The Most Jaw Dropping Amenities in NYC Luxury Buildings
It's official: luxury homes in NYC have gone full Real Housewives meet Bond lair… at least when it comes to their amenities. NYC luxury amenities are becoming so lavish that even Rockefeller would be impressed - all in an effort to get the very well heeled in the door.
"When it comes to real estate and you’re a developer, how do you grab headlines? How do you reach pricing benchmarks that have never been reached before?" says Ryan Kaplan, founder of The Kaplan Team Private Client Advisors and a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker and StreetEasy Expert. "Like so many things in life, it's about innovation… look at our iPhones: the cameras keep getting better each time [a new generation comes out]."
NYC luxury amenities are no different. We chatted with real estate pros to get a peek into the wild world of New York's most over-the-top amenities. Reader beware: you may experience envy ahead.
Wellness That's 'Extra'
If your building doesn't offer IV drips on demand, is it even luxe? And that's only the tip of the wellness iceberg. "One of the most unique things that I’ve seen was at the Waterline Square complex, which is on the Upper West Side border with Lincoln Square," says Kaplan. "They had a communal garden underground and you had all of this produce that was being nurtured by synthetic sunlight or something. So if you were making dinner for that night, you could go down to the complex's underground garden and get fresh vegetables or fruit for your cooking, which was very cool." That's one luxury amenity that would even appeal to Gwyneth Paltrow.
Five-Star Hotel Living, Minus the Check-Out Time
Iconic heiress Eloise may have lived large with her nanny at The Plaza Hotel in Kay Thompson's 1955 book, but even she would be delighted by all the new five star hotel-level perks that are now available in luxury NYC residences. "There’s a couple major buildings that have private restaurants in them, which is very cool because it turns your home into a hybrid almost private club where you can entertain and bring someone to a restaurant, whether it’s a business meeting or a social outing… that they wouldn’t be able to get into otherwise unless they were also owners of the building," says Kaplan. And yes, before you ask: "Some of them do have room service, essentially," he notes.
Geoffrey Gottlieb, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson for The Gottlieb Team with Christie’s International Real Estate Group and StreetEasy Expert, touts Club 111 at Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street. Residents of the property get "daily complimentary breakfast by Le Bilboquet, along with exclusive in-residence dining and catering options," Gottlieb says.
Ever want to check into the Four Seasons Hotel and never leave? Kaplan has a solution for that, too. "I’m currently marketing one of the penthouses at 30 Park Place in Tribeca, which is the ultimate, because the top, call it third or half of the building are these very high-end condos in Tribeca, but the bottom is the Four Seasons Hotel." Translation: "You get all of the hotel amenities even though you’re [at home]," Kaplan says. "So if you want to call and get room service or call maid service to clean your apartment or room service from the Wolfgang Puck restaurant downstairs," you can. "It’s truly living in a five star hotel and having those kinds of services at your discretion."
Manhattan Homes Under $1M On StreetEasy Article continues below
The Gilded Age 2.0
Cheers to living like Jay Gatsby - but with better HVAC. Some towers are basically private clubs disguised as apartments. Another of Gottlieb's favorites: Central Park Tower at 217 West 57th Street.
"It is the tallest residential tower on the planet, with stunning benchmark-setting finishes," he says. "It features The Central Park Club, with nearly 50,000 square feet of elite, hotel-inspired amenities and services. The club is designed to accommodate every type of celebration and social gathering, offering an exceptional array of amenities - including a 60-foot outdoor swimming pool and a stylish cabana deck. Soaring 1,000 feet above the city sits the highest grand ballroom and private restaurant ever constructed in New York. The corner sky lounge offers an intimate wine cellar and cigar humidor. Residents are treated to Michelin-star dining overlooking Central Park." It's less pied-à-terre, more palace in the sky - with 24-hour white glove concierges to match.
Brooklyn Homes Under $1M On StreetEasy Article continues below
Playgrounds for Grown-Ups
In addition to its indoor produce garden, the Waterline Square Complex is home to among the most substantial luxury amenity packages Kaplan has seen in the city, he says. "They have room for a lot of things, including a half-pipe for skateboarding and an influencer room: a room designated for people to film content, whether it’s podcasts or TikToks or Instagram Reels." Not to mention the bowling alley; indoor tennis, squash, and basketball courts; recording studio complete with musical instruments; and much more.
In short, it's now very possible to invest in so much more than square footage, but an entire lifestyle. Private wellness sanctuaries, chef's kitchens in the clouds, jazz clubs on standby… luxury amenities are all part of the package. The rest of us? We'll just be here scrolling StreetEasy, manifesting in-unit laundry and a doorman who says hi.
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