For some New Yorkers, even the largest penthouse isn't big enough. A selection of single-family homes in Manhattan and Brooklyn
Square footage has always been at a premium for New Yorkers, but that got taken to new levels when the city went on lockdown during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. It remains to be seen how the Omicron variant will affect city life; while cases have been detected in New York State, 77 percent of New York City residents have received at least one vaccine dose, and the vaccine requirement for access to indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment is a powerful incentive. (Information on where to get vaccinations and boosters may be found here.)
What we can say for certain is that the variant is not expected to curb the city’s wealthiest buyers’ appetites for more space. CityRealty data shows that the average size of apartments sold in Manhattan has increased 22 percent since 2003. Moreover, average apartment sizes held steady in years prior to the pandemic, but jumped five percent since 2019. Apartments on the Upper East Side grew the most, possibly to accommodate growing families who moved there for easy access to Central Park, top schools, and world-renowned cultural institutions.
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Developers are building larger homes to accommodate the luxury market, and another part of this phenomenon can be attributed to people who coped with the pandemic by combining apartments. Dips in prices and an increase in remote work arrangements drove the trend, which has reached such an extent that some of New York’s wealthiest neighborhoods lost housing units over the past decade (h/t The City). However, combining apartments can be a time-consuming and costly process. That has sent some luxury buyers looking to townhouses for the ultimate in space and privacy.
As aesthetically pleasing as the prewar mansions of yesteryear are, the ceiling heights, windows, layouts, and infrastructure may be too confining for the modern buyer with even the most creative architect. For that reason, the city’s wealthiest and most creative are often happier to build a townhouse from scratch - the only limits are their imagination and, in the case of those located in historic districts, the Landmarks Preservation Commission ("Landmarks").
Rendering of 11 Hubert Street via E. Cobb Architects/Compass
Current building via Compass
For example, 11 Hubert Street is listed for $25 million as a vacant development site with two sets of Landmarks-approved plans. In May 2020, Landmarks ruled that the existing building on the site was altered to a point where its demolition would not detract from the Tribeca West Historic District, and that the proposed new building’s massing, height, materials, and fenestration relate to adjacent buildings and are harmonious with the historic district. But while the proposed building looks (somewhat) congruous with its historic surroundings, they didn’t have bells and whistles like this in the old days: A plan by acclaimed architect Maya Lin proposes a double-height garage, full-floor primary suite with duplex closet and his-and-hers baths, half-Olympic swimming pool, half basketball court, retractable squash court, stadium seating movie theater, spa with hot tub, cold plunge, sauna, and steam room, gym, pet room, wine cellar, catering and prep kitchen, and house manager’s suite. Not to be outdone, a plan by Eric Cobb calls for an NBA-sized half basketball court, commercial-grade gym with cryotherapy chamber, four-car garage, chef’s kitchen with pizza oven, double-height living room with courtyard access, and full-floor primary suite with adjacent workspace.
If these sound like amenities that would fit right in at New York’s most luxurious multi-family buildings, it is no coincidence that some condo developers have begun to add townhouse units to their new buildings. This allows owners to enjoy the space and privacy of a townhouse with access to the condominium's staff and amenities, and has proven popular: At the end of October 2021, a townhouse unit at 111 Leroy Street was among the top contracts with an asking price of $16.9 million. A short time later, the last townhouse unit in The Greenwich Lane entered contract with an ask of $19.95 million. We take a look at mega-mansions for sale throughout New York City.
A Renewed Bed-Stuy Classic
All images of 320 Tompkins Avenue via Leslie J. Garfield
From the Listing: Located off the corner of Gates Avenue and Tompkins Avenue, in the heart of Bed-Stuy, 320 Tompkins Avenue is a mint-condition mixed-use townhouse ideal for turn-key investment. The 20’-wide five-story building is currently configured as a retail duplex, one floor-through two-bedroom apartment, and a gracious upper duplex with multiple private outdoor spaces. The building just underwent a meticulous full interior and exterior renovation. The retail space, located on the ground floor and basement, contains a powder room and a small private garden in the rear. See floor plan and full details here.
Brooklyn Brownstone 2.0
All images of House114 via Douglas Elliman
From the Listing: A bohemian blend of traditional, modern, and industrial, House114 is a space to feel inspired by. This five-story two-family house has been extended to approximately 4,200 square feet of living and an additional abundance of outdoor spaces. Designed by renowned architect Rafi Elbaz of Sahonyc.
The upper triplex has a total of 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and one powder room (detailed description below). The garden level has 2 bedrooms and 1 bath and direct access to the landscaped garden and offers significant income opportunities. The cellar below contains both the mechanical room and a Zen-like recreation room with a full bath, wet bar, and its own cast-in-place light well rock garden. See floor plan and full details here.
