8 Over-the-Top Amenities in NYC Luxury Apartments

New York City’s luxury apartments are in an ongoing race to outdo each other with luxury amenities, offering everything from vast wine cellars to bowling alleys to private pools

February 6, 2015, Emily Nonko

A new year of New York City real estate promises lavish (and sometimes mind-boggling) apartment amenities — for those who can afford it. In 2015, the highest-end condos will come outfitted with sparkling private pools — for each apartment, not just for the building — fragrant pet spas, soaring rock-climbing walls, bowling alleys, screening rooms and even virtual reality rooms (virtual golf is, not surprisingly, especially popular). But even if you don’t have the millions to secure an apartment in one of these buildings, some of these high-end perks have trickled down to affordable developments — at Hunters Point South in Long Island City, for example, a pet spa is slated for 2015. We explored New York City’s poshest developments to track down the most extravagant amenities for 2015 — here’s our roundup.

Rendering of an apartment at Soori Highline (Photo: Soori Highline)

Private poolsA sky-high pool for your own private use? It sounds like a fever dream in New York, where high land prices and complicated building codes keep developers from constructing them. But, there are some condos that are now offering them, like the Soori Highline, a 31-unit luxury condo under construction in Chelsea. Sixteen of the apartments will have private pools that span 23 to 26 feet long right in the living area, separated from the living room by a glass wall. The pools will be controlled by a heat-pump system to make sure the water doesn’t get too cold in the winter or too warm in the summer. Other new developments, like 10 Sullivan Street in SoHo, include a single private pool for the entire development — but it’s no ordinary pool. It costs $45 million and includes a waterfall, spa area, a solarium with a wet bar and a roof deck. In 2014, the Wall Street Journal called private pools “the latest weapon in the luxury high-rise arms race,” so you can count on developers continuing to go out of their way to include them.

Dog City at MiMA (Photo: MiMA)

Pet spasIt’s not just humans who are pampered in their luxury abodes. So are their pets. Pet spas are an increasingly common amenity, and some developments are taking it to a whole new level. Perfect example: the Silver Towers complex, on West 42nd Street. In late 2014, the building opened a 9,000-square-foot pet facility that includes cage-free daycare, so your furry friends can romp around to their heart’s delight, as well as overnight boarding, personalized dog walking, grooming and training services and boutique pet products. The Manhattan Skyline building on West 59th Street has its own private outdoor dog playground, and the MiMA rental tower in Midtown West has an all-inclusive pet complex dubbed “Dog City,” which includes a professionally staffed pet spa, indoor and outdoor play spaces, grooming facilities, vet services, dog walk and, adorably, pet play dates. Pet spas, which started out as a luxury amenity, are now also gaining popularity in other more affordable properties: The developers of the Hunters Point South rental complex in Long Island City will debut one when the building opens in late 2015.

Artist rendering of the wine cellar and tasting room in 47 Bridge Street building (Photo: AB Architekten)

Wine cellarsFine apartments pair well with fine wines. Many new luxury developments are now offering private wine cellars to residents. If you have $66 million dollars to spend, a penthouse apartment atop SoHo’s Puck Building includes its very own wine cellar. For a little less money, you’ll be able to find a development that keeps a private wine cellar for the building: At the new boutique condo at 47 Bridge Street, in Brooklyn, residents have access not only to a private wine cellar in the basement but also a chic, luxury tasting room with bench-style seating.

Screening room in the New York by Gehry Building (Photo: New York by Gehry)

Multimedia: virtual reality and screening roomsVirtual tennis, anyone? While virtual reality may seem like an “out there” amenity, it’s actually becoming more and more common in new developments. In 2014, the New York Times reported that there are now more than 100 NYC buildings that offer a virtual reality feature — most common, in a city without golf courses, are virtual golf simulators, but also popular are virtual tennis, ping pong and other sports. At a new Harlem development starchitect Bjarke Ingals is including a virtual reality room into the design.

And don’t forget about more traditional screening rooms, where residents never have to leave their building to watch a movie on the big screen. Some theaters, like the one in the New York by Gehry rental building near City Hall, have a sleek and modern design. The screening room at the LIC development 27 on 27th, however, looks more like a traditional mini movie theater. At the rental building 70 Pine, in FiDi, the movie theater will be located inside the building’s old bank vault.

Luxury digs like the ones at 30 Park Place offer accessory suites for home staff (Photo: 30 Park Place)

Staff suitesThese days, a buyer who shells out millions for an apartment is also likely to spend another million on a “staff suite.” Once known as “maid’s rooms,” these are essentially studio apartments that are increasingly being incorporated into new luxury developments. At 432 Park Avenue, the tallest residential building in the city, the developers said that one of the top requested amenities was staff suites. But, keep in mind: Though these apartments are designated for staff, they are the priciest studios you’ll find in the entire city. According to theNew York Times, the “accessory suites” at 30 Park Place start at $1.2 million. And at under-construction 520 Park Avenue, “guest suites” will set buyers back $1.45 to $1.57 million.

The rooftop ice skating rink at the Atelier (Photo: Atelier)

Stunning roof decks: ice skating rinks, fire pits and moreAn elegant roof deck is nothing special for developments these days. But in late 2014, the Atelier condo tower set the bar high after installing a 3,000-square-foot ice skating rink on its rooftop. The wrap-around rink (only open to residents) is open from November to March and has stellar views of the Hudson River and Empire State Building.

When the weather warms up, many New York City apartment roof decks come to life. The new rental QLIC, slated to open in Long Island City later this year, will have a rooftop pool with cabanas, lounge chairs and a killer views of the Manhattan skyline. Another LIC rental, 4545 Center Boulevard, has a roof deck with two tennis courts, a dog run, a lawn, a sand volleyball court and a reflecting pool. The 32nd floor of the Gotham West development on West 45th Street is decked out with a movie screen, a full bar set-up, lounge chairs, a lawn — and even a misting apparatus for hot days. And the MiMA tower comes with a giant landscaped deck with lounges, barbecue pits, a lawn, an outdoor movie theater and, for those who like to bathe al fresco, an outdoor shower.

The bowling alley at 15 Broad Street (Photo: Downtown by Starck)

Bowling alleysBowling alleys are still a fairly rare amenity, but keep an eye out for more to come: In 2015, there are private alleys slated for developments like 70 Pine, Essex Crossing and Extell’s Lower East Side tower. Residents of the Aldyn rental building on the Upper West Side have access to a private, two-lane bowling alley that’s even outfitted with a disco ball. The 15 Broad Street condo has a two-lane bowling alley as well.

The Aldyn rock wall (Photo: The Aldyn)

Over-the-top gymsMove over bland gyms that smell of sweaty socks.Luxury developments take their luxury gymsvery seriously. The Aldyn nabs first prize, with its 42,000-square-foot athletic complex with a game room, ping pong table, squash court, basketball courts and a two-level rock climbing wall. The under-construction rental at 605 West 42nd Street is gearing up to compete, and will include a 70,000-square-foot fitness center with both indoor and outdoor pools. Many of these building’s gyms also offer sauna and spa services; The Sheffield even has a “his and her” spa with sauna, steam rooms and massage rooms.