I explored a hidden NYC street lined with million-dollar homes that were built as affordable housing in the 1800s, and felt worlds away from the city

I found a peaceful oasis on a hidden street in the middle of New York City that was once an affordable housing project.Joey Hadden/Insider

• Down a hidden NYC street, I found an affordable housing project from the 1800s that is now luxury real estate.
• Located in Cobble Hill, Warren Place Mews is a stunning block of cottages that was built for workers in the 1870s.
• Many of the cottages are less than 12 feet wide and are valued at $2 million each or more.

I live in Brooklyn, New York, and this week I walked down Warren Place Mews - a hidden block of brick row houses that made me feel like I was nowhere near New York City.

Me visiting the Warren Place Mews in Brooklyn's Cobble Hill neighborhood.      Joey Hadden/Insider

To get there, take the F or G train to Bergen St Station in Brooklyn's Cobble Hill neighborhood.

You can take the F or G train.      Joey Hadden/Insider

A short walk away from the subway station, you'll find the Warren Place Mews between Warren and Baltic streets. When I arrived, the gate was wide open.

The gate opens next to a sign that reads "Warren Place."      Joey Hadden/Insider

As soon as I walked through the fence, I felt transported to a different time and place. These gothic-style row houses and gardens were built in the 1870s, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A view of the mews from the middle of the garden.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Housing reformer Alfred Tredway White had the cottages built for working men and their families after visiting Europe and finding no city as overcrowded as New York, historian Gerard Wolfe wrote in his book "New York: A Guide to the Metropolis."

A plaque commemorates the history of Warren Place.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: "New York: A Guide to the Metropolis"

In 1969, Warren Place was designated part of the Cobble Hill Historic District, according to a report which noted the distinct architectural features of its homes. Though less than 12 feet wide, the homes are worth around $2 million each today, as Curbed reported.

Homes at Warren Place.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Sources: Cobble Hill Historic District 1969 Designation Report, Curbed

Although Warren Place is described as mews - which traditionally refer to homes that were once horse stables - the properties there never housed horses, Michelle Young, founder of Untapped New York, told Insider.

There's a fountain feature in the middle of the garden.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: Michelle Young, Founder, Untapped New York

People in real estate have used the word "mews" to describe charming or prestigious residences rather than former horse stables, The New York Times reported in 2018.

A gate leads to the back of the mews.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Source: The New York Times

I certainly found Warren Place to be charming with a unique origin story, and will be back for a stroll.

The backs of the row houses.      Joey Hadden/Insider