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Living Large: 1800s Masterpiece In The Heart Of The Village

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The oldest remaining wood frame house in Greenwich Village is a standout, from it's history and design to the secrets it holds.

CBS2's Natalie Duddridge takes us inside and tells all in this week's Living Large.

There's is an undeniable coolness about the West Village, from narrow, tree-lined streets to the history of the area. Jane Beal of the Corcoran Group gave Duddridge the tour of one of its most recognizable homes, which sits at the corner of Grove and Bedford.

Living Large/Greenwich Village
Inside the kitchen of a $12 million home on Grove Street in Greenwich Village. (Photo: CBS2)

"It was built in 1822 when the Village was actually a village," Beal said.

Nearly 200 years later, it's the oldest remaining wood frame house in Greenwich Village, the clapboard exterior and other design features still intact.

Beal said wood for the flooring and the ceiling dates to 1822, adding, "The beams, we believe, are from the time it was built."

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In its day, the main floor parlor was considered to be pretty grand. The home has seen upgrades over the last two centuries. Some paneling is likely from the early 1900s, and now there's even an elevator.

Duddridge and Beal raved about the brickwork in the kitchen, comparing it to walking on a cobblestone street.

The hearth surrounding the stove is also original, with other renovations to the modern kitchen designed to harken back to the day.

A narrow staircase has a brass inset handrail, and small windows used for light.

The master suite and the sitting room are also expansive for the period. There's a third floor with an additional bedroom that was added in 1870. In total, the property has four bedrooms and six and a half baths.

Out back and totally unique to the property is a bonus house.

"We're entering this life-size doll house," Beal said.

With extra living space, it can be an office, rented out, or even sold separately.

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But the most intriguing aspect of this home, by far, lies in the basement. A secret tunnel, now sealed, dates back at least 100 years.

"The legend is this is a tunnel that went through to Chumley's, the old speakeasy," Beal said.

Chumley's is an iconic village bar less than a block away. It's said that during prohibition alcohol and even patrons were funneled through the tunnel.

"I think that has always been village lore," Beal said.

It's a fascinating piece of history that's part of an already legendary property.

To live large on Grove Street will cost you $12 million.

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