The transformation of a 200 hundred year-old brick building into seven tiny, modern apartments.
Style: Minimalism with a traditional touch
Floor plans
Exterior & Common Spaces
Unit 1
579 SF, 1 Bed/ 1 Bath
Unit 2
594 SF, 1 Bed/ 1 Bath
Unit 3
544 SF, 1 Bed/ 1 Bath
Unit 4
337 SF, 1 Bed/ 1 Bath
Unit 5
703 SF, 2 Bed/ Bath (the only 2 bedroom in the building)
Unit 6
519 SF, Studio
Unit 7
238 SF, Studio (the tiniest unit in the building)
Ashley’s Notes
PRIORITIES
Ben wanted the best bang for his buck. Seven units in what used to be three units. And make it look good. And function well.
WORK
We maximized space by raising ceilings, opening up rooms, and changing circulation paths. This, plus more windows and fresh new finishes helped brighten the spaces.
We modernized the building by adding mini-splits with backup baseboard heat.
We hired an enclosure consultant to help figure out what to do for insulation. The walls, roof, and basement/ crawl space were insulated & sealed with closed cell spray foam. It keeps the heat and moisture in (or out). Here’s how they did it: Jeff & company wood framed a wall on the interior side of the brick (held off the brick 1”) then spray foamed between framing (onto the brick) then drywalled it. This keeps the building warm and quiet.
Then, this part is very important, we installed an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) system. We have a well sealed building and it needs fresh air. An ERV supplies fresh air and removes old air. Yay for clean air!
Fun tidbit: During ERV installation, they had to drill a 6” hole through two laters of brick… If you follow my social media, you probably saw this. Crazy!
This place has all new energy efficient appliances, LED light fixtures, and efficient plumbing fixtures. They replaced windows, painted trim, and re-roofed.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Jeff & co leveled floors, removed staircases, moved mechanical equipment, and raised ceilings. There’s still an old wood furnace in the basement that was too heavy to move. There was extensive masonry repointing, replacing granite window sills (which were originally sourced in nearby Rockland), and replacing entire brick walls. This place was old and neglected.
And now this baby shines.
MY FAVORITE DETAIL
My inner archie-nerd loves the new insulation and ERV system. Most clients think it’s unnecessary and that’s probably the most depressing part of my job. Why build a house that will turn into a box of stale, toxin-filled air in the winter? It feels great to know that people living in this building will breathe filtered, temperate air.
BUT, my designer side loves the new red trim at the crown of the Brick Mansion.