When the six-story brick building was completed in 1931 it was known as Harbor Heights Hall and builders and owners A & A Construction Company took out a large ad in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle that year listing the many modern amenities and all of the tradespeople involved in the construction. They lauded the neighborhood as "one of the few localities in Brooklyn that still retains suburban quiet and charm."
This 1000-square-foot apartment in Mexico City's Colonia Narvarte neighborhood has a storied history. It was built around the 1950s, so the apartment is over 75 years old, but incredibly it has been owned by Octavio Herrejón 's family for three generations. It was first owned by his grandmother's sister, then by his mother, and then two years ago Octavio moved in.
"We've never seen a more beautiful building entrance - and we saw many apartments," Alja writes. "The apartment had everything we'd been dreaming of: beautifully preserved original windows, original herringbone flooring, original doors, high ceilings, and even a balcony, three original and functioning ceramic fireplaces, and a parking space. That's incredibly rare here. As most old apartments have been 'renovated' over the years, that often means plastic windows, vinyl floors, and lowered ceilings," Alja describes.