A four-story Manhattan house has endured the ages long enough to see New York City morph from a tiny farming outpost in the 1800s to the economic capital of the world.
In fact, in the year that 77 Bedford St. was built, the Statue of Liberty did not exist — nor did Broadway, the Yankees, the city's subway system, or the bodega favorite, chopped cheese on a roll. Still, the same house that watched New York cycle through some of its most historic moments is now on sale for $12 million.
Part of what makes 77 Bedford so distinctive is that the current owners kept the Federal farmhouse-style property well maintained, adding very few enhancements over the years, said Mary Vetri of Brown Harris Stevens, the property's listing agent.
"What the owner has done, which I think makes it unique, is they have added special touches," Vetri said in an interview. "They've added a copper hood to the stove that vents out and they also added other copper details."
The copper, Vetri said, is an homage to the property's very first owner — architect and New York City businessman Harmon Hendricks. Born in 1771, Hendricks was the son of Uriah Hendricks, a man who ran a copper manufacturing business. Harmon Hendricks grew up, took ownership of the company and, along the way, married his wife, Frances Isaacs.
The structure at 77 Bedford was constructed in 1799. Harmon and Frances moved in a year later and the property became known as the Isaacs-Hendricks House.
In 1812, Harmon Hendricks partnered with his brother-in-law Simon Isaacs and opened a new copper factory in Bellville, New Jersey, where employees built the copper boilers used on ships, according to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. While building their copper empire, Harmon Hendricks and Simon Isaacs also befriended Paul Revere (of midnight ride fame), historical records show.
"In an interesting twist, the factory also supplied copper for the Savannah, the first steamship ever to cross the Atlantic," the society wrote in 2016.
The property is now the oldest standing house in the West Village, according to Vetri. It features four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms with six fireplaces, wide-plank yellow pine wood floors, and a terrace on the top floor. The current owners are selling because "they don't need as large of a property anymore," Vetri said, adding that the home is move-in ready.
The $12 million price tag for 77 Bedford is common for housing units in Manhattan's West Village — a neighborhood known for its suburban feel due to its off-kilter streets and lack of avenues. Since most of the West Village is landmarked, new developments are rare, driving home prices skyward.
Studio and one-bedroom co-ops in the West Village range from $475,000 to $1.7 million, whereas larger co-op units list between $1.1 million and $6 million. An entire townhouse costs anywhere from $7 million to $27 million, according to Homes.com data.