Duplexes

It's the perfect season to start drooling over garden apartments. This co-op apartment, at 110 Clinton Avenue in Clinton Hill, has a charming interior as well as a lovely, massive garden with plantings and a 70-year-old maple tree. In fact, we can't decide what we like better—the inside or the out. (Just wait until you see the laundry room.) The whole shebang is on the market for $895,000.
Check out the interior and exterior here

Distinctive Homes

May 13, 2015

$7.2M Tudor City Penthouse Boasts Amazing Gothic-Style Terraces

If you want an apartment that will truly bowl people over, and you have millions to spare, look no further than this penthouse unit at 5 Tudor City Place in Turtle Bay (h/t Curbed). Massive windows, soaring ceilings, and a private terrace with griffins and gargoyles will definitely impress. The seller is Gordon Bowen, founder of the big-time advertising firm mcgarrybowen. He's unloading his Don Draper-worthy penthouse to the tune of $7.2 million.
See the interior

Distinctive Homes

May 11, 2015

It’s Hard to Pick a Favorite Apartment at This Double Duplex in Boerum Hill

When it comes to multi-family townhouses, it's typical that the owner's floors look a whole lot more desirable than the units that will be listed for rent. Not so at this Boerum Hill townhouse at 355 Pacific Street. The house has undergone a renovation resulting in two very lovely duplex apartments. Picking favorites is going to be a lot harder than the new owner might expect. For the whole 3,440-square-foot property, it's asking $4.595 million.
See both duplex units after the jump

Distinctive Homes

April 28, 2015

Is the Third Time a Charm for This $40M Penthouse with Glass Floors and a Seven-Car Garage?

All it takes is one glance at this head-turner to see that it's pretty special. The 11,000-square-foot duplex features glass floors, floor-to-ceiling windows offering 360 degree views of the Hudson River and the city, and 5,200 square feet of outdoor space in the form of several terraces. The stunning penthouse has had a time of it on the market, first popping up in 2012 with an $80,000 a month price tag, and then reappearing in October 2014 asking $95,000 a month. Now it's trying its hand at the sales market for $39.8 million.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

April 10, 2015

UWS Brownstone Duplex with Private Terrace Asks $1.8 Million

If you can't afford the multi-millions it takes to buy a townhouse off Central Park West, this duplex at 132 West 78th Street may do the trick. Of course, the price is still significant with an ask of $1,795,000. But it's a smaller sum for a lovely, historic pad–the co-op takes up two floors of a brownstone, which is located on a block of even more gorgeous brownstones. And did we mention it's located less than a block away from the Museum of Natural History, and one block from Central Park?
Take a look around here

Distinctive Homes

April 9, 2015

Real Estate Legend and ‘Shark Tank’ Star Barbara Corcoran Buys $10M UES Penthouse

Barbara Corcoran, founder of the Corcoran Group and investor on the popular television show "Shark Tank," has snatched up a fittingly glamorous Upper East Side penthouse for $10 million with her husband, former FBI agent William Higgins, according to a report yesterday by the Post and city records released today. When we ogled the listing at back in October, the 11-room duplex at 1158 Fifth Avenue had just dropped its price to $9.95 million, having originally gone on the market in 2013 for $14.5 million. The sellers are interior and landscape designer Pamela Scurry and her husband Richard. Though the home is currently filled with antique furnishings and old-world details, the real selling point was likely the massive terrace, conservatory, and solarium overlooking Central Park.
Take a look around the stunning home here

April 2, 2015

Innocad’s Ultra-Modern Chelsea Penthouse Pays Homage to Marilyn Monroe

By Dana Schulz

The super-modern, asymmetrical building at 459 West 18th Street undoubtedly makes a statement in the Chelsea streetscape, but all those angles present a very untraditional interior composition. So when designing the penthouse, the architects at Innocad made a conscious decision to embrace the building's angled individuality, mixing European design and New York lifestyle to create a fresh atmosphere. They also added a very unexpected and subtle art piece that pays homage to Marilyn Monroe (can you spot it?).
Take a look around

March 27, 2015

$12M Duplex Designed by Robert Couturier Brings a Bit of Versailles to the Upper East Side

There's a beautiful four-bedroom duplex available at 953 Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, asking $12 million. The Robert Couturier-designed apartment seamlessly incorporates classic and contemporary styles while offering great views of the park. And it all starts with a private elevator entrance and a foyer with beautiful wood floor details.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

