṣe tirẹ̀, síbẹ̀ ó hàn gbangba pé gbogbo wọn jẹ́ apá kan gbogbo ètò ńlá. Ní gbogbo ilé náà, àwọn àkójọpọ̀ ibi-ina wà lára àwọn ohun ọ̀ṣọ́ tó dára jù lọ. Àwọn mantel igi tí a gbẹ́, pẹ̀lú àwọn dígí lókè mantel, àwọn tile seramiki tí a ṣe lọ́nà ọlọ́rọ̀ fún yíyan ibi-ina àti ilẹ̀ iwájú rẹ̀, àti àwọn apoti-ina irin tí a dà tí ó dà bí àwòrán, ni ó ń ṣàpèjúwe àwọn yàrá pàtàkì. Àjà tó ga, àwọn moldings, trim, iṣẹ́ gbígbẹ́ igi, àwọn fèrèsé gíga tí àwọn shutter inú ilé àtijọ́ wọn yí ká, àti ìfihàn sí àríwá àti gúúsù tún ń ya ibùgbé kọ̀ọ̀kan sọ́tọ̀.

A ti tún àwọn ilé ìdáná ṣe pẹ̀lú ìrònú rere ní gbogbo àwọn ọdún, láì béèrè lọ́wọ́ ilé náà láti di ohun tí a kò pinnu rí fún un. Gbogbo ibùgbé tí ó gba gbogbo ilẹ̀ kan ṣì ní ẹnu-ọ̀nà iwájú àti ẹnu-ọ̀nà ẹ̀yìn, èyí tí ń fúnni ní àǹfààní yíyí padà, nígbà tí ó sì ń rántí ọ̀nà ìgbé ayé àtijọ́.

Àwọn yàrá tí ojú wọn dojú kọ gúúsù ní ìbáṣepọ̀ alágbára pẹ̀lú àjà àwọn igi tó yí wọn ká. Gẹ́gẹ́ bí àsìkò ọdún ṣe rí, ó dà bí ẹni pé àwọn yàrá náà wà lábẹ́ ewé, láàárín ewé náà, tàbí díẹ̀ lókè rẹ̀—tí wọ́n ń rán ọ létí pẹ̀lẹ́pẹ̀lẹ́ pé ìṣẹ̀dá ṣì ní ipò rẹ̀ ní Manhattan. Apá yí ká ti ilẹ̀ kẹta di ọ̀kan lára àwọn ibi tí a fẹ́ràn jù nínú ilé náà; ibi ìjókòó tí a kọ́ sínú fèrèsé rẹ̀ kò béèrè ohunkóhun lọ́wọ́ rẹ̀ àfi kí o dúró díẹ̀ sí i. Lókè, balùwẹ̀ ilẹ̀ kẹrin ń fúnni ní ibi ìsádi tirẹ̀ lábẹ́ skylight—ibi tí o ti lè farasin fún ìgbà díẹ̀.

Àyè ṣì wà fún ìrònú níbí.

Ní báyìí, ilé náà ti ṣètò sí àwọn ibùgbé mẹ́rin tí ọjà ọ̀fẹ́ ń pinnu iye wọn, tí ọkọọkan sì gba gbogbo ilẹ̀ kan. Ó ń fúnni ní ọ̀nà ju ẹyọ kan lọ fún ọjọ́ iwájú. Ó lè máa bá a lọ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ó ṣe rí, pẹ̀lú ilé mẹ́rin tó dá dúró lọ́tọ̀ àti owó tí wọ́n ń mú wá. Tàbí bóyá, àǹfààní tó dùn mọ́ni jù lọ wà ní àárín àwọn aṣàyàn wọ̀nyẹn.

A lè so ilẹ̀ méjì pọ̀ láti dá ibùgbé aládáni tó tóbi sílẹ̀, nígbà tí a bá jẹ́ kí àwọn ilẹ̀ tó kù máa ṣiṣẹ́ ní ìdákẹ́jẹ̀ẹ́ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ilé tí ń mú owó wá. Fún ẹni tí ó fẹ́ ìwọ̀n àti ìwà àkànṣe ìgbé ayé townhouse láì fi dandan fún gbogbo ilé náà fún ibùgbé kan ṣoṣo, èyí jẹ́ àárín tó ní ìfẹ́: àyè púpọ̀ sí i fún ara rẹ, nígbà tí o sì ń pa owó ọ̀yà tó ṣe pàtàkì mọ́ ní àwọn apá ilé mìíràn. A ń retí pé owó ọ̀yà fún ibùgbé kọ̀ọ̀kan yóò wà láàárín dọ́là 3,300 sí 3,500 lọ́pọ̀ oṣù.

