An interesting thing happened to homes with swimming pools over the initial year of the pandemic. Prior to Covid-19’s onset, houses featuring in-ground pools sold for an estimated $16,137 more than those lacking the coveted feature. A year later, following the move outdoors during the pandemic’s darkest months, houses with in-ground pools commanded $27,199 more than those without. That jump amounted to a surge of 69%, according to HomeLight’s Top Agent Insights Survey for Spring 2021.
Developers of urban residential towers must have taken notes, because the rooftop pool has become the newest in-demand amenity. A trio of recently unveiled New York City properties with open-air rooftop swimming pools – The Westly, Brooklyn Point and The Brooklyn Tower –demonstrate the allure of pools as crowning features.
The Westly
A number of new New York City developments are looking to lure buyers by offering them a refreshing summertime dip atop the building. Prominent among them is a boutique condominium called The Westly, said to offer the only rooftop pool on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Being developed by Adam America Real Estate and Northlink Capital and designed by ODA, the building at 251 West 91st Street offers a glamorous Deco-inspired pool with an awe-inspiring view of Manhattan. Owners of The Westly’s 52 two- to five-bedroom residences priced from $2.6 to $13.5 million will also be able to access recreational and lounge areas atop the 20-story building.
The Brooklyn Tower
Developed by JDS Development Group, The Brooklyn Tower at 9 DeKalb will stand next to the historic Dime Savings Bank building. Conveniently, the latter’s roof will serve as an outdoor amenity space for its neighbor. Within that space SHoP Architects is placing a swimming pool partially encircling the ornate Guastavino dome that serves as the crowning glory of the Dime Savings Bank Building. Because this condominium will be Brooklyn’s tallest tower upon its completion, swimmers are sure to savor amazing 360-degree views of surrounding Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline.
Brooklyn Point
Developed by Extell and designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, this 68-story condominium tower at 1 City Point in Downtown Brooklyn offers bragging rights to residents who love boasting about their pools. That is the highest infinity pool in the Western Hemisphere. Cooling off more than 680 feet in the air will allow swimming homeowners unobstructed views of the New York cityscape and surrounding waterways. Outdoor showers, open- air dining and outdoor movie screenings are additional elements of this tranquil setting.
The buildings above don’t have the market cornered on rooftop pools. Read on to learn about other New York City structures letting residents take the plunge.
One South First
An address on Williamsburg’s award-winning Domino Park is among the numerous upsides of life at Brooklyn’s One South First. Developed by Two Trees Management, the luxury community offers a rooftop pool with awesome views of the engineering wonder that is the Williamsburg Bridge, as well as more distant Manhattan.
Brooklyn Crossing
Another spectacular vantage point on Brooklyn, this one over Barclays Center, is one afforded to residents at 51-story-tall Brooklyn Crossing’s rooftop pool. Developed by the Brodsky Organization and Greenland USA, the apartment building surrounds its pool with the 26,000-square-foot Sky Lounge and garden-laden outdoor terrace.
Magnolia DUMBO
Residents of this Brooklyn luxury rental building, designed by Morris Adjmi Architects and represented by Douglas Elliman Marketing Group, can savor more than 100,000 square feet of amenities stretching across multiple tiers. Among those amenities is Magnolia Club, a sumptuous retreat that features a rooftop swimming pool, resort deck and scintillating perspectives on nearby bridges and skyline.