New York City's skinniest townhouse is just 9.5 feet wide and cost $3,000 per square foot

Melissa Wiley,Megan Willett-WeiApr 23, 2021, 02:03 IST

75.5 Bedford Street is the narrowest townhouse in New York City.Left: Massimo Salesi/Shutterstock; Right: Google Maps

75.5 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village is New York City's narrowest townhouse.
The three-story brick building is just 9.5 feet wide and last sold in 2013 for $3.25 million.
The real estate market is so competitive, we wouldn't be surprised if it's worth more than double that today.

The narrowest townhouse in New York City is 75.5 Bedford Street, according to The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The multimillion-dollar home is just 9 feet and 6 inches wide.

Red markers show the location of 75.5 Bedford Street in New York City. Massimo Salesi/Shutterstock

The narrowest townhouse in New York City is 75.5 Bedford Street, according to The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The multimillion-dollar home is just 9 feet and 6 inches wide.

The three-story, Dutch-gabled home was built in a Greenwich Village alleyway between two townhouses back in 1873, hence its fractional address.

An arrow shows the location of 75.5 Bedford Street in New York City's Greenwich Village. Google Maps

The home is a mere 999 square feet, according to the 2013 listing by Town Residential Real Estate. It sold to photographer George Gund IV that year for $3.25 million, making the price per square foot $3,253. Gund did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

The floor plan of 75.5 Bedford Street. TOWN Residential Real Estate

The home is a mere 999 square feet, according to the 2013 listing by Town Residential Real Estate. It sold to photographer George Gund IV that year for $3.25 million, making the price per square foot $3,253. Gund did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Considering how competitive the real estate market is right now - and that Zillow estimates the home's market value is more than $6 million - we wouldn't be surprised if the home was worth more than double what it sold for today.

Joey Hadden/Insider

Considering how competitive the real estate market is right now - and that Zillow estimates the home's market value is more than $6 million - we wouldn't be surprised if the home was worth more than double what it sold for today.

The home's previous owners renovated the space to have big, open doors, windows, and a skylight on the third floor, according to the 2013 listing. Here, the kitchen looks out towards the backyard on the first floor.

The kitchen looking toward the backyard. TOWN Residential Real Estate

The home's previous owners renovated the space to have big, open doors, windows, and a skylight on the third floor, according to the 2013 listing. Here, the kitchen looks out towards the backyard on the first floor.

"Despite its size, it's a surprisingly livable home," former listing agent Bo Poulsen, who represented the property in 2013, told Insider. "The obvious constraints push one to be innovative with the space." Plus, he said, the house "just has an indelible charm."

The living room looking toward he courtyard. TOWN Residential Real Estate

"Despite its size, it's a surprisingly livable home," former listing agent Bo Poulsen, who represented the property in 2013, told Insider. "The obvious constraints push one to be innovative with the space." Plus, he said, the house "just has an indelible charm."

Upstairs, the master bedroom has a bookshelf, a fireplace, and windows looking out onto Bedford Street.

The master bedroom looking out toward Bedford Street. TOWN Residential Real Estate

Across the hall is the master bathroom with a tub and steam shower. There's even a tiny fireplace across from the tub.

The master bathroom. TOWN Residential Real Estate

On the third floor is the studio, which also looks out onto the street and has more bookshelf space plus a fireplace.

The studio looking out toward Bedford Street. TOWN Residential Real Estate

A guest bedroom is also located on the third floor. There's a door in the back that leads out onto a small porch that overlooks the shared backyard.

The guest bedroom TOWN Residential Real Estate

The backyard is quite big considering how small the house is - it's roughly 10 by 42 feet.

Aerial view of 75.5 Bedford Street's shared backyard. TOWN Residential Real Estate

The home has become part of the New York tourist trail in part due to its small size, but also because of its history. Famous past residents include Pulitzer-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and William Steig, the man who illustrated "Shrek."

Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, who wrote "my candle burns at both ends," lived at 75.5 Bedford Street from 1923-4. Alfred Eisenstaedt/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

The home has become part of the New York tourist trail in part due to its small size, but also because of its history. Famous past residents include Pulitzer-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and William Steig, the man who illustrated "Shrek."

Outside the home, a plaque states that Millay wrote her Pulitzer-winning poem in the home, though Elizabeth Barnett, late literary executor of the Millay Society, contested this.

The New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation installed a plaque outside 75.5 Bedford Street. TOWN Residential Real Estate

Outside the home, a plaque states that Millay wrote her Pulitzer-winning poem in the home, though Elizabeth Barnett, late literary executor of the Millay Society, contested this.

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New York City's skinniest townhouse is just 9.5 feet wide and cost $3,000 per square foot

The narrowest townhouse in New York City is 75.5 Bedford Street, according to The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The multimillion-dollar home is just 9 feet and 6 inches wide.

The three-story, Dutch-gabled home was built in a Greenwich Village alleyway between two townhouses back in 1873, hence its fractional address.

The home is a mere 999 square feet, according to the 2013 listing by Town Residential Real Estate. It sold to photographer George Gund IV that year for $3.25 million, making the price per square foot $3,253. Gund did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Considering how competitive the real estate market is right now - and that Zillow estimates the home's market value is more than $6 million - we wouldn't be surprised if the home was worth more than double what it sold for today.

The home's previous owners renovated the space to have big, open doors, windows, and a skylight on the third floor, according to the 2013 listing. Here, the kitchen looks out towards the backyard on the first floor.

"Despite its size, it's a surprisingly livable home," former listing agent Bo Poulsen, who represented the property in 2013, told Insider. "The obvious constraints push one to be innovative with the space." Plus, he said, the house "just has an indelible charm."

Upstairs, the master bedroom has a bookshelf, a fireplace, and windows looking out onto Bedford Street.

Across the hall is the master bathroom with a tub and steam shower. There's even a tiny fireplace across from the tub.

On the third floor is the studio, which also looks out onto the street and has more bookshelf space plus a fireplace.

A guest bedroom is also located on the third floor. There's a door in the back that leads out onto a small porch that overlooks the shared backyard.

The backyard is quite big considering how small the house is - it's roughly 10 by 42 feet.

The home has become part of the New York tourist trail in part due to its small size, but also because of its history. Famous past residents include Pulitzer-winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and William Steig, the man who illustrated "Shrek."

Outside the home, a plaque states that Millay wrote her Pulitzer-winning poem in the home, though Elizabeth Barnett, late literary executor of the Millay Society, contested this.