160 Columbia Hts

Distinctly configured residences with prewar details and varying degrees of renovation

“The building is on one of the most exclusive blocks in the neighborhood in that it hovers over the promenade. There’s only a finite number of properties in this position and the majority are townhomes,” Semmelback explains. “The co-op is very amenable to combinations both up and down and side to side which is especially appealing to buyers.” Pets and pied-à-terre usage is permitted with board approval. Studios with at least 540 square feet of space, semi-eclosed galley kitchens and some with waterfront facing bay windows have most recently sold for $450,000. 850 square-foot one-bedrooms go for $800,000 to $900,000 depending on slight variations in size and position in the building. The defining sunken living room feature carries across all units. Two-bedrooms, some combined, vary a bit more and range in price from $1.4 million and $1.6 million. Combined three-bedroom duplexes with large private outdoor space, such as unit 9F, have sold for close to $3 million. This choice top-floor residence is imbued with both distinctly Art Deco historical detailing and contemporary updates. High, beamed ceilings and intricate millwork are joined by all marble bathrooms and an oversized rain shower, a feature that was mostly certainly not promoted in the 1937 ad but more recently added as a luxurious perk. The private terrace has unmatched views of the Financial District skyline and the statue of liberty all the way down New York Harbor to Staten Island.

As in any older building, the state of renovation varies greatly from unit to unit, but the best original characteristics have been maintained and even restored. On the market with Semmelhack for $995,000 in winter 2025, unit 4C benefits from the buildings unique massing. Though it’s a true one bedroom with a standard amount of space, it’s bathed in sunlight from three exposures. Aptly outfitted with built-in shelves containing a fold out desk, the sizable foyer leads into the sunken livingroom with an alcove kitchen around the corner. In a perpendicular direction, there’s a large en-suite bedroom with enough space for a king size frame. Herringbone-pattern white-oak flooring carries across the residence. The corner-wrapped window perfectly frames the East River and is an ideal anchor for a breakfast nook. “Unlike units in other co-ops which tend to be more rectilinear, there’s greater width here,” she notes. “Though the plumbing in the building, like most prewar structures, can’t handle the water velocity that today’s appliances require, there’s large well-maintained laundry room in the basement.”

A more secluded and picturesque pocket of Brooklyn Heights but with reliable transit nearby

“Columbia Heights is a more private stretch of Brooklyn Heights because people tend to enter the promenade from either the end of Remsen Street to the south or the Fruit Streets to the north,” Semmelhack reflects. “Adjacent Clark Street comes to an end here and so there’s less through-traffic. This is truly one of the most bucolic and quintessentially picturesque locations in the city. It feels like old New York and is kind of magical.” Right next to the building is the Fort Stilling pocket park which has historical significance as the former site of an American Revolutionary War stronghold. From the end of Cranberry Street a few blocks up, a pedestrian bridge spanning the Brooklyn Queens Expressway — accessed from the end of nearby Atlantic Avenue — leads into the dynamic Brooklyn Bridge Park. This 85-acre green space covers once derelict postindustrial piers and connects directly to New York Harbor and the East River with innovative landscaping, playgrounds, picnic lawns and a wide array of sports facilities. The co-op is fully visible from this lower-grade vantage point.

Toward the center of Brooklyn Heights, Montague Street unfolds with a strong selection of owner-operated restaurants and stores, exuding an atmosphere akin to resort village like Aspen or Sag Harbor. Popular haunts include Thai go-to Khaosan, classic Italian trattoria Felice Montague and southeastern Mediterranean eatery Taboonette. While big box stores and essential service businesses are found in nearby Downtown Brooklyn, a few chains like Trader Joe’s are found along Atlantic Avenue. The closest grocery store, however, is the Gristedes on Henry Street, not far from the Clark Street subway station served by both the 2 and 3. These lines offer quick and reliable links to the Financial District and run up much of Manhattan’s West Side. “Parking here is very much a ‘may the best driver win’ game,” Semmelhack notes. “The streets are narrow and so there are only spaces lining one side.” Many residents choose to live in Brooklyn Heights for, in part, its solid transit links not the ability to keep a car in the city. That said, there are a few garages in the area with limited, somewhat hard to get, monthly rentals.