Another Apt I Love..bigger and more expensive

First, a brief discussion on the term "Classic 6". This refers to a pre-war (WWII) apt with a living room, a formal dining room, 2 bedrooms, and a staff room and bath. A classic six can range from 1200 square feet to over 2000 sf (See the San Remo or for that matter 670 WEA at 93rd street).

Depending on the layout, the space can be very flexible. Often, the dining room is so large that is can easily divide and provide an ample dining area (no window) as well as a third bedroom that is accessed from the separate bedroom wing (another common feature in a pre-war building...separation of living spaces from private spaces).

Which brings me to today's tasty treat: 250 w 94th street apt 10H. This apt is over 1800 sf and was built as a classic six. The space is so flexible, it's worth discussing all of the options. It's in good shape, except for the kitchen, which needs to be re-done. The bathrooms are fine, the floors (original herringbone oak in the over sized living room!) are ok. It's asking $1,695,000, down from it's original asking price of $1,795,000. I sold a similar unit 2 years ago for $1,790,000 and it needed an update. The building is a lovely, under the radar pre-war with excellent financials, a great new-ish gym, a glamorous roof deck that no one in the building ever uses, a child's playroom, and an additional community room. The maintenance in this building is about $1 per sf, just about the best you can ever hope for in a full service, 24 hour doorman building with a live-in super.

Here's the link:
http://www.corcoran.com/property/listing.aspx?Region=NYC&listingid=1363707

So here are some options:
1. As I mentioned, you can divide the HUGE dining room, creating a third bedroom with a doorway through an existing closet. Now you have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a dining area, and you still have a separate maid's room for a home office.

2. Open the kitchen to the maid's room and create a big open eat-in-kitchen with a built in home office. For that matter, you could open the space the dining area and STILL create a third bedroom.

3. Divide the dining room using French doors, so there's a den or guest room, but when it's not in use, you still have the window and the light coming in.

One other note about most pre-war apts....there were all designed using courtyards, so some rooms inevitably face a courtyard. In this case, the dining room faces the wall of the next building. But there is some ambient light coming through. The master bedroom, second bedroom and living room have pleasant views facing north over Pomander Walk, a Landmarked mews built in the 1920's that resemble a European street.

The building is on Broadway, but the entrance is on 94th street. It's steps from the express train. What's not to love?