Novelist Norman Mailer's Former Nautical-Inspired Brooklyn Flat Asks $2.25M
The rare and culturally significant property is now available through CORE. Famous guests—including John Lennon and Bob Dylan—have gathered in the flat during the many parties Mailer hosted here.
Get carefully curated content filled with inspiring homes from around the world, innovative new products, and the best in modern design
It was in this 142 Columbia Heights flat that renowned American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, filmmaker, actor, and liberal political activist Norman Mailer wrote many of his bestselling novels, including The Executioner’s Song and Ancient Evenings.
The roof is fitted with unique, architectural skylights.
Mailer worked on the interiors of the 1,636-square-foot flat himself.
He transformed it to resemble a ship, with a double-height, glass-and-wood atrium that draws in plenty of sunlight.
To help him overcome his fear of heights, Mailer installed gangplanks, hammocks, and a trapeze in the two-story flat.
The smooth sloping wood of the ceiling above the living and dining areas echoes the curves of a grand sailboat.
According to the author’s son Michael Mailer, his father had previously owned the entire townhouse, but in the 1970s, he turned it into a co-op.
A separate one-bedroom apartment on the third floor is included in the sale.
Mailer sold the lower floors before he died in 2007, but had kept this top floor unit.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom flat has several outdoor terraces that look out to panoramic views of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Statue of Liberty.
For more information, contact CORE agent Patrick Lilly.
Visiting New York City? Stay Here