Ben Herzog Architect Sensitively Renovates the Childhood Brooklyn Home of Two Siblings

Brooklyn, New York–based practice Ben Herzog Architect (BHA) is well versed in townhouse renovations in its home borough. Some 90 percent of its portfolio is located within Kings County, often in landmarked neighborhoods, such as the Prospect Park–adjacent Lefferts Manor Historic District. Last year, the firm completed its third project on just one single block in the area (a fourth is currently under construction): a reconfiguration and restoration of a Renaissance Revival rowhouse inherited by two siblings.

Built in 1899, the auburn brick-and-stone-clad, classically detailed (with Richardsonian Romanesque flourishes) dwelling is just 20 feet wide and 45 feet long. Rising three stories, it faces south on a midblock lot with a rear yard. Like other structures within the historic district, it is, by virtue of a 130-year-old land covenant, designated for single-family use.

The clients’ parents purchased the 3,200-square-foot property in 1987: it was well-loved and remained in sound condition in the succeeding decades (their father restored several elements of its millwork in his spare time). The siblings, a brother and sister, do not currently reside in New York City but visit frequently to spend time with and host family and friends. They sought an architect to renovate the property to their needs while retaining the charm, and substantial art collection, of their childhood home. They approached BHA and commissioned the firm in 2021 to balance those goals.

The living room retained its existing location, though it was refreshed and its fireplace restored. Photo © Bridgit Beyer

The stoop leads to an entrance vestibule with tile flooring and millwork. Photo © Bridgit Beyer

“The challenge was to adapt the house’s more traditional layout, which limited daylight and made for awkward circulation, while ensuring that any new elements were seamlessly integrated,” explains BHA senior project designer Naomi Touger.

The garden level formerly accommodated a kitchen, dining room, shower room, and a small laundry room. The first floor, accessed by a stairwell or the L-shaped stoop, included a living room, parlor, and a study; each room was separated from the next by pocket doors. Both the primary and children’s bedrooms were on the top floor.

BHA rationalized that configuration by shuffling and replacing its composite spaces. The first level now has an open-floor plan, retaining the living room and adding a dining room at its center and a kitchen toward the rear yard. The latter features a spacious island and countertops, surfaced in soapstone, surrounded by smokey blue cabinetry. Exposed brick functions as the stove’s backsplash, and a set of pocket doors were repurposed as paneling for the fridge, freezer, and pantry. The kitchen’s three garden-facing windows were expanded into one, with the bricks removed during that process reused as patio surfacing in the rear yard. A newly installed steel deck facilitates easy access between the kitchen and garden.

The garden level includes a library and den (3), and one of two primary suites (4). Photo © Bridgit Beyer

Through transferring the bulk of shared spaces to the first floor, BHA freed up room on the garden level for a primary suite and a library (the latter opens to the rear yard through a pair of glass-faced double doors). The top floor retained much of its original layout, though the entrance to the main bedroom’s bathroom was shifted from the hall to the suite. It, like the residence’s other bathrooms is decorated with traditional brass hardware, a natural stone vanity, and tile mosaics. A previously unfinished cellar was renovated to include laundry and mechanical rooms, a sauna, and a workout space.

Throughout the house, it is difficult to gauge which elements date back to the clients’ childhoods or are newly introduced. The original oak parquet floors, and millwork within the central hallway were restored and refinished, as were plaster moldings and fireplace mantels. The staircase was repaired, reinforced, and extended in-kind to a newly furnished rooftop level. It is accessed through an operable skylight (it replaces a stained-glass window that is now used as decoration within the library) and includes a solar array that helps to power the home’s new electric heat pump system.

The main bedroom on the third level includes a skylit bathroom (5); one of multiple powder rooms (6). Photos © Bridgit Beyer

The year of the project’s completion, the siblings were able to realize their parents’ longtime goal of including the townhouse within the neighborhood association’s annual Prospect Lefferts Garden House Tour. “It was satisfying to work with the clients to incorporate their family history, and a penchant for rich colors and patterns, into a revived family home,” notes Touger.