New York City’s Narrowest Townhouse is on the Market

It was once home to Edna St. Vincent Millay

Millay House, West Village
The Millay House in New York City's West Village.
PortableNYCTours, CC BY-SA 4.0

The New York City real estate market abounds with paradoxes, not the least of which is one involving a historical building back on the market after a few years. This week, Gothamist brought news that a townhouse located at 75 1/2 Bedford Street in the West Village is on the market for just shy of $5 million. (The asking price? $4,990,000.)

There are countless fascinating facts about this building — chief among them the fact that famed poet Edna St. Vincent Millay once called it home. But what is perhaps most notable about the townhouse is how narrow it is — though the article notes that its title as the city’s narrowest townhouse is somewhat disputed.

Even if it isn’t the narrowest per se, it’s still pretty narrow. As Ben Yakas writes at Gothamist, “the interior is closer to 8 and a half feet wide, and at its narrowest point, it’s only 2-feet wide.”

The townhouse’s listing at Nest Seekers International offers more details about the building and its history. It was built in 1901, stands three stories tall and features three bedrooms and two bedrooms. And Millay wasn’t the only notable occupant — Cary Grant stayed there for a time, as did Margaret Mead.

As storied buildings go, it’s hard to argue with this one. Through a distinctive exterior and a great location into the mix and it’s not hard to see the appeal. The building itself might be narrow, but the appeal is vast.

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