With Manhattan’s omnipresent 25-foot-wide building lot pattern, full-floor residences have always been hiding in plain sight. The standard traces back to the Commissioner’s Plan of 1811, a sweeping and pragmatic blueprint that imposed the familiar street grid across most of Manhattan north of Houston Street.
The plan divided the island into long rectangular blocks, which were then easily subdivided into narrow parcels, most commonly 20 or 25 feet wide. These dimensions were not random but reflected prevailing building practices of the early 19th century, the structural limits of masonry construction (i.e. the limit of spanning beams without additional columns), and the desire to create lots that were affordable, repeatable, and simple to develop or sell.
The plan divided the island into long rectangular blocks, which were then easily subdivided into narrow parcels, most commonly 20 or 25 feet wide. These dimensions were not random but reflected prevailing building practices of the early 19th century, the structural limits of masonry construction (i.e. the limit of spanning beams without additional columns), and the desire to create lots that were affordable, repeatable, and simple to develop or sell.
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As the city grew, these narrow parcels became the building blocks of Manhattan housing. Rowhouses were typically constructed one lot wide, while early apartment houses and loft buildings often assembled multiple adjacent lots, resulting in floor plates that lent themselves to multiple residences per floor. In areas developed before 1811, or where topography and pre-existing roads disrupted the grid, lot widths could be even tighter or irregular.
Privacy is the clearest benefit of a full-floor home. With no shared sheetrock walls, sound transmission between neighbors is significantly reduced. In rowhouses, separation is provided by thick structural party walls. In elevator buildings, full-floor layouts often allow for multiple exposures beyond street- and yard-facing. Some high-rises, such as the supertall pencil towers, provide a single home with exposures on all sides, bathing the unit with more light and air and offering a greater sense of openness.
Full-floor residences in high-rises are typically priced at a premium, even when they are not penthouses. Earlier this month, the last floor-through Tower Residence at 111 West 57th Street, the second-tallest residential building in New York City, fell into contract. The remaining public availabilities are a duplex penthouse asking $49 million and a quadruplex penthouse on the uppermost levels asking $110 million.
Another salient example can be found at 262 Fifth Avenue, a new condo tower nearing completion in NoMad, often maligned for the Empire State Building view it obstructs from Madison Square. The pencil-thin, 860-foot-tall tower is among the city’s most slender skyscrapers, with a 19:1 slenderness ratio. Composed of just 26 residences, the small number of units was a deliberate choice by the developer, Meganom, to seek exclusivity over quantity. Each floor spans approximately 45 by 45 feet, and all residences are either full-floor apartments or expansive full-floor duplexes.
The arrival experience in a full-floor unit is another advantage. Many full-floor apartments feature private landings or elevators that open directly into the residence. Key-locked elevator systems are highly secure, operating only with the correct key or access credential, whether traditional or digital. Without shared corridors or passing foot traffic, the experience feels more residential and discreet, while still allowing residents to send the elevator directly to the lobby for guests or service professionals.
Beyond privacy and security, full-floor layouts often offer flexible floor plans, cleaner sightlines, and a house-like feel that appeals to buyers who want space without leaving the city. From prewar conversions to newer boutique condominiums, these residences span a wide range of architectural styles and price points.
Below, we look at full-floor apartments currently on the market priced under $3.5M.
Below, we look at full-floor apartments currently on the market priced under $3.5M.
Select full-floor listings asking under $3.5 million
The San Giorgio, #4 (Sothebys International Realty)
Observatory Place, #PH2
$1,025,000 (-6.4%)
East Harlem | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,405 ft2
Observatory Place, #PH2 (Serhant)
The Dovecote, #FL2 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
72 Quincy Street, #PH4 (Corcoran Group)
97 Crosby Street, #1 (Sothebys International Realty)
Morningside Park, #3 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
712 Sackett Street, #2F (Corcoran Group)
263 Clinton Street, #2 (Corcoran Group)
254 West 88th Street, #3
$1,695,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,070 ft2
254 West 88th Street, #3 (Serhant)
21 Lefferts Place, #4 (Corcoran Group)
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473 Hicks Street, #4 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
345 Warren Street, #1 (Corcoran Group)
19 North Henry Street, #2 (In House Group)
40 East 74th Street, #1 (Serhant)
The Manhattan Belle, #3 (Nest Seekers LLC)
330 East 57th Street, #4
$2,000,000
Midtown East | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, Unknown Baths | 1,891 ft2
330 East 57th Street, #4 (CORE Group Marketing LLC)
891 Park Avenue, #10
$2,150,000 (-12.2%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
891 Park Avenue, #10 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Terra 48, #PH (Howard Hanna NYC)
30E31, #14 (Corcoran Group)
104 Newel Street, #4 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
22 Saint Johns Place, #4 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
574 Washington Avenue, #1
$2,495,000 (-4%)
Clinton Hill | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 2,078 ft2
574 Washington Avenue, #1 (Compass)
347 Sixth Avenue, #4 (Compass)
Novum W26, #10 (Compass)
Sutton 57, #11A (Compass)
25 Beekman Place, #4
$2,695,000
Beekman/Sutton Place | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 2,190 ft2
25 Beekman Place, #4 (Corcoran Group)
Iris TriBeCa, #14A (Compass)
The Astor House, #PH (Compass)
554 Broome Street, #4 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
17 East 17th Street, #2
$2,895,000
Flatiron/Union Square | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,577 ft2
17 East 17th Street, #2 (Compass)
712 Broadway, #7 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Clare, #17A (Compass)
508 Broadway, #5 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Iron Lofts, #5 (Compass)
330 East 72nd Street, #12 (The Agency Brokerage)
4 Sutton Place, #DUPLEX6/7 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
440 East 57th Street, #PH
$3,500,000 (-12.4%)
Beekman/Sutton Place | Cooperative | 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 3,479 ft2
440 East 57th Street, #PH (Corcoran Group)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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