Lucky Family Lives in a Cabin with a Meadow…on the Roof of Their West Village Building
Photo by George Steinmetz via Gothamist
Most New Yorkers looking for a bit of suburban living move to areas of Brooklyn like Ditmas Park that offer free-standing houses with yards, or they abandon ship altogether and pack it in for Jersey or Westchester. But this lucky family fulfilled their country dreams–complete with a cottage and attached porch, green meadow, and stone garden walkway–without leaving the island of Manhattan.
Located at 719 Greenwich Street, in the heart of the West Village, this bucolic dwelling isn’t visible from the street. Instead, you’ll need to take a helicopter ride to scope it out, which is exactly how photographer George Steinmetz discovered this one-of-a-kind rooftop paradise.
Steinmetz shared his findings with Gothamist who did a little digging and found that the rooftop was featured in the New York Times in 2006. After meeting with the owners, the Times reported that “the porch is basically a glorified bulkhead over a hole punched in the ceiling of the family’s loft to make way for a nautical stairway that rises to a landing with a galley-like kitchenette, with two paned windows and a door that opens to the roof. Now, the couple don’t have to leave the city to hear the slam of a screen door, or watch a flock of mourning doves pecking for insects and seeds across the meadow.”
The couple was inspired by a trip to Elk Lake, Pennsylvania, and after deciding to create their very own rural enclave smack in the middle of New York City, they hired architect and friend Lawrence Tobe to make it happen at a time before green roofs were all the rage. To see even more of the amazing rooftop, check out this video:
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