A rarely available home in a storied Bronx villa lists amid a generational turnover: ‘A lot of young, new families moving in’

A unit in a Bronx co-op once described by the New York Times as “a fantasy sand castle for the Amalfi coast designed by M.C. Escher” is back on the market — as its community is in the midst of turning over to younger generations. 

The $1.31 million listing within Spuyten Duyvil’s storied Villa Charlotte Bronte spans 1,996 feet across three floors. Perched atop a cliff overlooking the Hudson River, the 17-unit co-op indeed looks like it belongs in a coastal Tuscan village, rather than The Bronx.

Units at Villa Charlotte Bronte have a reputation for rarely changing hands, but a recent uptick in sales shows a generational turnover is occurring at the exclusive enclave. 

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The property’s ivy-wrapped exteriors and leafy grounds — including a cave-like spot called the grotto — attracts plenty of attention from neighbors and tourists alike. 

The three-bed, 2.5-bath home includes sweeping views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. The listing boasts woodburning fireplaces, a large stone patio and an oversized eat-in kitchen with ample wood cabinetry.

Owners pay $2,147 in monthly maintenance fees.

Units in this transportive riverside retreat rarely listed in the past, but sales have increased over the last year. One unit found a buyer for $915,000 in January and four others sold in 2024, according to records.

Douglas Elliman agent Ari Susswein, who holds the current listing with Adam Zucker, said the recent uptick is a part of a generational turnover. 

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Susswein said recent sales have been a change of hands between older residents and “a lot of young, new families moving in.”

The current listing was snapped up as recently as last summer, when the current owners purchased the home for $1.2 million. The owners made around $65,000 in improvements, Susswein said, including new carpets and window treatments, but are now choosing to move for family considerations.

Susswein described Villa Charlotte Bronte as “a real tight knit community.”  

These standout homes were originally built in 1926, when the area was still largely farmland. The developer, a lawyer named John Jay McKelvey, was inspired by European architecture, and reportedly found the rest of the city distasteful. One Lehman College professor called the property “probably the most determinedly picturesque set of buildings” in The Bronx.

Villa Charlotte Bronte is visible from the Metro-North and Amtrak trains, the former of which has a stop in Spuyten Duyvil.  The downside of frequent train horns and unwanted tourists is, however, balanced out by the rare opportunity of countryside living just 20 minutes from Grand Central Station.