New york is full of variety, and the real estate is no exception. There’s a lot to consider when choosing what type of building you want to live in. Sure, it’s good to keep an open mind when you’re first starting to look for a new apartment, but having a general idea of what type of living situation works best for you and targeting your search to buildings that meet that criteria will save time and energy. Here’s a rundown of terminology you’ll often hear used to describe NYC buildings and what they really mean:
Full-Service
A full service building will have a 24-hour doorman, porters, resident manager and, most-likely, a concierge.
White Glove
A white glove building is a full service building with a 5 star hotel’s level of service.
Doorman
This simply means there is a doorman on duty at some part of the day (it may be just weekday evenings, for example.) Be sure to check the doorman’s hours if this is important to you.
Attended Elevator
There are a few small pre-war buildings in New York that still have manually operated elevators. In these cases, the elevator is operated by an attendant who usually also functions as the doorman.
Elevator Building
This means the building has – you guessed it! — an elevator. Generally speaking, buildings simply described as “elevator building” are on the smaller side compared to full-service, and they don’t have a doorman. They may, however, have a live-in super who can accept packages, etc., for residents.
Virtual Doorman
A virtual doorman is door security that is run by an off-site company. Visitors to a building with a virtual doorman will usually press a button by the door that rings the off-site company. Visitors will then converse on camera with the off-site doorman who can then grant entry after confirming it’s ok with the resident.
Walk-up
Walk-up buildings do not have elevators or a doorman, and few have a live-in super. Most have a part-time super who lives off-site who helps with general maintenance of the building and common spaces.
Pre-War
Pre-war buildings were built prior to World War II. Typical characteristics of pre-war apartments are high, beamed ceilings; crown moldings; arched doorways; hardwood floors; spacious foyers and thick plaster walls. Most pre-war buildings are co-ops, but there are a few pre-war condos out there.
Post War
Post-war buildings general cover anything built after World War II up until 2000 or so. Post-war buildings tend to be more affordable than pre-war buildings or very new construction. While they often have rather plain, cookie-cutter layouts and features, many post-war buildings do have amenities like laundry rooms and fitness centers.
Townhouse or Brownstone
Particularly in Brooklyn, you may find a whole single-family townhouse or a smaller apartment that is located within a townhouse or brownstone. In this case, the houses (generally 5 floors) are legally broken into smaller units. Normally, each apartment encompasses 1 or 2 floors of the house. Apartments in a townhouse tend to have at least two exposures and usually have pre-war details and often garden access.
New Construction
New construction refers to anything built during the most recent (post-2000) construction boom in NYC. These buildings normally have amenities like fitness rooms and landscaped roof decks and apartments focus on design details like floor-to-ceiling windows and open kitchens. Most also have in-unit washer/dryers.
Now that you have a clear idea of what types of buildings and apartments are available in New York, you can make an informed decision about what type of NYC building will suit you best, based on your lifestyle and budget. Happy apartment hunting!