Update, Jan. 31, 2019: It took several months for the deal to close, but it finally did on Jan. 18, 2019 for the price of $2.9 million. This chapter of the Pumpkin House’s real estate endeavors is over, but we look forward to seeing that friendly face shining into the night along the Hudson Heights ridge.
Update, Oct. 22, 2018: Bad news for anyone in New York who’s dreamed of snapping up the fabled “Pumpkin House”: Earlier this month, after several rounds of price cuts, the Pumpkin House entered contract. Yes, folks, it’s been sold. The final price is not known at this point, but this unique Hudson Heights jewel was last asking $2.9M on StreetEasy. We hope it found a great new owner. And we’ll choose to find consolation in the fact that the home entered contract on Oct. 8 — just in time for Halloween.
Original post: If you’ve ever crossed the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey to New York at night, you may have noticed a friendly face among the cluster of Manhattan’s riverside Hudson Heights buildings. 16 Chittenden Avenue is a cliffside residence whose four river-facing windows resemble a jack-o’-lantern when lit up at night, earning it the nickname “Pumpkin House.”
Interior designer William Spink purchased the house in January of 2000 for $1.1M and put it on the market 10 years later for $3.15M. Simone Song, the current listing agent for the Pumpkin House, tells us that although she did not represent the property in 2011, it’s her understanding that there was a buyer whose deal fell through, prompting Spink to take it off the market after 308 days. Now, it’s back for $5.25M, and whoever ends up purchasing the home will be its fifth owner ever, Gothamist reports.
Though the home’s “face” was not a specific intention of the architect, Song says that everyone in the neighborhood knows the home as the “Pumpkin House.” She believes the biggest selling point of the house is its uniqueness; in Hudson Heights, sales inventory is made up of mostly condo units in larger buildings and there are very few individual homes available. She also notes the area is very much community-oriented, describing it as the kind of neighborhood where “everybody knows everybody.”
In addition to being a rarity among Hudson Heights inventory, Song notes that the listing has incredible potential. Because it overhangs a cliff, there’s no possibility that new construction would obstruct its view — a phenomenon in the world of New York City real estate. The home’s garden and two-car garage are on level ground, so the new owner could easily use this space to extend the home. There’s also potential to add to the home vertically, by building on top of what’s currently a partially-covered roof terrace running the length of the home.
Built between the years of 1923 and 1925, the two-family home is perched over 250 feet above the Henry Hudson Parkway, standing three stories high and encompassing 3,144 square feet.
The house has six bedrooms and three bathrooms, including the one-bedroom/one-bathroom rental unit with a modern kitchen and private terrace located on the lower level. This unit was last rented for $2,750/month about five years ago, but is currently vacant. Whoever buys the home can decide whether to use the space as their own or rent it out.
The house’s first floor is located at street level and has its own balcony with views of the George Washington Bridge, the Palisades and the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Song notes that pictures of the home’s interiors simply don’t do it justice; there’s a certain ambiance the house affords that can only be experienced by being in it. Exquisite detailing on marble mantles, original from the home’s 1920s construction, is one thing that doesn’t translate properly in photos.
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