The upper triplex has a total of 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, and one powder room (detailed description below). The garden level has 2 bedrooms and 1 bath and direct access to the landscaped garden and offers significant income opportunities. The cellar below contains both the mechanical room and a Zen-like recreation room with a full bath, wet bar, and its own cast-in-place light well rock garden. See floor plan and full details here.
A Modern Boerum Hill Beauty
All images of State & Bond via Corcoran
From the Listing: 75 Bond Street offers the opportunity for you to be the second owner of this sparkling modern single-unit townhouse -- with its own indoor parking space -- in the heart of popular Boerum Hill. This gorgeous modern home has more than 4,000 square feet of space include a stunning full floor primary suite with its own private terrace, three additional bedrooms/dens in its five stories. The dramatic main floor features 11-foot ceilings, a magnificent open kitchen with Gaggenau appliances including double wall ovens and five burner cooktop, and massive white marble island. See floor plan and full details here.
Custom Design in Carroll Gardens
All images of 181 President Street via Douglas Elliman
From the Listing: Welcome to 181 President Street, Carroll Gardens' ode to privacy and exclusivity in the form of an exceptional townhome. Custom-crafted with the vision of enhanced living and built in the heart of one of Brooklyn’s most sought-after brownstone neighborhoods. Designed by Workshop DA, the home boasts an array of finishes that channel Brooklyn’s industrial heritage. Immersed in luxury and modern convenience, no expense was spared in crafting this expansive 5,356-square-foot residence. A central skylight and over-sized windows allow natural light to radiate throughout. The private elevator makes for easy access to all four levels in addition to a multi-car garage outfitted with a Tesla charging station; accessible through a motorized, solid mahogany door. See floor plan and full details here.
Expansive Brooklyn Mansion
All images of 399 President Street via Corcoran
From the Listing: 399 President Street is a striking 7,000-square-foot, 40-foot-wide townhouse with a two-car garage, an elevator, and three sprawling outdoor spaces on a tree-lined street in Carroll Gardens. Developed in 2017, this palatial home blends modern conveniences and industrial Brooklyn style behind its gorgeous brick façade. The main entertaining floor offers a remarkable footprint of nearly 2,000 square feet, featuring dramatic reclaimed beams, and finished with beautiful wide-plank European oak flooring, exposed brick, and custom casement style windows. See floor plan and full details here.
Trophy Avant-Garde Townhouse
All images of 57 Wyckoff Street via Corcoran
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From the Listing: Built from the ground up just three years ago, this trophy property embodies the duality of this tree-lined yet culturally energetic Brooklyn neighborhood by perfectly combining a forward-thinking modern design with the warmth of natural stones and wood throughout. Prepare to be amazed as you are greeted by a striking Anselmo Corso brick, glass and steel facade that takes full advantage of the amazing light and views only afforded by a lot this large (25' x 145') surrounded by low-rise brownstones in the foreground, with the stunning city skyline as your dramatic distant backdrop. Enter the home up a modern stoop into a triple height foyer and parlor floor of oversized proportions that includes a formal dining room with Apparatus chandelier, a jaw-dropping professional kitchen, and an extra-wide living room with 11' ceilings and a sheer wall of glass that perfectly frames the Japanese-inspired minimalist garden in the back. See floor plan and full details here.
Best of Both Worlds in the West Village
All images of 111 Leroy Street via Douglas Elliman
From the Listing: Nestled on one of the most storied cobblestone blocks in the West Village offering a sublime level of privacy, exclusivity, and comfort, this 25-foot-wide townhome comprises 4,775 interior and 1,484 exterior square feet, with 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, an interior elevator, and ceiling heights ranging up to approximately 10’6". The home abounds with bespoke details and supreme craftsmanship in an entirely custom design by the esteemed Workshop/APD.
Enter upon the first floor through a commanding blackened metal entry door to a formal entry foyer and gracious living room, where striking proportions and a serene yet distinguished palette of finishes foster an elegant, warm, loft-like sensibility, and floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the space in light. Beyond, an open, windowed chef’s kitchen features rich book-matched walnut millwork with blackened metal trim, honed Statuary marble countertops and waterfall island, Flos blackened steel track lights, and top appliances by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Miele. See floor plan and full details here.
Enter upon the first floor through a commanding blackened metal entry door to a formal entry foyer and gracious living room, where striking proportions and a serene yet distinguished palette of finishes foster an elegant, warm, loft-like sensibility, and floor-to-ceiling windows bathe the space in light. Beyond, an open, windowed chef’s kitchen features rich book-matched walnut millwork with blackened metal trim, honed Statuary marble countertops and waterfall island, Flos blackened steel track lights, and top appliances by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Miele. See floor plan and full details here.
