West Village Houses, #3B (Compass)
Between the acclaimed restaurants, high-end boutiques, bucolic parks, celebrity residents, stratospheric real estate prices, and adventurous but Landmarks-approved new architecture of the present day, it’s hard to imagine a time when the West Village was not one of the city’s most in-demand neighborhoods (CityRealty listings show only 102 publicly listed availabilities). But in the 1970s, the neighborhood’s most significant new construction was West Village Houses, a Mitchell-Lama development conceived with the help of Jane Jacobs and comprising 42 five-story walk-up buildings connected by gardens and outdoor common areas.
As the neighborhood evolved, so too did West Village Houses. The building went from a Mitchell-Lama rental to a cooperative starting in 2006, but there were some strings attached: In exchange for operating as an affordable HDFC building for 12 years, they received reduced property taxes as well as forbearance on paying back the full balance of the original landlord’s mortgage. They also agreed to limit the purchase price of resales so as to keep it affordable. However, after West Village Houses lost its tax-exempt status in 2018, it began the transition to a market-rate cooperative with no cap on resale prices.
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When West Village Houses initially went co-op, the vast majority of tenants opted to buy their apartments for prices as low as $125,000. Among them was Mark Golebiowski, an artist and photographer whose pictures from the height of the AIDS crisis are on display at the International Center of Photography. Additionally, his photos of dying exotic flowers were the inspiration for Beautiful Decay, a ballet by Nicolo Fonte featuring company dancers as well as senior dancers.
Mr. Golebiowski's apartment is another one of his works of art. Not only did he and his partner bring the two-bedroom apartment's infrastructure in line with today's needs, but they brought an extra sense of style to the home. Public records show that he bought the apartment for $245,488 in 2006. It is now listed for $1,100,000, or nearly 4.5 times what he paid for it.
Mr. Golebiowski's apartment is another one of his works of art. Not only did he and his partner bring the two-bedroom apartment's infrastructure in line with today's needs, but they brought an extra sense of style to the home. Public records show that he bought the apartment for $245,488 in 2006. It is now listed for $1,100,000, or nearly 4.5 times what he paid for it.
Common outdoor space at West Village Houses
↓ The apartment has been updated with state-of-the-art sound isolation. Additional updates include new oak floors, a modern electrical system, and an in-unit washer/dryer.
↓ The endless “Ferrari red” back painted glass cabinets with chrome accents set the kitchen apart. Additional features include a French door refrigerator, an induction cooktop, and a GE Advantium oven.
↓ Both bedrooms enjoy generous square footage and views of greenery.
↓ Mr. Golebiowski’s photographs are printed on the shower wall and included in the sale of the apartment.
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