Àwọn mìíràn lè rí ètò ilé fún ẹbí méjì, ibùgbé ọgbà kan tí ó ní cellar nínú, tàbí, ní ọjọ́ iwájú, gbogbo ilé náà gẹ́gẹ́ bí ilé kan ṣoṣo. Ètò tó wà níbẹ̀ kò fìdíhàn pé ìdáhùn kan ṣoṣo ni ó yẹ. Ó kàn ń jẹ́ kí gbogbo àǹfààní ṣí sílẹ̀.

A ti tọ́jú ohun-ini náà dáadáa, ó sì ti jàǹfààní nínú àwọn àtúnṣe tó ń lọ lọ́wọ́, pẹ̀lú fífi òrùlé tuntun sí i láìpẹ́, èyí tó ń fi hàn pé a ti ń tọ́jú rẹ̀ pẹ̀lú ìrònú rere ní gbogbo apá rẹ̀.

Pẹ̀lú nǹkan bí ẹsẹ̀ onígun mẹ́tàdínlógún [3,500 square feet] lókè ilẹ̀, cellar tí ó jẹ́ ẹsẹ̀ onígun 788, àti àyè òde tí ó jẹ́ ẹsẹ̀ onígun 928, ohun-ini náà tún ní àfikún FAR tó ju ẹsẹ̀ onígun 1,600 lọ. Èyí ń fún àwọn tó lè fẹ́ láti fa ilé náà sí i lọ́jọ́ iwájú pẹ̀lú ìrònú rere ní àǹfààní sí i, ní ìbámu pẹ̀lú àwọn òfin zoning àti àwọn ìfọwọ́sí tó yẹ.

Wá mọ ìf魅̀ràn Hamilton Heights. Ní ọgọ́rùn-ún ọdún sẹ́yìn, àti pẹ̀lú agbára kan náà lónìí, ohun kan wà nípa apá Manhattan yìí tó ń mú kí ènìyàn yíjú sí i láìsí àríyànjiyàn. Níhìn-ín, nínú apá ìtàn Sugar Hill, ó rọrùn...

A House Beneath The Trees ...

Certain streets encourage you to take your time. West 149th Street has long been one of those blocks. Whether heading east or west, it has always been worth the walk.

Standing as naturally today as it has for generations, 531 West 149th Street is a beautiful example of Romanesque Revival design. Its rounded bay, carved brownstone detailing, elegant stoop, and wrought-iron gate offer only the first indication of the warmth and individuality waiting within.

Long before arriving at the first residence, the house begins telling its story. Mosaic tile floors, rich wood paneling, wainscoting, transoms, and millwork introduce an earlier era, when craftsmanship found its place in everyday spaces. Above, the galvanized steel skylight fills the central stair hall with an ever-changing, sculptural interplay of light and shadow.

Each residence is individual in its own way, yet unmistakably part of a greater whole. Throughout the house, fireplace ensembles remain among its finest details. Carved wood mantels with overmantel mirrors, richly patterned ceramic tile surrounds and hearths, and sculptural cast-iron fireboxes define the principal rooms. Elevated ceilings, moldings, trim, tall windows framed by their time-honored interior shutters, and north and south exposures further distinguish each floor.

Kitchens have been thoughtfully refreshed through the years, their updates sitting comfortably alongside the house's original character. Each full-floor residence retains both front and rear entrances, a feature offering flexibility while recalling an earlier way of living.

The south-facing rooms enjoy a wonderful relationship with the surrounding canopy. Depending upon the season, they seem to rest beneath the leaves, among them, or just above them, gently reminding you that nature still has a place in Manhattan. The third-floor rounded bay becomes one of the house's favorite places, its built-in window seat asking nothing of you except to stay a little longer. Above, the fourth-floor bath offers its own retreat beneath a skylight, a place to disappear for a while.

And then there's the house itself. For more than a century, it has welcomed one chapter after another, gracefully and irresistibly, never needing to be anything other than itself.

Its doors have opened to generations of residents. Now, a new kind of welcome awaits.

There is still room for imagination here.

Currently arranged as four free-market, full-floor residences, the house offers more than one way forward. It can continue much as it is, with four independent homes and the income they provide. Or perhaps the more interesting possibility lies somewhere in between.

For an owner who wants more of the house for themselves, the existing floor-through arrangement lends itself naturally to combination. The Garden and Parlor floors could come together as an owner's duplex with the private garden, while the Third and Fourth floors remain independent residences above. At projected rents of approximately $3,300-$3,500 per month each, those homes could continue providing meaningful income.

Another possibility is to divide the house into two substantial duplex residences-Garden and Parlor below, Third and Fourth above.

Or take more of the house: Garden, Parlor and Third could become a three-level owner's residence, with the Fourth Floor remaining an independent full-floor home.

For someone drawn to house living but not necessarily to giving over the entire building to a single residence, these possibilities offer an intriguing middle ground: more house for yourself, with income still working elsewhere. A legal reduction to three residences or fewer may also result in a different NYC property-tax classification and potentially meaningful tax savings. Any future tax treatment is property-specific and should be independently verified.

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