168 Duane Street, Tribeca: Warrington Hudlin’s Triplex

At 168 Duane Street, the most intriguing room cannot be seen from the street. It is a terrace concealed behind the parapet of the building’s great 1887 gable, approximately 400 square feet of private outdoor space facing directly onto Duane Park. Inside, the upper three floors form an approximately 3,500-square-foot triplex with ceilings that rise to approximately 30 feet.

For roughly 30 years, filmmaker Warrington Hudlin used this space primarily as his New York office and studio, living here occasionally as he moved between New York and Los Angeles. It was a remarkable place to do business: above a Tribeca park, inside a nineteenth-century loft building, with enough height to make an ordinary room feel like a set before anyone had dressed it.

Hudlin grew up in East St. Louis and went to Yale. As a student, he made Black at Yale, a documentary that included a conversation with Stokely Carmichael. Melvin Van Peebles and Harry Belafonte later mentored him. In 1978, Hudlin co-founded the Black Filmmaker Foundation, giving Black filmmakers a way to show work that might otherwise never reach an audience. The foundation’s recordings are now held by the Schomburg Center, while reels from Hudlin’s own early films are preserved in university archives. Indiana University Black Film Center & Archive; New York Public Library.

Then came House Party, the joyous 1990 film directed by his brother Reginald and produced by Warrington, followed by Boomerang, starring Eddie Murphy. Broker Larry Carty says Hudlin bought at 168 Duane with his House Party earnings and that part of Boomerang was filmed in the building. Hudlin is also a black belt in kung fu. He brought that passion to the Museum of the Moving Image through a martial-arts film series and served as vice chairman of its board. His work has taken him from a documentary camera at Yale to Hollywood and into the rooms where film culture is shaped. Hudlin’s profile.

Now he is ready for another stage of his life. The triplex is being offered largely as he left it, and its next owner will have substantial work to do. Buyers can see the plans Hudlin commissioned from architect Galia Solomonoff, whose work includes Dia Beacon. They show a graceful way to turn the three levels into a home with two bedrooms and an additional interior bedroom. The square footage is devoted to volume and living space, not to packing the apartment with bedrooms.

Hudlin hopes another creative person will buy it, someone who understands why he chose this building and can imagine what to make of it next. That person may use Solomonoff’s plans or arrive with an architect and a vision of their own. Either way, the terrace, the height, and the direct outlook onto Duane Park give them an extraordinary place to begin.

The building is expected to have a brand-new elevator operating in November. Visitors currently reach the triplex by stairs, and Hudlin has asked Carty to wait for the elevator before its public debut. He wants a buyer to ride to the top, step into the space where he worked for three decades, and see the apartment as a future home.

For now, Carty is showing it to a select few brokers he has worked with for years. Once the elevator is operating, Hudlin plans to bring the triplex to the public market for $8.995 million. Its next owner can then take the ride up with an architect, walk out toward Duane Park, and decide what belongs in the next chapter.

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Transform Your Home with 200+ Plants: A Tour with the Plant Queen in Brooklyn

Step into the vibrant world of Christopher, the Plant Queen, as he takes us on a tour of his lush, plant-filled one-bedroom apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. This video reveals how Christopher has masterfully incorporated over 200 plants into his living space, creating a green sanctuary that is both beautiful and therapeutic.

Key Points Summary

• A Green Sanctuary in Brooklyn: Christopher, the Plant Queen, welcomes us into his colorful and vibrant home filled with over 200 plants. His space is not just a home but a living, breathing garden that offers a sensory experience from the moment you step inside.

• The Journey to Green Living: Christopher began his journey to green up his space in 2020, starting as a personal passion that grew into an educational endeavor. His home now serves as a testament to his dedication and love for plants.

• Daily Plant Care Routine: Taking care of such a large plant family requires routine and dedication. Christopher integrates plant care into his daily life, pruning and tending to his plants while enjoying his morning coffee.

• Creating a Microclimate: Despite living in a city apartment, Christopher has created microclimates for his diverse plant collection. He emphasizes that with dedication, anyone can cultivate a thriving indoor garden regardless of their living situation.

• Personal and Emotional Connection: The tour also highlights Christopher's personal spaces, including a shrine dedicated to his late mother. This area, filled with plants, serves as a reminder of his family's support and love.

• Designing with Plants: With the help of his friend and interior designer Calvin Resnik, Christopher has crafted a space that reflects his personality—vibrant, playful, and lush. The collaboration has resulted in a home that is both aesthetically pleasing and deeply personal.

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