226 E. 95th Street, Apt. 506
One bedroom, one bathroom
$580,000
Monthly Maintenance: $898
UPPER EAST SIDE — An unexpected perk greeted prospective buyers looking at this one-bedroom, one-bathroom co-op on a quiet Yorkville Street at Saturday's open house: a cooler of Swedish beers and a grill with smoked brisket on the roof deck boasting impressive views of the area.
Though charmed by these amenities, some seemed wary whether they outweighed an ongoing neighborhood inconvenience — namely, Second Avenue subway line construction about a half a block away.
"So what's going on with that?" a 29-year-old medical student asked agent Jack Spencer, of Stribling & Associates, who was showing the property.
"Has it been like that for a long time? Is it going to be done soon?," the student asked.
Spencer told the woman and her friend, a broker helping her navigate the real estate market, that the project would likely be completed within a few years.
The $4.45 billion first phase of the mega-subway project, which will extend the Q line from East 63rd up to East 96th street, is expected to be completed by December 2016, MTA officials have said.
Spencer told them that construction most impacted nearby businesses but couldn't be heard from the building.
So, the women continued on with their visit, commenting on the extensively rehabbed co-op's many cute quirks.
"Does this work?" they asked of the wood-burning fireplace, to which Spencer replied, "Yes."
He also explained that the kitchen's concrete countertops had been poured by the current owners.
All of the renovations — including the cabinets — had been completed by the owners themselves, with special attention to aesthetics and safety. The cedar wall paneling in the living room, for instance, came from discarded pallets found outside a nearby high school.
Other custom-made flourishes included a DIY iPod wall mount, child-safe lofted bed, and recovered cedar paneling. And the sleeping area featured a small gate, so that the owners' child could not wander out of bed and tumble down the spiral staircase, which was flanked with bookshelves.
These touches intrigued house hunters searching for more than a typical, traditional Upper East Side home.
But, this unit's abundant light — played up by full southern exposure windows — especially lent a strong sense of spaciousness to the cozy quarters. Adding to this sense of airiness was an antique glass skylight present in this main suite.
"It was nice and quiet," said the broker, 28. "And the outdoor space outdoor space is always a good thing."
"I enjoyed it a lot," the student remarked. "I liked the light."