The High and Low: Two Cozy Brooklyn Heights Duplexes Battle It Out

115 Willow Street, $2.35 million (L); 108 Pierrepont Street, $575,000 (R)

March 19, 2015

The High and Low: Two Cozy Brooklyn Heights Duplexes Battle It Out

By Michelle Cohen

This freshly-listed, charming bi-level bolt-hole in prime Brooklyn Heights at 108 Pierrepont Street may be petite, but it's tucked into the same elegant neighborhood as the house-like duplex at 115 Willow Street, also new to the market, that's going for $2.35 million. Also in a beautiful, well-kept historic prewar building, with the same access to the Promenade, park and neighborhood highlights, the former rings in at a far-lower $575,000.
Compare and contrast these Brooklyn Heights duplexes with very different prices

Distinctive Homes

Rent Tyra Banks’s Massive Battery Park City Apartment for $50,000/Month

The listing doesn't specify if you'll have to walk the runway or strike a pose to be considered for the role of "America's Next Top Tenant," but if having Tyra Banks as your landlord sounds appealing, and if you have $50,000 a month to spare, be sure to check out the supermodel's Battery Park City pad, which just hit the rental market, according to the Daily News. The 7,000-square-foot Riverhouse condo was originally four separate units on the 22nd and 23rd floors, which Banks bought in 2009 for $10.3 million. In 2011, she angered neighbors with the "ear-rattling drilling" and paint fumes from the renovation, which lasted nine months longer than the expected completion date. Hopefully the new renter will be more in line with the low-key, eco lifestyle of the residence, which is known as the greenest residential building on the East Coast.
Find out more here

March 10, 2015

$2.25M Cobble Hill Brownstone Duplex with Cathedral Ceilings is Gorgeous at Any Angle

By Stephanie Hoina

The wonderfully tall cathedral ceiling running throughout this gorgeously renovated three-bedroom co-op in a mid-19th century brownstone at 222 Clinton Street in Cobble Hill will simply take your breath away, with every room in the home taking advantage of its lovely angles and big, beautiful skylights.
See every angle of this gorgeous home

Distinctive Homes

February 17, 2015

$2.7M Countrified Brooklyn Heights Pad Offers the Best of Both Worlds

If you like your city with a side of country, you’ll love this Brooklyn Heights duplex penthouse on Remsen Street, asking $2.675 million. This place is the definition of the best of both worlds: a city pad with a bucolic vibe, original details with modern technology, plus it’s spacious and has a private planted deck while still being close to transportation and neighborhood hot spots. Yes, this penthouse definitely earns the title of most well-rounded.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

February 13, 2015

Joseph D’Urso-Designed Penthouse in Gramercy Park Asks $3.4M

There’s a gorgeous new penthouse available at 215 East 22nd Street, right in the heart of coveted Gramercy Park. Interior designer Joseph D’Urso went for a minimalist industrial take on this duplex, which is part of the Gramercy Habitat condominium. And with rich wood to add warmth, this lofty $3.35 million condo is a surefire winner.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

February 6, 2015

Bask in Exquisite Finishes and Views for Days in This $20M East Asian-Inspired Penthouse

Brace yourself, because we’re about to take you on a tour of an MTV Cribs-worthy pad. This 3,600-square-foot duplex penthouse was purchased by a philanthropic millionaire named Drew Katz back in 2007. He and his wife paid $6.125 million for the fairly raw space, then brought in Cooper, Robertson & Partners architect Edward Siegel and designer Ernest de la Torre to create an East Asian-inspired abode so brilliant you almost can’t stare directly at it without burning your corneas. But what good is a life without risks? So let’s stare away at all of its glory.
Let's take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 3, 2015

Bruce Willis Is Back at It, Buys $17M Duplex at 271 Central Park West

Maybe we haven't seen Bruce Willis in a new movie in a couple of years because he's been too busy unloading and buying real estate in New York. First there was the $12 million, 22-acre buy in Bedford, then the $13 million sale of his El Dorado co-op, and now he's purchased a $17 million six-bedroom duplex at 271 Central Park West, just a few blocks away from the El Dorado digs and not too far from the unit he owned before that at Trump Place on Riverside Drive. Clearly Willis likes the Upper West Side, and it looks to us like he's having some fun climbing up the luxury-listing ladder.
Check out Willis's new pad here

February 3, 2015

Luxe Penthouse at the Carlton House Sells at a Discounted $52 Million

By Diane Pham

It's been a couple weeks since we've seen a sale break the $50 million mark, but lo and behold, the penthouse at Extell Development's Carlton House has just sold for $52 million. According to city records filed today, the top unit sold at a markdown, originally listed for $65 million back when it first hit the market in October 2013. The price cut, however, shouldn't discount what's inside. The six-bedroom, six-plus-bathroom, 8,988-square-foot Upper East Side duplex features a private outdoor roof space (there's 5,261 square feet of outdoor space in total), en-suite bathrooms in all the bedrooms and wrap-around terraces. The building itself also boasts quite an interesting backstory. It was originally designed in 1940 by Kenneth B. Norton, but not completed until 1950 as construction was halted during World War II. After purchasing the building in 2010, Extell hired Beyer Blinder Belle to convert the structure into condos. The job cost a reported $350 million and Extell's President Gary Barnett told The New York Times that the decision to preserve the building was “actually more expensive than if we tore the damn building down and built it again.”
Check out the floor plan here

