In many elevator buildings, residents typically board the elevator, select their floor, and walk a short distance to their front door. However, some buildings offer a more exclusive feature: elevators that open directly into the apartment. This amenity is often referred to as a key-locked elevator. The mechanism requires residents to insert a key corresponding to their specific floor instead of pressing a floor button. Only then will the elevator transport them to their designated floor. This system also allows residents to send the elevator to the lobby to bring up guests or service professionals directly.
While safety is a common concern for those unfamiliar with this feature, key-locked elevators are highly secure, as the keys only provide access to the specific unit they are assigned to. Additionally, the elevator will not operate without the appropriate key, providing an extra layer of security, particularly in buildings without door staff. While traditional keys remain common, some modern buildings have adopted advanced technologies such as key cards, keypads with unique codes, and even fingerprint access.
In this article:
It's important to distinguish between "private" and "key-locked" elevators, terms that are sometimes used interchangeably in listings but refer to different features. Private elevators are separate from the main building elevators, typically serving a single unit, often the penthouse, with stops at the lobby, the apartment, and any intermediate amenity spaces. In contrast, key-locked elevators serve all units in the building, but residents' keys only provide access to their specific apartments.
Historically, key-locked elevators have been most common in converted industrial loft buildings with one or two units per floor. However, many new developments, including 142Flatiron, Novum W26 in Chelsea, and 611 West 56th Street in Midtown, are incorporating this direct elevator entry feature.
Active full-floor apartment listings with direct entry
234 East 35th Street, #3 (Compass)
1251 Pacific Street, #2A
$1,199,000 (-4.1%)
Crown Heights | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,000 ft2
1251 Pacific Street, #2A (Compass)
23 East 20th Street, #3 (Corcoran Group)
419 East 84th Street, #PH (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Commodore, #B (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Morningside Park, #2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
249 West 29th Street, #15thFloor (Sothebys International Realty)
The Woodpoint, #2 (Serhant LLC)
256 West 88th Street, #PARLOR
$1,950,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 1 Bedroom, 2 Baths | 1,130 ft2
256 West 88th Street, #PARLOR (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
658 Washington Avenue, #2
$1,995,000
Prospect Heights | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,340 ft2
658 Washington Avenue, #2 (Nest Seekers LLC)
232 South 2nd Street, #PH (Corcoran Group)
The Westerley, #3 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
298 East 2nd Street, #6 (Compass)
Novum W26, #8 (Compass)
30E31, #18 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
265 East Houston Street, #4
$2,495,000
Lower East Side | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,400 ft2
265 East Houston Street, #4 (Hauseit LLC)
524 Halsey Street, #TH2
$2,500,000
Bedford-Stuyvesant | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 2,871 ft2
524 Halsey Street, #TH2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
214 East 70th Street, #1 (Irvine Realty Group Inc)
28 Cliff Street, #4 (Serhant LLC)
52 Park Avenue, #PH (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
142Flatiron, #TH (Compass)
611 West 56th Street, #10
$4,350,000 (-22.3%)
Midtown West | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths | 3,289 ft2
611 West 56th Street, #10 (Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
The 74, #FL24 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Whitman Mansion, #2
$12,995,000
Flatiron/Union Square | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 6+ Baths | 4,967 ft2
The Whitman Mansion, #2 (Sothebys International Realty)
Baccarat Hotel & Residences, #1819BC
$24,995,000
Midtown West | Condominium | 5 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths | 4,505 ft2
Baccarat Hotel & Residences, #1819BC (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
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?