Above the Penthouse: 5 Envious Rooftop Houses

While Penthouses in New York are usually considered prime real estate, there is a new trend hitting the city. Several rooftop homes have popped up on top of buildings throughout the five boroughs, adding an interesting addition to the real estate landscape. In New York City, if you glance up every once in a while, you might just spot one of these five roof-top homes.

Three Buildings on Broadway

On top of an eight-story apartment building on Varick and West Broadway sits an interesting spectacle.  Three structures sit on top of the 100-year-old building. It may be three separate houses or it’s just as likely it’s one main home with two sheds or outbuildings. The structures seem better suited on a plot in Kansas than a rooftop building on Broadway, but no one ever said rooftop homes were conventional. The homes were built in 2008, but little else is known, although there is much speculation, about the rooftop homes.

Brick Chimney Home

On top of the four-story building on 13^th and 3^rd sits a home, donned with a brick chimney, that spans the entire length of the building. The clapboard-style home may seem like a rooftop addition but is actually its own residence completely. There also seems to be a patio adorned with trees and shrubs. The home has very few windows except for two in the front of the home and a small circular window on the side.

The Ski Chalet

Look up halfway between 77^th and 78^th street and for a second you might think you’re in Aspen, Colorado. On top of the building sits a house closely resembling a ski chalet. Designed by architect, Andrew Tesoro, this home was created because of zoning laws that would not let him expand his home out to his terrace. Since there weren’t any rules preventing him from building up, that’s exactly what he did.

East Village Bungalow

On the corner of East 1^st Avenue and East 1^st Street sits a rather odd sight. Perched on the top of a building is a Cape Cod style home topped with a weathervane. Not much is known about this rooftop bungalow except that it has two-story bay windows, which should overlook the beach or the ocean, but instead looks over the East Village.

Eighth Avenue, Chelsea

Peering over Eighth Avenue is a box-like home with patio furniture inevitably to watch over Chelsea. The home is windowless except for the sliding glass doors that walk out on to its patio. Better yet, this small home is pink of all colors and has a checkered pattern on the front of the house. It almost looks like a cross between a dollhouse and a 1950s diner.

While most of the stories behind these homes are unknown, they certainly add some flavor to the city. Most of the homes seem odd or out-of-place, but of course, a house situated on a roof of another building would probably never be considered conventional regardless. Perhaps this will be the newest trend in real estate in New York City.