Vertical Flatiron Funhouse
All images of 34 West 21st Street via Leslie J. Garfield
From the Listing: The property is a one-of-a-kind ground-up construction townhouse that rises 7 stories; and features a private garage, commercial glass elevator, towering ceiling heights, multiple private outdoor spaces, and a finished cellar/spa. Originally conceived and designed by architect Karl Fischer and interior designer Andres Escobar, this 7,500-square-foot single-family residence has been built to the highest standards with concrete slab construction and 12 to 15 foot high ceilings throughout. Featuring 4 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms as well as a full-floor primary bedroom suite, 3 levels of entertainment space, a home theatre or gym, sauna, double-height ceiling expansive parlor level chef’s kitchen, the convenience and privacy of this home with all of its amenities is highly sought after in today’s environment. See full details here.
An Understated Homage
All images of 123 East 61st Street via Serhant
From the Listing: Introducing 123 East 61st Street, the most luxurious new construction townhouse on the Upper East Side. Custom-built with a curated collection of high-end fixtures and finishes, this 6-bedroom, 8.5-bathroom home sets a new standard of modern design and urban grandeur. The 6-story house sits on a 20’ X 100’ lot and features a stunning custom Stucco façade, a commercial-grade elevator with wood-stained panels and imported Spanish tiling, brand new insulated Crystal Window casement windows, beautiful Carlisle engineered wide plank oak floors, a state-of-the-art Lutron home automation system, integrated speakers, imported hidden door hinges, custom lighting, a custom-built spiral staircase with Kelly Wearstler sconces, a finished cellar, multiple laundry rooms, a private backyard with LED sconces, and a tranquil rooftop deck. See floor plan and full details here.
Greenwich Village Hideaway
All images of 9 Minetta Street via New York Residence, Inc.
From the Listing: Never to be repeated, 9 Minetta provides six floors of living space in a newly constructed townhouse within a historic landmarked zone. This was only possible as all approvals for this unique project could be obtained before the city expanded the landmark district in which the property is located.
From a private garage with a curb cut to a Jacuzzi pool and an outdoor kitchen with grill on the roof, from an impressive view over the Village and downtown Manhattan to 100-year-old trees surrounding the property and providing shade on the roof - 9 Minetta has it all. See floor plan and full details here.
Tribeca Mega-Mansion by Maya Lin
All images of 11 Hubert Street via E. Cobb Architects/Compass
From the Listing: Being sold as a vacant development site, 11 Hubert Street is an exceptionally rare offering for an end user to build a single family mansion in an A+ location in the heart of Tribeca. With not one, but two existing sets of Landmarks Commission-approved plans and renderings, here you can build the private, modern home of your dreams in the Tribeca West Historic District. Located on the southwest corner of Hubert and Collister, 11 Hubert Street has remarkable street frontage, an existing curb cut, impressive outdoor space, and the potential to create an exceptional 20,000+ square foot modern residence. Existing plans have been provided by the esteemed E. Cobb Architects from Seattle, WA and famed architects, Maya Lin Studios, out of New York City. See floor plan and full details here.
History Meets Luxury in Tribeca
All images of 142 Watts Street via Corcoran
From the Listing: Presiding over a tree-lined Tribeca corner just steps from the Hudson, 142 Watts is a historic treasure reimagined as a spectacular single-family mansion-the only townhouse in Northwest Tribeca-offering six floors of modern, loft-inspired interiors along with a private roof terrace and garage.
Built in 1886 by acclaimed architects Pierce and Dockstader, this exemplary Gilded Age building is distinguished by its ornamental masonry facade, fully restored and enhanced with period detailing and a slate mansard roof. This 6,750-square-foot, six-story mansion comprises five bedrooms, five bathrooms, two powder rooms, and two fireplaces, along with 800 square feet of exclusive outdoor space. Meticulously designed by William Green Architects with luxurious finishes throughout, each light-filled floor invites a truly unique residential experience. See floor plan and full details here.
Tribeca Transformation Opportunity
All images of 219 West Broadway via Compass
From the Listing: 217-219 West Broadway is currently set up as four full-floor apartments, retail on the ground floor, and an owner's duplex penthouse. This special opportunity can be converted to a single family residence, condominiums, or left as an income producing asset. Each full floor residence is outfitted with floor to ceiling windows, Lutron lighting, state of the art kitchens, oversized European style bathrooms, surround sound systems, Poliform closets, 12-foot ceilings, multi-zone heat and air conditioning, and in-unit washer-dryers. See floor plan and full details here.
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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