200-year-old Soho landmark hits the market for $7.75M

The home at 57 Sullivan Street dates back to 1816

Yes, you read that headline right: the landmarked townhouse at 57 Sullivan Street, between Spring and Broome streets, dates back to 1816, though a meticulous renovation from its current owners has kept the home in good shape. It's now on the market with Compass for $7.75 million.

The home received city landmark status just over two years ago, with the Landmarks Preservation Commission singling out the three-story structure as "a fine example of the Federal style of architecture and a tangible reminder of the rich multi-cultural heritage of the South Village."

Its current owners, however, were not pleased with the designation; in a Wall Street Journal piece before the home was landmarked, Bob Coulter and Elise Kanda, who've lived in the house since the 1990s (they purchased it for all of $390,000), expressed their desire to have the LPC—which now has a say in how repairs are made to the house—stay out of it. "Just leave us alone," Coulter told the WSJ. "This place would have fallen down if we hadn't fixed it."

But that didn't happen, and now, the home is ready for its next stewards. Though it looks much the same as it did when it was first erected in 1816, there have been some changes: For one, it's currently configured as an owner's unit with an English basement, with two one-bedroom apartments on the second and third floors; the listing notes that it could be transformed into a single-family home, if a new owner so chooses.

Coulter also made some changes in getting the home into a state of good repair: replacing windows and damaged floors, fixing the facade, and the like. Some of its vintage touches, such as its Flemish bond brick facade and several wood-burning fireplaces, remain. There are also newer flourishes, including a modern kitchen (with a dishwasher!) and a landscaped back garden.

For someone who wouldn't necessarily mind the headaches that can come with keeping a landmarked home in good shape, this could be a fantastic opportunity.

• Listing: 57 Sullivan Street [Compass]