This pristine Passive House townhouse is a serene retreat with heated outdoor pool and skylit spaces

By Ondel Hylton | From Brooklyn Tuesday, January 12, 2021

All photos courtesy of Compass and Bowerbird

In this era of self-quarantines and limiting one's travel, some New Yorkers have waited out the pandemic in larger homes outside the city while the great majority have hunkered down locally, making living spaces more comfortable while adapting them for sudden work/learn-from-home demands. A few are fortunate enough to have the best of both worlds, distancing themselves within palatial urban abodes with the bonds and conveniences of the city still at their fingertips. In the Columbia Waterfront District, a low-rise maritime neighborhood endowed with incredible light, air, and harbor views, a jewel-box townhouse has hit the market offering a lucky renter a contemporary sanctuary from the rest of the world.

Sited at 64 DeGraw Street, betwen Van Brunt and Columbia streets, the 4-bedroom, 5-bathroom home sprawls a gracious 3,700 square feet across three levels and is exceptional because of its concrete outdoor swimming pool, craftsmanship, and supreme sustainability features. As expected, NYC homes of this caliber don't come cheap. Debuting on the market late last week, the listing is being shopped by Compass for a cool $20,000/month. While this price point disqualifies basically everyone, we all can appreciate the home's many high-minded aspects -- from its Passive House construction to its stark white minimalist design the architects claim makes the house an unexpectedly bright oasis in an otherwise industrial seaport.

64 DeGraw Street, TH floorplans (Compass)

Designed by the emerging Brooklyn firm of Bowerbird Architects, the modern townhouse is built to Passive House standards and provides air-tight insulation, radiant-heated floors, and ample natural light by way of efficient European triple-pane windows. Upon entry, whether through the drive-in garage or discreet wood-planked front door, one steps up into the living level of polished white concrete floors anchored by a skylit custom oak staircase. A foyer with an adjacent powder room and coat closet leads to a 28-foot long kitchen and dining room. Southern light streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows and a doorway provides direct access to the 35-foot-long backyard.

The chaos of the outside world will melt away while soaking in the 10' by 20' heated swimming pool. Encircled by high walls for privacy, the seven-foot-deep pool can be heated to more than 90 degrees and has a discreet seating ledge at its shallow end. More outdoor space can be found at the home's 1,100-square-foot roof deck where one can take in panoramic waterfront and skyline views while sunbathing, grilling, and entertaining.

The sunken living room

The second floor has a sunken living room with custom wood millwork, floor-to-ceiling windows with Manhattan views. Two bedrooms have an en-suite bath, including the top-floor master suite which also benefits from a skylight, double sink, and walk-in closet. Other convenient bells and whistles include a laundry room with a sink and vented Electrolux washer/dryer, Nest thermostat technology, and an alarm system.