A few words about the architects of this home: M.N. Ahari, architected the recent renovation, interior designer Fernando Santangelo, (the genius behind one of Hollywood’s havens for the rich-and-famous, the Chateau Marmont), transformed this historic townhouse from an all-white Zen oasis into a brooding bachelor pad for his friend James Oakley, a filmmaker. Oakley, whose stepfather owns the Cleveland Browns, bought the home in 2012 for $5.8 million, but after the extensive renovation he’s now looking to sell the residence for $12.5 million.

Though its presence on Bedford Street dates back to 1836, the interior of this Greek Revival-style townhouse has come a long way from its 19th century roots. According to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, who featured the home on their 2014 house tour, the structure was originally two-and-a-half stories high, first owned by Charles Oakley (interestingly of no relation to James), a prolific developer in 1820s Greenwich Village. In the 1920s, the top floor was added as an artist’s studio, and this lounge is what James now considers “the best room in the house.”

The parlor level’s reception gallery welcomes you with a stunning mezzanine featuring Olive Elm Burl veneer walls, Venetian Terrazzo floors, and a nearly invisible glass half-wall that overlooks the 300-plus-square-foot great room on the garden floor, which draws you in with an absolutely magnificent two-story wall of glass highlighting the lush gardens and flooding the interior with an abundance of natural light. This double-height space was a 1989 addition.

The Garden Floor, with soaring 18’ ceilings is perfect for entertaining. Opulently appointed dining and living spaces offer details such as a towering soapstone fireplace, remote-controlled floor to ceiling drapery, and Bardiglio Nuvolato marble radiant-heated floors. The open chef’s kitchen features Crystal Stratus marble countertops, and professional-grade stainless steel appliances. The dining area offers a stunning, built-in Antique Mahogany Armoire converted to a custom built-in dry bar with ice machine.

The open chef’s kitchen features marble countertops and professional-grade stainless steel appliances, and the dining area offers a stunning, built-in antique mahogany armoire converted to a custom built-in dry bar with ice machine. Though both can seem a tad claustrophobic when compared to the adjacent great room, they take full advantage of the view afforded by their luxurious neighbor and provide an elegant venue for entertaining guests in style.

Speaking of entertaining, the home’s fully finished basement is outfitted with a state-of-the-art home theater and ample wine storage for the devoted wine collector. The colorful fabric walls and recessed lighting beautifully conceal the fact that you’ve entered the home’s lowest level.

When you’re ready to call it a day, the two pin-drop quiet bedrooms await on the residence’s third floor. The inviting master suite overlooks the sunlit southern gardens and offers a bath with Luce de Luna Quartzite slab marble and Barber Wilson custom hardware and the guest suite extends to an oversized spa-like bath retreat.

The Fourth floor presents a dramatic sky-lit atelier/studio with powder room and wet bar, easily convertible to a private master floor. An outdoor spiral staircase leads to the rooftop, which features a sitting area and spectacular views of the surrounding neighborhood.

There is a 29’ deep southern garden with mature cherry blossom tree, along with 2 additional outdoor retreats – each with irrigation and lighting systems in place, remote controlled awnings, and radiant heated floors in select locations.

The New York Times recently called this house the “Dark Knight.”

Oakley admits to the paper that he loves “those sort of noirish environments” and says “I hate white, I despise it.”

This renovation looks amazing. The neutral palette, the wood and the bricks create a beautiful and modern place, definitely a great place to live.

The house has had a series of renovations over the past century; the original Edwardian home was converted into apartments in the 1930s and then a substantial family home in the 1980’s. The brief was to restore the Art Deco facade, retain the existing footprint and add a third level.

The house is located directly opposite the beach in Middle Park and is constantly filled with beautiful light. Morning sun strikes the garden aspect, and at the end of the day the sun sets across the bay.

The planning has been carefully considered to create a series of distinct rooms, rather than an open plan. Joinery is placed to create spaces, but still allow views to flow from room to room and then to the horizon.

Materials have been selected to provide understated tones within a neutral palette. The neutral colour palette supports the play of light at different times of day. The overall feeling is extremely soft and one feels visually and emotionally connected at all times to the expansive sea, sky and garden views. At the same time the house has a feeling of intimacy & warmth, perfect for family living.

The client’s original intention was to demolish the existing house and build a completely new structure. After living in the house for a year, the architects thought the existing building worked well with the views and light and had a distinct ‘personality’. In short, it would be a shame to demolish a house which had stood for 100 years.

Trades that existed 100 years ago, don’t exist anymore, or are considered too expensive. The architects therefore chose to restore the existing building and protect the craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.  So, the most substantial decision regarding sustainability was to work with the existing fabric of the house.

Once this decision was made, materials and servicing were all designed around principles of sustainability, including a smart managed hydronic heating system, double glazed windows, and positively shaded windows with curtains and screens.

The building uses only natural materials such as stone, and stained (not painted) timber, windows are either steel or timber, and not aluminium. Additional ESD attributes include solar hot water booted system, solar pool heating and rainwater harvesting for drip feed garden irrigation systems.

 Photographs  © Derek Swalwell