A riverfront duplex is for sale in the historic Villa Charlotte Brontë

Built in the early 20th century, Villa Charlotte Brontë is one of the most picturesque residences in the Bronx. This co-op building, named after the famous English novelist, looks like it came straight from a Disney movie. It has 17 apartments, and one of them recently appeared on the market with an asking price of $1,395,000. 

The 3-bedroom and 2.5-bathroom duplex is looking for a new owner, and it seems that it will not be long until the listing finds them. This distinctive apartment has a wood-burning fireplace and a wraparound deck with scenic views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge.

Each unit in this building has its own entrance that can be reached via flagstone paths and arched staircases. However, this layout also comes with challenges. In the colder months, the staircases might get slippery, and the variety of entrances might result in packages ending up at the wrong front door. Moreover, this cliff-hanging river cottage also faces a storm risk. 

Since this unique building has only 20 units, they rarely become available for purchase. The board approval process could also be quite thorough and, sometimes, even overly demanding. However, despite these challenges, the co-op building has a yearslong waiting list, Curbed reports. The Villa Charlotte Brontë came to life thanks to the efforts of the architect Robert W. Gardner, who also designed the Staten Island Museum.

The riverfront duplex has an open-plan living room with cathedral ceilings and a glass door that leads to the river-facing balcony. Other notable features of this unique co-op unit include large windows, a storage attic, and a spacious eat-in kitchen with a skylight. This cliffside co-op building is located next to parks and various transportation options, such as Metro North station and express bus service to Manhattan. 

Resources:

“A Duplex is For Sale in the Coveted Villa Charlotte Brontë,” by Zach Schiffman (Curbed, 2023)

“A Cliffside Co-op in the Bronx Inside Villa Charlotte Brontë.” by Matthew Sedacca (Curbed, 2020)