St. Paul condo at F. Scott Fitzgerald birthplace hits market for $350K

On the 400 block of Laurel Avenue in St. Paul, a set of columned, brick-and-stone Victorian buildings regularly draws revelers.

A plaque on the building to the west lets visitors know that they're at the birthplace of F. Scott Fitzgerald, where the literary great of the Jazz Age lived in a second-floor apartment until he was 2.

Now, one of the converted condo units in the 1892 Pullman-style buildings is up for grabs.

The 1,400-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit includes classic features such as a formal dining room, fireplace and original woodwork. It's listed at $350,000.

"This is a charming building, and the streets here in Ramsey Hill are so architecturally beautiful," said listing agent Joyce Peterson. "The association carefully maintains this St. Paul treasure."

Owner Charlie Brokaw said anyone living in the unit would appreciate the storied past of the place, the clever use of space as well as a condo association that takes great care of the property.

"I just love the historical nature of it," he said.

Brokaw said he has had to do very little work during the four years he's lived in the condo because it was naturally charming, had such character and was well-maintained.

"With any other home that I've had, I almost immediately start to remodel it," he said. "Here, I just painted. That's about it."

The home boasts exposed brick and a curved wall in the living room, an updated kitchen with open shelving and plenty of storage.

"I like to cook quite a bit, and it held everything I had and more," Brokaw said, adding that there are also two pantries — one off the kitchen and another in the dining room.

Despite the age of the condo, there is plenty of storage — from a coat closet to built-ins in the living room and a second bedroom. Each condo also has its own storage unit. Brokaw turned part of his storage unit into a wine cellar accented with a bar and leather chairs.

When it comes to the location, Brokaw said you can't beat the proximity to restaurants and shops off Selby Avenue two blocks away. To him, it's been the best of both worlds.

"You look out your front window and you have this really nice, quiet residential neighborhood in St. Paul. Then you look out the back and there's the energy of the city," he said.

"To find a place on Ramsey Hill with a garage and lots of storage has been great," he added.

Of course, living in condos with such a famous inhabitant comes with the occasional gathering of tourists outside.

Fans of the author of "The Great Gatsby," "This Side of Paradise" and "Tender Is the Night" stop to read the plaque out front and take pictures.

According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the site is one of three F. Scott Fitzgerald landmarks in the area.

"The building itself is merely a solid representative of late Victorian apartment buildings," according to the society's website. "Its sole claim to fame is that Fitzgerald was born on the second floor on 24 September 1896 and lived there as an infant, until his family moved to Buffalo [New York] in 1898."

At one time, the buildings were slated for demolition, but a group stepped in and bought the units in the 1970s.

Brokaw lives in the building where Fitzgerald was born. Interestingly, it has two addresses, 479 for the units on the east side of the hallway and 481 Laurel Avenue for the ones on the west.

Brokaw said he sometimes is asked by Fitzgerald fans which unit the writer lived in. He's happy to point to the second-floor unit at 481 Laurel.

"It's one of the reasons I liked living in the building," Brokaw said. "It's an important part of history."

Joyce Peterson (joyce peterson@cbrealty.com; 651-269-8571) and Ralph Peterson (ralph peterson@cbrealty.com; 651-261-2796) of the Ralph and Joyce Peterson Team at Coldwell Banker Realty have the listing.