Taking A Splash On The Wild Side

I recently had a client with a rare stipulation for a New York City residence: He insisted that whatever building I found for him must have a pool. This is not a request I receive every day, so it got me thinking. After some research, what I discovered may surprise you.

As it turns out, Manhattan offers an astonishing array of private pools with residency. These include both apartment buildings and townhouses, located either on the roof or somewhere else in the building. Many offer year-round swimming. Some, believe it or not, even offer saltwater pools.

We all know it can get brutally hot in the city during the summer months. The asphalt practically melts, concrete reflects shimmering heat, it’s difficult to breath, and we’re entirely soaked before we arrive at our destination.

Considering all of the above, does anything sound more refreshing than being able to plunge into the cool water of a private pool… right in your own building?  A place to luxuriously soak away the day’s heat and urban stresses?  Or, conversely, start your day off with a brisk swim to get the blood flowing and the mind calmly set?

I’m actually surprised this amenity isn’t more of a demand from New York City residential buyers.

Especially since so many can’t wait to flee the city on the weekends in search of cooler temperatures, the healing effect of water and to escape the wilting, stifling heat! Each week, starting on Thursday, a mass exodus occurs to Fire Island, the Hamptons, Westchester, Connecticut, and other points featuring pools and the ocean. In certain parts of the city, you can practically roll a bowling ball down the streets and not hit a single soul.

So why not have a piece of country in the city?

Hidden on rooftops and the inner-most recesses of buildings all over the city, are a myriad of swimming pool options. One wouldn’t think that a city constructed of bricks, steel, limestone and mortar would possess so many pools. But, as it turns out, there’s an abundance of watery riches.

So now that I’ve tantalized you with the idea of having access to your own pool, you’re probably thinking: “How do I know where pools are in New York? I certainly can’t see any!”

In order to give you an idea of the diversity of options, I’ve prepared a comprehensive list of over 80 properties that include a pool as a posh amenity. I’ve also broken them down by neighborhood. (Interestingly, the majority of pools in the city exist on the Upper East Side.)

If interested, I would be happy to send along my full list which includes dozens of properties ranging from condos to single family homes, to you. In the meantime, here’s a look at the neighborhoods where pools can be found. Battery Park, Beekman Place, Tribeca, Soho, Chelsea, Clinton, Murray Hill, East Greenwich Village, Greenwich Village, West Greenwich Village, Flatiron, Gramercy Park, Turtle Bay, Sutton Place, Midtown West, Upper West Side, Upper East Side and Harlem

And, here’s the thing: If you think pools only exist in high-rise buildings, they’re also a part of individual townhouses. Here are just a few:

•        40 Mercer Street (Asking price: $13.9 million)

•        214 Lafayette Street (Current Rent: $80,000/month)

•        522 West 29th Street (Asking price: Not yet listed)

•        An 11-story luxury condo in Chelsea, called the Soori High Line, includes numerous pool options. Out of the 27 luxury condos, 16 will have their own heated, outdoor swimming pools from between 25′ to 9′ wide.

•        51 Walker Street (a 50-foot wide pool in a Tribeca townhouse)

•        45 East 74th  (Sale price: $26M;  An enormous travertine saltwater pool)

If you’d like to discuss any of these properties, or the possibility of working some water into your NYC residency in the future, please reach out to me!