Ancient Egypt-inspired Staten Island home asks $2.2M

In Staten Island’s affluent Todt Hill stands a home you don’t typically see.

Designed in 1975 by architect Charlie Azzue, this mural-covered property — whose facade resembles the blend of an Egyptian museum and a Hobbit house — is now listed for $2.2 million.

“Charlie Azzue was an iconic figure on Staten Island,” listing agent Sari Kingsley told The Post. 

“He was very modernistic in his approach to his visual feelings. And he did a lot of sculptures of ballerinas and different positions like a modern dancer,” Kingsley said.

“If you can visualize modern dance. I think that was his conceptual thinking. And with that he created this home with a fabulous living space. And of course, the outside is probably the most striking portion of the house. You stop and you want to say, ‘what is this?’”

That’s certainly what caught the attention of Instagram users last week, when listing images were shared by the popular account Zillow Gone Wild.

“I’m an architect and sometimes my colleagues just really surprise me,” said one commenter on the post, which earned more than 5,500 likes.

“I’ve been fascinated by this house forever,” said another.

In terms of practicalities, the house has four bedrooms, three baths and an interior organized around openness and light. And off the central kitchen sits an unexpected amenity. 

“There’s a whole pool room inside the house,” Kingsley said. “So right off the kitchen, if you decide while you’re eating dinner you want to take a jump into the pool, you can.”

What’s more, the home’s walls are also lined with bold imagery. 

“There’s some symbols of the ancient Egyptian ankh, which represents the key of life,” co-listing agent Anthony Caroccia said. 

“There’s a lot of dynamic energy in the murals. And I think that really, at the end of the day, it represents creativity and represents life, and it represents power.”

The home sits on a 14,950-square-foot lot with a circular drive and a detached two-car garage. 

But its real draw, Caroccia said, is its singular presence. 

“It stands out very well being surrounded by other, more traditional homes.”

That distinctiveness has made it a neighborhood landmark. 

“It certainly is popular amongst locals, because as I’ve been showing the home, I have been stopped in the middle of the street by people shouting that they love this home or that they’re dying to see what it looks like on the inside,” Caroccia said. “It’s one of those houses that everybody seems to know.”

The sellers, who bought the property in 2017 for just under $1 million, are ready to move on. 

“The time has come,” Caroccia said. Kingsley added, “They do own another home.”

Kingsley, who entered real estate in 1975 — the year Azzue built the house — still remembers the shock of its debut. 

“I watched it and was so enamored with what was happening, and to put something like this in the middle of houses that were so traditional was also amazing.”

Though the home requires updates, Kingsley believes it will attract a certain type of buyer. 

“It just needs somebody to come in and do some work and bring it to their vision,” she said. “Somebody has to fall in love. So many people walk in the house and they fall in love. It’s owning a piece of art, it’s owning a very special place on Staten Island. And it is for a unique person.”