A Meticulously Restored 19th-Century Row House in Manhattan Seeks $1.8M

One of 20 identical row houses designed in 1882 by architect Gilbert Robinson Jr., this three-bed, two-bath Victorian is nestled in Sylvan Terrace, a cobblestone cul-de-sac in upper Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood. Previously featured in Dwell, the three-story building was treated to a top-to-bottom renovation by owner Tom Givone, an ad copywriter who discovered a new career as a contractor during the years-long project.

When Tom found it, the 1,500-square-foot row house had been abandoned mid-renovation. "It had some electric and sheetrock," says Tom. "It was like a Home Depot shell that looked like an active job site—paint had hardened over and mud was on the walls." Undaunted, he moved in, adding a sink and an old stove to make it habitable. 

Every day after work, Tom would start a new home project, ripping out sheetrock or uncovering 15-foot ceiling beams. He became so proficient that he left his advertising career to focus on architectural design, pausing work on his own home to take on other projects. It wasn’t until a few years later, in 2015, that he refocused on this building, where he’d lived for nearly 16 years. By then, says Tom, "I had a good crew, I was finding interesting materials, and I was learning different building applications."