image of macdougal-sullivan gardens historic district townhouse

The townhouse sits on the historic MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens, a little-known private green space in Greenwich Village.

There are many select properties in New York City, but not many can claim to have their own private garden and a community-shared one. The townhouse at 82 MacDougal St. is one such home, one of 21 unique townhouses bordering Greenwich Village’s coveted MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens. It’s currently on the market for $12.5 million and the listing is shared by George Vanderploeg and Kym Spiegel of Douglas Elliman.

If that sounds relatively inexpensive, don’t get too excited: This home will probably need an additional million — at least — to bring it back to prime condition. While the home is currently configured with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, it needs a complete gut renovation. “It can be whatever the new owner wants it to be,” said Spiegel.

Spiegel explained that the bottom floors have been partially gutted since 2011, but the upper floors are intact and the basement is bone-dry, which means further work (i.e., an excavation), could help increase the ceiling height.

The home is 20 feet wide and 42 feet deep and was built in 1844. While it has star quality on its own, it also happens to be a few doors down from Bob Dylan’s former home at 94 MacDougal St. Other celebrities who lived in this district include actor Richard Gere, film director Francesco Carrozzini, Italian painter Francesco Clemente and his wife, theatrical designer Alba Clemente. Also, Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, has occupied a house on the Sullivan Street side since 1992.

This section of MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village is known as “Rainbow Row” due to the homes’ colorful exteriors.

One of the Rainbow Row Houses

The MacDougal-Sullivan Gardens Historic District is a landmarked community with 11 townhomes on MacDougal Street and 10 on Sullivan Street. The townhomes along MacDougal are also referred to as “Rainbow Row,” due to the alternating colors on each townhouse exterior. Along the backyards of the homes on MacDougal and Sullivan is a fully enclosed “secret garden” with various trees, stone walkways, and open green space. Each home also has its own backyard bordering the garden but separated by a wrought-iron gate.

It all makes for a setting unlike anything else in New York City — there are even fireflies in the summer.

Check out the listing at 82 MacDougal St., listed by George VanderploegKym Spiegel, and Steffen Kral of Douglas Elliman.


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