New York City is known around the world as a home for apartment dwellers, but this phenomenon is a relatively new one. About 100 years ago, Manhattan's most affluent had grand townhouses and mansions built, while multi-family dwellings were the domain of the less affluent. As time passed, though, a combination of spacious layouts, extra convenience, and savvy marketing would win the wealthiest over to a new crop of prestigious apartment buildings, thus setting a trend throughout the city. Some of the mansions were torn down, while others would be converted or landmarked.
Apartments far outnumber single-family homes in New York today, but recent months have shown a growing appetite for the latter. The global pandemic and the lockdown to contain it have shown many buyers the appeal of the space, separation, and safety a single-family home has to offer. Unlike their turn-of-the-century counterparts, a new class of new construction/triple-mint renovated townhouses offers the same modern infrastructure and conveniences as a condo while providing the privacy, space, and human scale that only a rowhouse can offer.
Apartments far outnumber single-family homes in New York today, but recent months have shown a growing appetite for the latter. The global pandemic and the lockdown to contain it have shown many buyers the appeal of the space, separation, and safety a single-family home has to offer. Unlike their turn-of-the-century counterparts, a new class of new construction/triple-mint renovated townhouses offers the same modern infrastructure and conveniences as a condo while providing the privacy, space, and human scale that only a rowhouse can offer.
A few contemporary townhouses now availble in Brooklyn and Manhattan
In this article:
From the listing: Welcome to 150 Reade, a magnificent 6-story, newly renovated townhouse. Defining elegance and sophistication, 150 Reade Street features 5 bedrooms, 6 full baths, 1 half-bath, an elevator, glass-railed staircases, ubiquitous Nublado marble stone flooring, terraces on almost every floor, and a finished roof deck with beautiful views of One World Trade Center, 56 Leonard, and surrounding landmarks. Equipped with a smart-home Crestron system and a geothermal heating and cooling, this home has it all. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 150 Reade Street via Compass
From the listing: 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.
All images of 123 East 61st Street via Serhant
From the listing: This magnificent townhouse is in mint condition and was significantly upgraded from its original plans by the architect owner. It is comprised of four stories with four real bedrooms, three full bathrooms, two fireplaces, two terraces, and the ultimate amenity of your own private parking that sits on a rotating turntable! All this and the Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront practically at your doorstep! See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 169 Water Street via Halstead
From the listing: This iconic modernist residence designed by William Lescaze was completed in 1935 and commissioned by the prominent textile and WWII Distinguished Service Medal recipient Richard Kramer. The current ownership completed a gut renovation of the interiors both mechanically and cosmetically including the installation of an elevator in 2017. The home's original exterior and design have been preserved including Lescaze's stunning trademark glass brick window wall. There is an expansive use of glass windows on both facades, complemented by plenty of private outdoor space including a lower garden and roof terrace. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 32 East 74th Street via Compass
From the listing: Every inch of this Brooklyn townhouse has been meticulously planned and customized to provide the ultimate New York living experience. It had been constructed to Passive House standards with high-efficiency heating and cooling, superior purified air quality, and top-quality triple-paned windows which are certified to provide maximum thermal insulation as well as soundproofing. Features include 20' ceilings in the Great Room, custom kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, full-floor primary suite, full garden, and top-floor terrace. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 277 Greene Avenue via Compass
From the listing: This sophisticated single family townhouse has everything the current buyer needs to facilitate a luxurious home/work/school environment. An Elan smart home system allows you to adjust every specification from lighting to media to security from the touch of your phone, and wall iPads on the first and second floors are available to access the system. The open-concept chef's kitchen flows seamlessly into a large living/dining area with sliding doors leading to the private back patio. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 22 St. Felix Street via Compass
A truly distinctive modern townhouse and art studio with a large gated carport was built in 2007 by Standard Architects and then organically re-envisioned by Crawford Projects in 2015 as a glamorous 4,600-square-foot one-family home with three outdoor spaces including a terraced garden with a green wall, sizable balcony, and a huge roof deck with river and city views. Envisioned as an upside-down house so that the open kitchen and living spaces could best showcase the water and skyline views, this home has an organic layout that can be easily altered to accommodate many different lifestyles. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 107 South 4th Street via The Corcoran Group
Australian design firm Dixon Projects has used walls of glass, stairs of undulating brass and steel and the finest finish materials to turn this historic Upper West Side structure into a stunning next generation home. The restoration/renovation recognizes the history of this house by preserving the fabulous terracotta front facade, original iron entry door the charming arched mansard roof detail in the top floor. Everything else is brand new, which includes the elevator, chef's kitchen, radiant heated floors, Lutron lighting, and basement wine cellar and sauna. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 313 West 77th Street via Brown Harris Stevens
From the listing: 162 East 64th Street is a building with the power of changing the character of the whole block.
