Charming duplex in an Upper East Side clapboard house asks $695K

If you have to have half of your apartment in a basement, English or otherwise, this one-bed-plus-bonus-room duplex at 229 East 81st Street is the one you want. The co-op known as Canterbury Mews occupies two buildings on a Yorkville block lined with gracious townhouses and well-tended brick. In front is an eight-unit 20th century apartment building and around the back is a 19th century white clapboard house. Between the two is a lovely landscaped patio, which is what you’ll look out onto from this compact charmer asking $695,000.

Enter on the main level to find a freshly-painted and polished one-bedroom space, complete with a bright, cheerful renovated kitchen, large living/dining room and a long, narrow bedroom with an en-suite bath.

By itself, this space could be problematic. Where shall guests stay? and what if they have to use the bath?

Enter the lower level (which you can do via a short staircase). Down here is a spacious bonus room, great for guests or an office–or both, with a little bit of well-planned construction. Down here also is a half-bath, which partially solves the above problem. An enchanted common patio completes the feeling that you’ve completely escaped the city outside.

[229 East 81st Street B, by Roberta Moser for Halstead]

RELATED:

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• $350K UES studio designed in the ’80s by Adam Tihany resembles a luxury train car
• $1.5M UES co-op features 13-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling shelving

Images courtesy of Halstead.