Real Estate Showcase Archive

A DOG'S LIFE
The $1,300 Louis Vuitton dog carrier is now officially passé. The new height of canine chic is approximately 50 feet. That is the altitude of the fifth-floor, 5,795SF dog run on the rooftop deck of 205 E. 59th St.

Landscape architect Thomas Balsley conceived this treat for wealthy canines. He believes most city public parks–of which he has designed many–are welcoming to children but not to dogs. “It’s a message that dog owners are not as important as parents and children,” he says.

His sky-high dog run will be outfitted with all kinds of things for well- heeled dogs to climb over and under, plus a rubberized surface that can be easily washed down. (Building management will provide maintenance backup for the super-exclusive run.) Buyers will pay approximately $1.5-$3 million for the luxury of living in this unique building with dog fringe benefits.

Balsley says he and his 12-year-old black lab companion Taj will not be moving in…“but we’ll come to play once in a while.”

MADISON AVENUE BARGAIN
Studio and 1BR hunters looking for a value should start their search at 244 Madison Ave. At least four are on the market in the stately cooperative building right now.

Brokers know 244 Madison for its 12FT ceilings and large sleeping lofts, as well as for its shared rooftop terrace.

Apartment 15E is an old-world studio with 515 SF of floor space and a 110SF loft. A parquet floor is under the new Berber carpet.

“It’s an open, airy, dramatic loft,” says Michelle Jacobson, the Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy agent listing the apartment. Best of all, the price has been reduced to $369,000 from $389,000. “It’s a great deal because it’s on a high floor and it’s got a lot of storage space,” says Jacobson.

Comparably priced apartments in prewar doorman buildings are hard to find in prime Manhattan locations. “You’re more likely to get a much smaller studio with a lot less storage,” Jacobson explains.

IF YOU LIKE THE iPOD
Most of the new $15-million, 7,800-square-foot townhouse at 37 Beekman Place will be left for its new owners to decorate and finish. However, being a food lover, the developer couldn’t resist planning every detail of its luxurious ground-floor California kitchen.

“He is an Italian with a taste for cooking, and he is making this his dream kitchen,” says Jack Byrne, the Century 21 William B. May vice president who is selling the home.

Byrne’s client is sparing no expense. The appliances are almost all oversized professional models. There will be a Viking six-burner, 48-inch gas range with 54-inch hood, both gas and electric ovens, a 42-inch Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Viking wine refrigerator and two dishwashers.

The island separating the kitchen from the dining area will have space for seating with an added bonus: while enjoying the East River views over morning coffee, the new owners can also bask in the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace.