Alphonse Montant House, 326 West 22nd Street, #GARDENDUPL

Once in a blue moon. That’s how often one of the "secret garden" apartments in the Chelsea Historic District comes available. The good news? You don’t need to buy the whole house to get it. Come for the lush, private backyard of the 1840s townhome at 326 West 22nd St. Stay for the dreamy, three bedroom, three full bath prewar duplex encompassing the full parlor and garden floors of this intimate, Greek Revival-style townhouse cooperative.

With a canopy of vibrant red Japanese maples and an old viburnum tree, the backyard is draped with grape vines and wisteria, and blanketed by English ivy and planted, terraced gardens.

A flagstone patio and grill offer room for dining, entertaining and sunbathing. A deck off the parlor floor allows for al fresco bistro dining while garden gazing. I promise, the garden will be your happy place. Inside, there are three more -- beside each of three wood-burning fireplaces.

The home’s main entry welcomes you into the formal parlor, with 11’ ceilings and a 13’ long window seat beneath two enormous windows showcasing the charming townhouses of 22nd Street.

The room’s focal point is a gorgeous wood-burning fireplace with a massive mirror above the mantle. Pass through a butler’s pantry offering a Sub-Zero wine cooler and refrigerated beverage drawers, a hammered French bar sink, recessed lighting, and lovely Brazilian quartzite countertops. Custom teak detailing graces the ceiling.

The U-shaped, open chef’s kitchen has fully integrated cabinetry and appliances and spills out to both sides of the entryway.

A Viking refrigerator, massive pull-out pantry, KitchenAid stove, Asko dishwasher, eclectic bluestone counters and, wait for it --a wood-burning fireplace above the kitchen island - is yet another happy place. Cook, do homework, roast marshmallows or just contemplate at the counter beside the fire. This 30’ long room ends in three large, garden-facing bay windows.

The light is gorgeous and the dining area easily seats 10, but a different set-up will allow for both dining and another lounging area.

Off the kitchen is a garden-facing bedroom with two closets and folding French doors. A full bathroom perches at the top of the stairs leading to the built-in home office area separating the two downstairs bedrooms. The master suite echoes the massive dimensions of the upstairs, also facing south into the garden, with a charming fireplace flanked by brick and built-in shelving.

The bed is nestled between the bay windows overlooking the garden. An en-suite marble, bluestone and glass master bathroom, a walk-in closet and a brand new laundry room radiate off this room. A useful alcove with a glass door serves as the lower entry to the garden.

Back at the front of the house, a queen-sized, third bedroom, with an en-suite Jacuzzi bath, has two huge closets and two large, north-facing windows.

An additional hall closet sits just outside. The storage is amazing here aside from the shared basement storage and a bike room. At $3333, the maintenance for 326 W. 22nd Street Garden Duplex is wildly reasonable due to the coop being self-managed and having no underlying mortgage. It is also pet-friendly and there’s no flip tax!

The stellar location is a stone’s throw from the subway and the best of Chelsea, including the Highline, Chelsea Market, Chelsea Arts District, Chelsea Piers, the Ladies Mile shopping, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Equinox and a slew of public, private and parochial schools for all ages. All showings must be scheduled directly with the exclusive listing agents with 24 hours’ notice.

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