Illustration by Peter Arkle

Conventional wisdom says that Harlem-townhouse buyers value original details above all else. Yet these adjacent properties on Sylvan Terrace, a small landmarked street in the West 160s, show the opposite. The owners of No. 14, which was sold in December, had restored it completely, preserving pocket doors and crown moldings; they also redid the kitchen and baths. Their neighbors at 12 Sylvan Terrace did a more extensive update, moving interior walls and raising ceilings. Gone were the small Victorian rooms, replaced by a modern, open aesthetic. (They also added a guest kitchen and a bath.) “Sometimes when you have all the original details, the place can seem smaller,” says broker Candice Smith.

12 SYLVAN TERRACE
The Facts: A three-bedroom (convertible four), three-bath 1882 rowhouse.
Asking Price: $1.245 million.
Annual Taxes: $2,325.
Agent: Candice Smith, DJK Residential.

14 SYLVAN TERRACE
The Facts: A three-bedroom (convertible four), two-bath 1882 rowhouse.
Selling Price: $970,000.
Annual Taxes: $2,380.
Agent: Candice Smith, DJK Residential.

Related:

• Archive: “Real Estate”
• Articles by S.Jhoanna Robledo
• Table of Contents: Mar 31, 2008 issue of New York | Subscribe!