Stunning $5.7M Brooklyn Duplex ‘Hidden’ in Historic Townhome Is Revealed

The upper duplex of a transformed 1800s Brooklyn townhouse, the lower triplex portion of which recently sold for $7.2 million, is now exclusively revealed in renderings shared with Realtor.com®.

The former single-family townhouse at 181 Baltic Street in the Cobble Hill historic district was reimagined into two new boutique condos by luxury real estate developer Eckstrøm NYC.

The husband-wife developer duo, Carlos Saavedra and Nicole Eckstrom, specialize in finding historic Brooklyn properties and revamping them for deep-pocketed buyers who want the combination of modern convenience and old world charm.

Saavedra tells Realtor.com that he and Eckstrøm originally planned to return the 19th century abode into a single-family home—as with most of their townhome developments, the former single-family dwelling had long ago been chopped up into apartments.

However, its wide 25-foot footprint leant itself to carving out two “small homes” within the interior.

“One complaint we hear is that people only use half a house,” he says. “Unless you have a very big family, everyone congregates in one big space. Why pay for space you’re not actually using?”

For the developer, the solution is “house-sized” apartments tucked away behind a single charming facade.

At 181 Baltic, the landmarked property was split into an upper duplex and lower triplex. The lower portion sold for “very close” to its $7.2 million ask, making it the priciest contract in the borough for the week ending June 20.

The upper half—turned into a duplex with a $5.7 million price tag—is making the rounds of Eckstrøm NYC’s private pool of motivated buyers and already has nibbles, says the developer. Both condos will be delivered completed in August.

Reimagining Brooklyn historic homes

Saavedra notes that when he purchases a property, he goes into it knowing the structure will need an overhaul, and he categorizes the amount of worked it will require into “lift, Botox, or full surgery.” This building’s reconstruction was “full surgery.”

While the two new condos retain their landmarked brick facade, inside, it’s a different story. All is upgraded and modernized with custom kitchens imported from Germany, Miele appliances, and Waterworks fixtures.

But the vintage charm is retained with wide-planked oak floors, moldings, and, where possible, period features. In this case, a bygone-era fireplace trucked in from another project.

The lower triplex spans 4,000 square feet, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a private entrance, garden, and terrace. There’s also a recreation/media room, full bar, sauna, cold plunge, and a laundry room.

The upper duplex spans 2,400 square feet with four bedrooms, three bathrooms with steam showers, a skylight, and a private terrace and a roof deck with an outdoor kitchen.

Saavedra says the roof deck will be a coup for that area. “We looked around, and no one has a roof deck on that block,” he says.

The Little Black Book of invite-only buyers

Eckstrøm says that 60% of its townhome sales happen off market, through its exclusive waiting list known as the “Little Black Book.”

It’s through this private, off-market approach that the buyer for the triplex was ultimately found before completion—and through which the duplex has multiple shoppers already circling.

Buyers take the leap based off detailed renderings, a real life tour while the home is in progress, and trust in the developer, as well as familiarity with former projects.

Two of the atelier’s major sales of 2026—170 Clinton Street, which sold for $14 million, and 307 Hicks Street, which sold for $14.995 million—were transacted through this off-market, subscriber-based approach.

The developer duo currently have 24 other Brooklyn historic home listings in various stages of development, mostly located in picturesque Brooklyn Heights and the surrounding brownstone-flanked neighborhoods.

The developer has also expanded into Manhattan, with the purchase of a landmarked residence in Greenwich Village and a two-family home in the West Village.

“We look for nice blocks,” Saavedra says of how the firm chooses properties. “Blocks where everything seems nice and put together.”

A typical picture-perfect block that passes muster likely has lots of mature trees, is near schools, and has historic character, where many—if not all—of the buildings are landmarked.

Demand is brisk for one-of-a-kind historic homes that have been fully reinvigorated and modernized while nestled in quaint, tree-lined neighborhoods.

In February, Eckstrøm sold a single family 5,000-square foot reimagined townhouse at 307 Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights for $15 million, which made it the most expensive sale of the year in the borough for a time.

And in May, a long-abandoned 1860s Italianate brownstone on one of the neighborhood’s most idyllic streets—Columbia Heights—hit the market for $15 million.

It quickly sold for full price despite needing a gut job down to its landmarked shell. (Saavedra says he considered the property too but “could not make the numbers work.”)

The developer says buyers who prefer an old townhome or brownstone over a modern glass tower are seeking something special—they prioritize character, charm, warmth, and history, and want a place that “has a soul.”

“But they don’t necessarily want to deal with an old building, and they want the convenience of new construction,” he says. “This is a marriage of both.”