Historically Modern: A Carriage House Reborn

Situated half a block from the historic Old Stone House, 331 Fourth Street was a building only an architect and construction executive could love.

Built in 1895, the two-story carriage-house has a rich history as a stable, a bootlegging establishment during prohibition (authorities apparently filled the cellar with coal-ash to prevent its continued use), an electrician's shop, and finally, a sculptor's studio.

The property suffered from decades of neglect and disrepair. Nonetheless, when Gilly Youner and John Leeper first laid eyes on the decrepit Fourth Street carriage house, they saw the home of their dreams.

Youner, a Senior Associate Architect with Kutnicki Bernstein Architects and Trustee of the Park Slope Civic Council, and Leeper, a senior construction executive with Bovis Lend Lease and Project Executive of the National September 11th Memorial Museum, were determined to create a home uniquely their own. 

"We were crazy enough and determined enough to do whatever it took to get the courtyard space we'd always wanted," said Youner. 

For 12 years the couple lived in a spacious apartment near Grand Army Plaza, where their son Gideon was born.  Though they were in a desired location, they longed for a home that afforded them more tranquil surroundings and an outdoor space. 

"During our walks around the neighborhood," Youner said, "we would fantasize about this falling-down wreck on Fourth Street."  Though it wasn't for sale at the time, the couple kept their eye on the property and jumped at the chance to purchase it when it went on the market in 2000. 

When Youner and Leeper purchased the property, the lower floor was a dark, dim painted rough brick space, while the upper floor hayloft was covered in 1950's wood laminate paneling. The previous owner left the property in complete disrepair, with extensive water damage, rotting wood and decaying skylights.  Undeterred by the scope of the project, the couple began their nearly two-year gut-renovation and construction of the building in 2001. 

Mid-way through the construction process, however, tragedy struck when Youner was diagnosed with Stage 3 bladder cancer. "It was the most stressful two years of my life," said Youner. Now cancer-free for eight years, Youner, with a half smile can now look back and say, "I consider that time our double gut renovation – me and the home."

In redesigning the home, the couple sought to create a horizontal and open living space that was modern, yet preserved original detail wherever possible.  In order to bring light and air into the middle of the home, a section of the roof of a 1905 rear extension was removed, creating a private courtyard surrounded on three of its four sides by glass. 

"We wanted a comfortable openness, so we designed the kitchen open to the dining and living spaces."  Glass block openings and back-splash in the kitchen let natural light in from the industrial glass garage door at the front of the building.  The office/studio at the back of the house gets light from the courtyard, while providing access to a charming rear yard enclosed in original brick.  Up the open steel and oak staircase, a large 14-foot skylight showcases the home's original roof rafters. The home incorporates radiant floor heating and central air-conditioning; however, cross ventilation from the courtyard is such that artificial cooling is not often needed. 

History lives on in this Fourth Street home thanks to the couple's commitment to preserving original detail.  The original brickwork, stone sills, and steel lintels on the façade of the building remain intact, as does the beam used to hoist hay bales up to the second floor loft.  In the open-air foyer, bricks from the old chimney poke through.  Upon excavating for the courtyard, the couple unearthed horseshoes, horse ointment jars, and turn-of-the-century medicine bottles, which they have displayed on a floating millwork beam in the kitchen area.

"I believe in seeing the old through the new," said Youner.  "I loved having a chunk of a building to work with and doing little interventions."

Youner and Leeper's modern, yet minimal design style is reflected in the interior of the home.  Warm materials were used throughout including oak flooring and mid-century wood furniture.  An eclectic mix of artwork, family heirlooms, and inherited furniture create an inviting and personal space.

"Deciding on furniture was a challenge for us," said Youner. "We both had to agree on everything." 

The family dines at a beautiful wood trestle table from Scott Jordan, which is complemented by Knoll chairs.  In the living area, a rocking chair passed down from Leeper's grandmother is nestled snugly in a corner, where it is illuminated by light from the open courtyard and the roll-top desk in the couple's studio/office space is more than a century old, having been passed down through Leeper's family as well.  White walls showcase a collection of paintings by Youner's late father, accomplished artist Herb Youner. "We wanted a gallery-type space feel," she said.

This unexpected treasure on Fourth Street reflects the owners' eye towards the future with a reverence of the past.

"I am really pleased to have brought so much light into what was a dark, dim tunnel," said Youner.

This beautiful, inviting, and very livable home is a testament to the couple's ingenuity and commitment to a dream.