428 Vanderbilt Ave

428 Vanderbilt Avenue — A Rare, Full Restoration in Fort Greene

This 1872 two-family brownstone was bought broken. A hole in the roof, 1980s tile, paint caked over the fireplaces, and plastic flooring laid over everything, including a staircase that was quietly giving way beneath it. It took three years to bring it back. Not a flip. A restoration: original fireplaces stripped and restored, exposed brick, a staircase rebuilt to pull daylight down through the center of the house, and 4,700 SF of finished space from the lower level to the roof.

Highlights

• 20' wide
• Fully restored, two-family landmark brownstone — approx. 4,700 SF including finished lower level
• 6 bedrooms, 5 full baths, 2 half baths, 2 complete kitchens
• Hand-forged wrought iron entry gate and railing along an original bluestone walk
• Original 150-year-old vestibule tile floor, uncovered intact during restoration
• 10' ceilings and white oak herringbone floors on the parlor level
• Two restored original marble fireplace mantels, both working
• Open staircase rising six floors to an oversized skylight and bulkhead leading to the 800 SF finished roof
• Chef's kitchen: 48" Wolf range, 42" Thermador refrigerator, speed oven, wine cooler, island seating four
• Deck off the kitchen with gas BBQ, steps down to a private backyard with real grass
• Primary suite bath: gas fireplace, soaking tub, sitting area - this is a real treat
• Original exposed brick running six stories on the north wall
• 800 SF finished roof terrace — pavers, iron railing, power and water run, downtown Brooklyn views
• 800 SF finished lower level— mechanical/AV room, 7' ceilings, half bath
• 2BR/2BA garden-level suite with private entrance, 20x10 outdoor space, Bosch appliances, in-unit washer/dryer. Rents for $7,000/ month.

Parlor Floor

A hand-forged iron gate leads up the bluestone walk to a double-door entry and a vestibule floored in original tile, found intact under decades of plastic flooring and paint. From there, 10-foot ceilings and white oak herringbone floors run the length of the parlor. The living room fireplace sits beneath floor-to-ceiling windows, and the open staircase climbs six floors to a skylight that pulls light straight down through the center of the house — the fix for the classic brownstone complaint of a dark interior. At the rear, the kitchen is built for real use: an island seating four, 48" Wolf range, 42" Thermador fridge, Wolf speed oven, wine cooler, and glass doors out to the deck and a real-grass backyard.

Primary Suite

One flight up, the hallway doubles as a laundry room. The primary bath is built around a working gas fireplace and soaking tub — closer to a private spa than a standard bath — with a sitting area and a private terrace off the bedroom.

Third Floor

Three more bedrooms: one true en-suite up front with its own original (decommissioned) fireplace, plus two bedrooms sharing a bath with double vanity, soaking tub, and skylight.

Roof Terrace

A finished 800 SF rooftop with panoramic downtown Brooklyn views — pavers, iron railing, power and water already run. Ready for whatever comes next.

Lower level

800 SF, 7' ceilings, mechanical/AV room, and a half bath — plumbed and wired for a spa, cold plunge, home theater, gym, wine cellar, or roller skating.

Garden-Level Suite

A true 2-bedroom, 2-bath rental or in-law unit with its own private entrance under the stoop, a 20x10 private patio, Bosch appliances, and in-unit washer/dryer. Comparable units in the area rent around $7,000/month.

The Neighborhood

Fort Greene is one of Brooklyn's most storied residential neighborhoods — tree-lined blocks of landmark brownstones, Fort Greene Park nearby, and some of the borough's best restaurants and cafés within walking distance. Convenient to multiple subway lines into Manhattan.