Life Can Actually Be a Beach in New York City After All

Rooftop swimming pools with views, ice baths and hot tubs are the water-centric amenities home buyers have come to expect today in many of New York luxury buildings—but a handful now possess a perk that may be the most covetable of them all: beach access.

Yes, in the heart of the concrete jungle, it really is possible to find beachside housing thanks to a collection of new developments built on or near the water, whether it’s man-made or natural.

Take The Keller at 150 Barrow, a residential condominium slated to be completed by the end of this year in the West Village. The building, with homes starting at $2.59 million, is situated along the new Gansevoort Peninsula, a 5.5-acre riverfront park that will be home to a stretch of sandy beach where residents can bask in the sun and enjoy the water views. Playing volleyball on the sand and renting kayaks will also be options. North of the beach, the park will have a lawn and seating area as well as a large sports field and salt marsh habitat.

“We knew that this park was in the works, and it was a motivation for us to build The Keller here,” said Jared Epstein, a principal at Aurora Capital, the building’s developer. “The views and access to the water and the beach has been a huge selling point and a primary marketing tool for us.”

Astoria West, a new 534-unit rental development in Queens that’s alongside the East River’s Cove Beach, is another example. Residents, who pay anywhere from $3,600 to $7,000 a month, can walk out of the building’s rear entrance directly onto the sandy beach and often spend the entirety of their day there during warmer months, according to Craig Wood, the founder of Cape Advisors, the building’s developer.

“They park themselves with umbrellas, beach chairs and towels, and read. Some even take picnic lunches,” he said. “Virtually every resident appreciates the beach—it’s why they live here.”

That’s the case for Katie Seaman, a tenant at Astoria West who is a doctor at Mt. Sinai and rents a one-bedroom apartment with her husband Tom Metzger and their German Shepard, Jake.

“The view of the beach from our apartment is a big draw,” she said. “Jake loves running around on the sand, and we love sitting on the beach and drinking a bottle of wine. Living in New York, it’s cool to be able to say that we have access to a beach, and it’s not common for sure.”

This kind of outdoor access is among the most highly desirable features in a New York apartment today, according to Corcoran real estate agent Mark Martov.

“On a nice summer day, you feel like you’re in Miami. It’s this idyllic life,” he said. “Who needs a fancy cold plunge pool when you have the real thing right there in your backyard?” Man-built beaches like the one at Gansevoort Peninsula aside, Mr. Martov added that natural versions of these shorelines have long existed in New York. “Developers are finally starting to take advantage of these beaches by building their projects on or near them,” he said.

On the flip side, buyers and renters should be aware that beachside living raises a slew of questions, especially about the water itself, according to Coldwell Banker Warburg agent Gerard Splendore.

“You need to consider if the water is clean, if there are concession stands that may lead to trash,  if there are rules and how they will be enforced, plus who pays for the upkeep,” he said.

For many, however, the pros outweigh the cons, Mr. Splendore said. “It’s like you’re always on vacation and never have a need to leave where you live,” he said.

Ben Katzenstein, who works in finance and rents at One South First, located in Williamsburg next to Domino Park, knows the feeling. The frequent beachgoer said that the forthcoming River Ring development next to his building, where a 500-foot-long public sandy beach will be the showpiece, is an incentive for him to continue living where he is.

“I love the beach and am so excited that one is coming to my neighborhood,” he said. “It makes my wife and me want to establish roots here and maybe rent an apartment at River Ring.”

One South First’s developer, Two Trees, is behind the 4-acre waterfront project, slated to debut its first building and the beach in 2028. In addition to the beach, it will feature a park and two towers designed by the architect Bjarke Ingels. Pricing for River Ring hasn’t been made public, but studio apartments at One South First for around $3,300 a month.

David Lombino, a managing director at Two Trees, said that River Ring will provide renters with beach chairs and umbrellas; they will also be able to rent paddleboards and kayaks, and the sand will be lined with concession stands. “We wanted to offer New Yorkers a chance to get really up close with the water, and only a beach can do that,” he said.

While not in New York City, The Beach, an aptly named luxury rental building in Newport, New Jersey, is just a PATH ride away and does have Manhattan views. More fittingly, it features access to Newport Green, a 4-acre landscaped park with the only sandy urban beach on the Hudson River, according to the park’s website. Newport Green’s other amenities include outdoor ping-pong tables, a carousel, walking paths and several playgrounds.

Shawn Murphy, a sales manager for a technology company, lives in a one-bedroom in the building with his wife, Colleen, and said that the beach is an amenity that they fully take advantage of. “There are permanent umbrellas here, and during nicer weather, they bring out lounge chairs. Colleen and I go at least once a week during the summer and unwind with wine and a picnic meal,” he said. “The beach was the selling point when we were deciding where to rent and now that we have it, I am not sure how we could ever do without it.”

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