Perfect Outdoor Spaces to
Spring Forward in the City
There's no better place than home to catch
some fresh air in privacy and style.
by E.J. KELLEY
Few urban amenities come more coveted than alfresco square footage—and after a long winter, there’s no better feeling than breaking cabin fever with some quality time outdoors. From towering rooftops to brownstone backyards, here are some of our favorite terraces, gardens, and patios from Corcoran® listings citywide.
Overall, there’s a lot to love about the Penthouse Solarium at the former Mrs. Armory S. Carhart Mansion—of no relation to, and a “t” short, of the timelessly-fashionable workwear brand. Augmenting two levels and 7,140 square feet of lavish interior are another 5,290 square feet of elegant exterior space distributed across five terraces, including this sensational rooftop court flanked by robust doric columns. A 21st century remodel of the residence, one of just four condominiums in the iconic Carnegie Hill edifice, earned architect John Simpson the 2007 Palladio Award for “Outstanding New Classical Work in an Urban Setting.”
Provenance well transcends the walls of this penthouse duplex at The Stanhope, the iconic Rosario Candela-designed apartment house located directly across Fifth Avenue from The Met and Central Park. Beyond the home’s nearly 7,000 sumptuous square feet inside, you’ll find multiple levels of enchanting gardened terraces conceived by the late, legendary landscape architect Madison Cox, lauded among the most influential exterior designers of our time.
The address alone of this seven-bedroom, single-family townhouse carries a reputation that precedes it. It should therefore come as little surprise the gracious 33-foot-wide neo-Georgian manse, boasting more than 8,500 square feet of unmatched Manhattan luxury, is dressed to impress both inside and out. At ground-level, the home’s garden and dining rooms lead to a south-facing terrace, overlooking the great lawn and noble Magnolia of the adjacent, private Sutton Square Garden—directly accessible via wrought iron gate. Crowning it all is a swoon-worthy roof deck with an outdoor kitchen. Did we mention the balcony in between?
In a game of Monopoly, buying Park Place often proves a winning strategy when there’s a hotel on the property—and truth be told, the reality here isn’t much different. Stacked above the Four Seasons Downtown, this penthouse at the serviced residences-portion of the Robert A.M. Stern-designed tower boasts a grand double-height loggia soaring 78 stories above Lower Manhattan, with eye-level skyline views of the Financial District and across New York Harbor. Mix a drink in the wet bar, located in the library, and wander out to your personal box seat at the top of the world.
Few neighborhoods can rival the alfresco offerings of Carroll Gardens, where true to its name, many residents enjoy sizable front and backyards. This sleek duplex in a five-level, four-bedroom brownstone truly perfects the art of indoor-outdoor living in an enviably private setting for a three-unit building. The garden level opens through a glass door to this bucolic suburban-like oasis, resplendent with planted flower beds, a bluestone dining patio, and a custom-built playhouse. Adding to that, it’s all just a single flight down from the parlor-level deck above.
We can’t sell you the Brooklyn Bridge, but this swoon-worthy panorama of Emily Roebling’s iconic crossing is certainly the next best thing (not to mention the significantly more palatable monthly maintenance costs). This 20 x 16-foot private roof deck tops an industrial-chic elevator duplex in what is perhaps the neighborhood’s most central residential building—both Grimaldi’s and the DUMBO ferry landing are right out the door, with Brooklyn Bridge Park right there with it. You’ll be able to enjoy similar views indoors through five oversized south and west-facing windows, complemented by double-height exposed brick walls, an original wood-burning Olympic stove, and cross-braced timber ceilings held aloft by cast iron columns.
With outdoor space on four of its five levels, this North Slope townhouse, nestled on a tree-lined block near the Boerum Hill border, is is a breath of fresh air in every possible respect. Transformed by SoHo’s Curious Yellow Design, the home’s loft-like interior synchronizes harmoniously with its southward-facing back garden, double-height Ipe decks on the first and second floors, and a zen-like roof terrace off the primary bedroom. All but the latter are connected, making for an outdoor wonderland that simply can’t be topped—though what is, in fact, topping it is seen above.