Barns, Chapels and More: Five Residential Conversions on the Market

By Grace Cassidy If you’ve ever seen a steepled church or an old barn or even a decommissioned firehouse and thought, Home Sweet Home! , then these residential properties with nonresidential past lives are for you. Located in New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut, these homes all served a completely different purpose before being converted into beautiful one-of-a-kind homes. Long Island, The Hamptons and The North Fork 1 Chapel Avenue, Brookhaven, New York | $1,100,000 Formerly a chapel that was built in 1829, this Brookhaven retreat now serves as a 1,953-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Renovated in 2004, the charming home features hardwood flooring, a kitchen with state-of-the-art stainless-steel appliances, wide windows, a primary suite with a private bathroom and, naturally, beamed cathedral ceilings. The detached one-car garage previously served as a carriage house. Residents enjoy a spacious 0.4 acres and convenient proximity to the Brookhaven Free Library and local elementary school. 488 Ocean Road, Bridgehampton, New York | $4,450,000 Spanning 3,780 square feet on a third of an acre, this Bridgehampton home used to be a potato barn. Once the home and workspace of artists Karl Mann and Hector Leonardi , the expansive abode includes twin art studios with vaulted ceilings, a spiral wooden staircase dating back to 18th century Paris, an elevator and a beautiful outdoor living space complete with terraces and rose gardens. The home includes three bedrooms, three full bathrooms and one half-bath, including a luxe primary suite with a marble tub in the bathroom. 170 Orchard Street, Orient, New York | $2,195,000 Originally built in 1938 as a firehouse, this North Fork home is now a unique 4,000-square-foot four-bedroom, four-bath home. Located in Orient Village, the home boasts an open-concept design, 12-foot ceilings, a spiral staircase, updated kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances and a primary suite with a private screened-in porch. There’s also a sun deck, second kitchen and outdoor shower. The home recently underwent upgrades to the electrical, central air, gutters and dry wells. Connecticut 1035 North Street, Greenwich, Connecticut | $1,700,000 Dating back to 1852, this former chapel still retains all of its original 19th-century charm on the exterior. Inside, the converted home features over 3,000 square feet of living space, three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Reimagined by Gray Organschi Architects, the home showcases an organic S-curve wall, a six-foot Venetian chandelier in the main living area, a fireplace, hardwood flooring and a modern kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. The primary suite is situated directly below the steeple, allowing for a wide-open ceiling. New York City 214 Lafayette Street, SoHo, New York, New York | $39,000,000 Believe it or not, but this beautiful SoHo townhome was once a powerplant. Built in 1909, the five-story, three-bedroom home is on the market for the first time in over 30 years. Features include a 40-foot indoor pool, 19- to 25-foot ceilings, an elevator, floor-to-ceiling windows, a wood-burning fireplace, barrel vaulted ceilings and a nearly 1,000-square-foot landscaped terrace.