Real Estate Trends

February 2, 2015

Charming Renovated Upper East Side Duplex Asks $2.5M

There’s a nice new Upper East Side duplex on the market, asking $2.5 million. This turn-of-the-century pad is on the fourth and fifth floors of 165 East 60th Street, and it has been “cautiously renovated,” making sure to maintain all of its old school charm such as beamed ceilings and hardwood floors even though it sports modern updates.
Take a look inside here

Distinctive Homes

January 28, 2015

Striking Duplex Penthouse in North Tribeca Asks $7.5 Million

If you’re looking to drop $7.5 million on a showstopper in a prime location, you’re going to love this North Tribeca duplex penthouse at 39 Vestry Street. The Jessica Shaw-designed home sets the bar high with a northern skylight climbing from 11 feet to 22 feet and covering the entire living and dining areas. And it only gets better from there.
More inside

Distinctive Homes

January 26, 2015

This Awesome $10.8M Soho Pad Will Make Your Head Swim

There’s an impressive new listing at 45 Greene Street in Soho’s Cast Iron District, asking $10.8 million. For that sum, you can get a two-bedroom duplex penthouse loft with 5,400 square feet of space, two terraces, and one of New York’s rarest and most treasured gems: a swimming pool. Do we have your attention now?
More pics here

Distinctive Homes

January 20, 2015

$4.8M ‘Duplex of Baronial Splendor’ Comes with a Dali Sketch on the Living Room Wall

By Stephanie Hoina

One look at this richly decorated Central Park West maisonette in The Atelier and you'll be swept away into a scene harkening back to 18th century Vienna where couples minuet across the floor to strains of Mozart playing softly in the background. Turns out your imagination wouldn’t bring you too far from the truth, as in recent years this home has become a beloved gathering place for artists and art lovers alike, attracting opera singers, conductors, musical soloists, cabaret entertainers, diplomats, artists, aristocrats, and movie celebrities. The annual Christmas parties given here are legendary, as are frequent dinners and musical soirées for up to 150 guests.
Feast your eyes on more of this exquisite home

January 16, 2015

Sportscaster Marv Albert’s Lincoln Square Penthouse Sells for $13M, $2M Less Than Initial Reports

Though it was originally reported that famed sportscaster Marv Albert sold his sprawling penthouse at 150 Columbus Avenue for $15 million, city records released today show that the 3,553-square-foot pad actually sold for $13 million after being listed in May. Marv and his wife, former ESPN producer Heather Albert, originally purchased the home in 1996 for $2.39 million, turning a pretty impressive profit in time for their move downtown to Tribeca.
Take a look inside here

December 19, 2014

MAD-Designed West Village Duplex Gets a Modern Update with a Cantilevered Staircase

By Rebecca Paul

Originally built in 1817, this West Village townhouse recently underwent a complete renovation by Matiz Architecture & Design (MAD). The transformation of this historic Bleecker Street duplex introduced custom millwork and a cantilevered wood stair as the focal point of the design. It also mixed the home's original features, like exposed brick, ceiling beams and wide-plank flooring with modern updates such as sleek countertops, whitewashed woodwork and contemporary art. By eliminating all full-height partitions and creating an open floor plan, the firm was able to make this space feel twice its size.
See what else this duplex has in store

December 10, 2014

Penthouse at Cary Tamarkin-Designed 456 West 19th Street Returns with Same $12M Asking Price

If this duplex penthouse at 456 West 19th Street were a movie buff it would probably quote Rose Dawson from Titanic, saying, “I’ll never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go…of my $11.75 million price tag.” Okay, so maybe we took a few creative liberties, but you get the point. In 2011, Code and Theory founder Brandon Ralph spent $6.8 million on the pad before turning around and attempting the ambitious flip. For roughly a year and a half, the unit sat on the market before finally withdrawing this past summer. Yet it returns, completely undeterred by its apparent misfortune. This condo knows its worth… and that number is $11.75 million. Why? For starters, it sits on the top half of the building, where its fluid curves set the entire building apart from the rest. Add to that soaring windows and seamless indoor/outdoor living and you have a winner right in the heart of the West Chelsea Arts District. Now, does that make it worth almost $12 million? We’ll let you decide.
Let's take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

December 9, 2014

Rosie O’Donnell Sells Chic Greenwich Village Penthouse for $9M