Townhouse to Five Apartments and Back Again

From New York Observer writer Matt Chaban: "'Doing historic townhouses is basically the same as doing a piece of antique furniture, only bigger,' George Agiovlastis told The Observer last week. The artist-turned-antiquer-turned-home restorer had just sold his third revamped townhouse, 38 Grove Street, for $14 million, according to city records.  Mr Agiovlastis purchased the 21-foot-wide redbrick beauty in October 2007 for $6.9 million, and then undertook a $3 million renovation.  It had been divided up into five apartments, but the builder gutted the place and began a meticulous renovation based on clues found in the home.  Behind a facade of expertly matched brick—500 are new, but it's impossible to tell—and a reconstructed stoop lies six bedrooms and seven baths, as well as nine working fireplaces.  'This was not going to be one of those homes with a terrible double-story glass wall in the back,' said Mr. Agiovlastis, referring to some of his overly modern neighbors."  Full article here.