The project located in Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood was originally built in 1826 as a single family two story home and has gone through many alterations and additions throughout its history resulting in its last incarnation as a three-family three-story residence. Working closing with Good Property LLC, the developer who purchased the building and site in early 2011, plans were set in motion to return the building to its original use as a single family residence. Due to the recent annexation of the block to the adjacent landmarked historic district, the front facade has been required to be preserved and restored. The painted facade will be stripped to reveal the original brick facade and stone lintels. While the front facade is brought back to its former glory, the rear existing facade will be removed and built anew. Vertical grained fir windows and projecting frames define masonry openings in the new and contemporary dark grey brick facade. A fourth floor addition at the roof is pulled back from the front facade to limit its exposure from the street as required by the landmarks preservation commission while concurrently being pulled back from the new rear facade creating the opportunity for exterior terrace space at both the front and the back.

A very compact footprint (18'-0" x 40'-0") required creative planning of the interior space. Extensive excavation below the existing rear garden allows for a large recreational room adjacent to ancillary mechanical spaces in the cellar lit from above by structural paver skylights at the garden level. The upper floors are defined by a simple parti, a sculptural wood and steel open-stringer, open-riser stair splits the plan in two front to back. At the parlor level, the front living room is separated from the kitchen and dining room by the stair, however its openness adds to the transparency between the spaces giving the impression of one large space. A master suite occupies the entire second floor with a large master bath located in the front half of the building and the master bedroom in the rear. A closet gallery connects the two spaces together. Two bedrooms occupy the third floor, both with en suite bathrooms and walk in closets, which are separated again by the main staircase as well as a centrally located laundry room. The fourth floor contains a guest suite with an en suite bathroom whose shower leads directly onto the rear terrace. A minibar just off the stair landing supports the large terrace located towards the front of the building.

The interior finishes exhibit the developer's desire to infuse the home with a modern yet warm style. Salvaged wide plank oak is used throughout while bathroom floors and walls are faced in natural limestone, neutral porcelains, and penny tiles. Plumbing fixtures and fittings are contemporary without being antiseptic, and a millwork program inclusive of the kitchen and various built-ins throughout the home was created in collaboration with Viola Park, known for their handcrafted yet modular approach. The townhouse at 23 Downing promises to be an thoughtfully designed contemporary oasis on a discrete and tree-lined street in the heart of New York's West Village.