In the weeks since November 13, when a certain online giant announced that it would make Long Island City its second home, Queens has stepped into the real estate limelight. Naturally, mod condos in LIC (already pretty closely price-aligned with similar pads in Manhattan) have attracted the most attention, but Amazon fever has brought new eyeballs to neighborhoods all across NYC’s biggest borough — including diminutive Belle Harbor, on the sunny ribbon of land between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic, where we discover our picture-perfect home of the day: 156 Beach 134th Street.
The home sits just half a block from the sand, and its outdoor spaces — including a second-floor terrace off the master suite — will ensure you never forget it.
If it isn’t obvious from the street address, this ravishingly appointed three-bedroom townhouse, complete with a two-car garage and finished full basement, is all about the beach. The home sits just half a block from the sand, and its outdoor spaces — including a second-floor terrace off the master suite — will ensure you never forget it. On the main floor, a formal parlor and dining room balance an easygoing great room, whose French doors lead to a prim and pretty backyard. The kitchen is classically styled with Clive Christian cabinetry, Calacatta Gold Honed marble countertops, and Franke sinks and faucets, and fitted with chef-worthy appliances by Miele, Sub-Zero, and Wolff.
But 156 Beach 134th Street offers something greater than the sum of its admittedly fine parts. The community of Belle Harbor — occupying just fifteen blocks by four blocks — feels a world removed from the thrum of the big city, particularly during the warmer months, when the salty allure of the Rockaways’ beaches is irresistible. Even so, the commute to Manhattan is hardly the longest of hauls: Residents enjoy free passage over the Cross Bay Bridge (it’s a 90-minute drive to Midtown), and the nearby Rockaway ferry offers 15 daily departures and a 50-minute cruise to Wall Street ($2.75 each way or $121 for a 30-day adult pass).
Priced at $2,250,000, 156 Beach 134th Street is represented by Corcoran agent Kelly Neinast.
