111 West Chester Street | Kingston New York Real Estate
Posted by Amy Wallace on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 at 2:31pm
A Hudson Valley Victorian With Real Character
Kingston NY Real Estate For Sale
Who doesn’t love a character?
Who’s your favorite person to have dinner with? Someone who’s steadfast but quiet, or your quirky friend who throws you more curveballs than Noah Syndergaard? I already know the answer. What type of actors are guaranteed to have the longest careers? That’s right. Character actors. And what is the most often requested feature of a home? You guessed it. Character!
When you think about it, “character” is a somewhat vague thing to request when you’re talking about a home. There are so many kinds of character. When you say character, you might mean you want a giant vertical atrium that ascends through the center of the home. You might mean that you want a 1970’s dome house. You might mean that you want a home with an outrageous color scheme. You might mean all of those things. But most of the time what homebuyers mean by “character”, is a house with traditional architecture, original features, flooring, trim and fireplaces, some beautifully made built-in cabinets and shelves, and the aura of a storied past. When people say they want “character”, they mean they want a house like 111 West Chester Street in Kingston, NY.
111 West Chester Street is a classic Kingston Victorian home, designed and built in the 1890’s by the original owner, Earnest Becket, a freemason who poured his heart into its unique features. The distinguishing characteristic of this Dutch colonial revival home is the prominent gambrel roof – a style that swept through the United States during the first half of the 20th century. This exceptional home retains many original features including antique American stained glass windows with a shield design, and the original storm windows. Enter the grand paneled front door with ornamented stained glass transoms to the open foyer, and you’re greeted by a chestnut paneled stair case with stately columns and hand turned spindles. The living spaces are warmed by the well cared for original heart pine floors.
While you’ll find many homes in the Kingston area with beautiful trim, this house’s trim is above and beyond, and the uniqueness of the windows places this house in a category all by itself. Not only are there stained glass windows, but there are oval windows, round windows beautifully trimmed at each compass point, and a three-sided solarium with original wavy glass windows. There are also some very pretty built-ins. The dining room has a beautiful four tier breakfront with a kitchen pass-through built into the center.
The solarium is a special place, heated by a cozy wood-stove, there’s a full bathroom, and new sliding glass doors. It’s surrounded by lovely perennial garden views. It’s the perfect place to read a book, paint, write, or play the guitar. You’d be comfortable doing those things on the newly refinished wrap around front porch as well! Enjoy watching the pileated woodpecker families, humming birds and monarchs visiting the butterfly garden.
The updated kitchen, perfect for hosting potlucks and holiday gatherings, is spacious and has a new rubber roof. A gas stove and double Bosch split convection oven get the job done. This home has several options for outdoor entertaining including front porch, an elevated BBQ deck, a tiered garden and a firepit surrounded by reclaimed blue stone benches. There are four bedrooms, two full baths and one 1/2 bath. An additional four rooms on third floor provide so much additional space: one large bedroom, a home office, and a studio space, or these could be additional guest bedrooms. Very rare, the 3rd floor includes original tin ceilings and walls - plus an atrium. The partially finished, large basement has high ceilings, full-size windows, exposed brick and bluestone. This has excellent potential as extra living/studio space.
Not only is 111 West Chester Street imbued with character, it’s surrounded by it. Bordering the Chester Street Historic District, this home is located in a lovely residential area. Just down the hill are the historic Rondout District shops, Kingston Point Park and Smorgasburg. Cross the street and catch the Kingston Greenline to arrive in Uptown Kingston in minutes. The park-like historic Montrepose Cemetery is at the end of the block - and is great for exercising your canine or just enjoying the seasons.
Character lovers, drumroll…..this is it.
Contact Timothy Hurley, Real Estate Salesperson, Coldwell Banker Village Green Realty Kingston at 845-331-5357 or visit our Kingston NY Real Estate Office.
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