It blends sophistication with technology and globalization. With over 10,400 square feet, it transforms the environment, contrasting the old, the brief, with modernism.
The structural glass facade is in Vinoly's eyes the building's most distinctive feature. Furthermore, the curve implies a revolution on perspective, allowing for a wider visual angle from the inside.
The glass traveled from Germany to Spain where it acquired its characteristic curved shape and was later laminated multiple times.
It is a seven-story building with an elevator, constructed as a crescendo where each floor becomes more and more stunning. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 162 East 64th Street via Compass
From the listing: Nestled in the heart of the Greenpoint sits 87 Calyer Street, a 4,420-square-foot, turn-key, single-family townhouse with five private outdoor spaces. The home has been meticulously built from the ground up to create an idyllic single-family residence. The property features five bedrooms, four bathrooms, three powder-rooms, grand ceiling-heights throughout, a private garden, a top floor entertainment room with two private roof decks, and radiant heated floors throughout the whole property. Enjoy jaw-dropping views of the Manhattan skyline from the fifth floor of your Brooklyn oasis! See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 85 Calyer Street via Sotheby's International Realty
From the listing: In a prime location on West End Avenue and West 82nd Street, this landmarked building has been meticulously researched by Morris Adjmi Architects to restore McKim, Mead & White’s original vision for its exterior and offers every possible modern luxury: multiple bedrooms with ensuite baths + powder rooms, an endless swimming pool, theatre, library, stone fireplaces, game room, roof deck, and garden. The site can be built up to an estimated 8,500 square feet maximum. The property is offered “as is,” delivered completely vacant, with first phase design plans for redevelopment. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 471 West End Avenue via Corcoran
From the listing: Enjoy the best of both worlds by living in a full service, doorman building with the benefit of your own discrete entrance and private planted garden. The townhouse unit is a 7,000-square-foot home with a private two-car garage with direct access into the residence. This mansion-style 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath home is built out with custom designed steel staircases, marble floors, reclaimed wood flooring laid in a herringbone pattern, poured concrete columns and Venetian plaster walls throughout. See floor plan and full details here.
From the listing: One-of-a-kind, elegant and spectacularly designed four story, extra-wide townhouse that has been featured in The New York Times. Located on a discreetly quiet street in the best West Village neighborhood, this property is enhanced by access to the separate outdoor living areas, in addition to a private elevator and garage. The details and architectural features of this home are unsurpassed and all meticulously installed. See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 13 Leroy Street via The Modlin Group
From the listing: Featured in Alexander Gorlin's book, "Creating a New American Townhouse," 156 Reade Street is celebrated for its innovative elements that include a 1,100-foot underground pipe which maintains a constant 52-degree interior ground temperature all year round. State-of-the-art systems further optimize comfort throughout the entire residence, including a geothermal system that provides heat, AC and hot water, and an automatic water filtration system for clean drinking water. There's even a heated sidewalk to conveniently melt the ice and snow! See floor plan and full details here.
All images of 156 Reade Street via Douglas Elliman
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