In this article:
Locating apartment floor plans
Unofficial floor plans can often be found online and frequently are already included as part of a listing. Of course, in some cases, the floor plans aren’t included and often, their absence says as much their inclusion. But this raises an important question: If a floor plan isn’t included in a listing, where can you find one for the unit in question? The first step is to do a simple online search. Typing the exact address and words “floor plan” into a search will often turn up the floor plan for the unit you’re thinking of renting or buying. If not, you can always ask the agent or broker who has listed the unit or your own agent or broker.
Another option, especially relevant to residential new developments, is to view the offering plan on New York State's Real Estate Finance Bureau website. Usually, the initial offering submitted will have the layout of every unit to be sold. The final option is to visit a Borough Office (find your local office here) and request access to the floor plan. You can view plans for free, but if you want a copy it will cost $8.00 for the first page and $5.00 per additional page (full details are available on the City of New York’s Building Floor Plan site).
Interpreting apartment floor plans
Once you’ve found the floor plan in question, the next step is to interpret the plan. There are generally seven key features you should examine:
- Bedrooms: The first and most important thing to assess is how many bedrooms the apartment actually has. In New York City, many one-bedroom units are advertised as two-bedroom units and so on. In most cases, if the apartment is listed as a two bedroom but the floor plan only shows one bedroom, the lister is simply suggesting the apartment might be “flexed” with the addition of a temporary wall.
In some cases, however, a bedroom may not appear on the floor plan but already exist in the unit. If this is the case, it is nearly always an indication that the room was added later. If you’re thinking about renting or buying, you will definitely want to confirm that the wall was a legal addition. Finally, it is important to check the size and location of the bedrooms. Bear in mind that legal bedrooms must be a minimum of 80 square feet with a minimum width of 8 feet in any dimension, have at least one window opening to a street, yard, or other outdoor space, and two means of exit (one may be a window). - Layout: Many NYC apartments were built as railroads or floor-through apartments. While this can work well for a family with young children, if your children are teens or you’re looking for a unit that will work with roommates, the railroad is rarely ideal. While they do tend to run much larger, walking through a roommate’s or older child’s bedroom to get to the living room or kitchen is generally asking for trouble.
- Kitchens: By definition, kitchens must be 80 square feet or more. Anything smaller is technically just a kitchenette.
- Living spaces: Since there are few rules about what can count as a living room, it's often open to interpretation by owners and listing agents. Worse yet, it is often lumped in with other rooms, such as the kitchen. If the apartment has an “open” dining/living area, when you look at a floor plan, ask yourself, is there really enough space for a sofa, coffee table, and a dining table and set of chairs in the apartment’s combined kitchen-living area? In many instances, these combined spaces are really only large enough to accommodate a sofa and coffee table or table and set of chairs but not both. As a rule of thumb, anything less than 120 feet will be a squeeze.
- Closets: Every bedroom should have at least one closet, and there should be at least one other closet somewhere in the unit. Of course, this minimum will likely still leave you short on storage. Unless you’ve already KonMari’d your home your home, you’ll want to ensure there are at least two closets in the apartment’s common areas and at least one closet in each bedroom.
- Windows: Some New Yorkers claim that it's better to take a smaller unit with more windows than a larger unit with fewer windows. While this may be an extreme way to approach the window to floor space question, there is some truth to the matter. Large windows will make your unit feel much larger and ample natural light can make even the drabbest apartments feel cheerier. Of course, there is one thing floor plans can’t indicate—what the windows face. To find out if they face a brick wall or a park, you’ll still need to view the unit in person.
- Outdoor spaces: The final thing to assess when looking at the apartment’s plan is the outdoor spaces. If the outdoor space is part of the unit and exclusively for the resident’s use, it should appear on the floor plan.
Designed by acclaimed DXA Studio, homes are conceived and built with a craftsman spirit. Beautiful, hand-selected details are fashioned with remarkable care. Our Penthouses feature custom white oak flooring, European-style floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive Manhattan views, and well-appointed kitchen and baths that create an experience that exudes serenity. All Penthouses extend to a lush escape of significant private outdoor space. See floor plan and full details here.
480 Degraw is a unique hybrid of indoor and outdoor living. Each home features either a private garden or sizable private terrace fully equipped with direct gas and water lines. Sweeping scenes of the sparkling downtown skyline contrast with the lush foliage of Degraw street as well as beautiful views of St. Agnes church. See floor plan and full details here.
Nestled in the heart of Hell's Kitchen, this unique three bedroom duplex penthouse residence is built to enhance your lifestyle. See floor plan and full details here.
Penthouse 2 is a one-of-a-kind 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath, featuring a 788 SF private roof terrace with gas grille - a terrace everyone dreams of owning. With views of Manhattan opening directly off of the Great Room and kitchen, this beautiful room has five magnificent over-sized windows and is perched on the northwest corner of the building facing over Brooklyn Heights and lower Manhattan. See floor plan and full details here.
Features of this 1,757 sq. ft. apartment include beautiful white oak floors, floor-to-ceiling windows with white oak frames and motorized shades, a fireplace, an HVAC VRF system, a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat, a vented Electrolux washer/dryer, a spacious balcony, and a private rooftop terrace with decadent park views with an outdoor utility sink and jacuzzi. See floor plan and full details here.
This trophy penthouse is a perfectly proportioned corner 1,750 SF residence with premium custom interiors with white oak floors and millwork throughout. With over 10-foot ceilings, the luxurious space features a Poliform kitchen with honed white Quartzite island, backsplash, and countertop, as well as Bronzed glass cabinetry with integrated, LED lighting. A top-of-the-line Miele appliance suite includes double (speed steam and convection) ovens, an induction stove and dual-zone wine storage. See floor plan and full details here.
An expansive triple exposure great room has the largest terrace to bring you the world-famous Manhattan Skyline while at the same time showcasing stunning sunsets over the Hudson. The open but separate chef's kitchen has its own covered loggia to make entertaining an absolute joy. And when you are ready to retire, the primary bedroom offers another covered loggia but this time facing South and East. Every detail of Greenwich West's interior has been carefully conceived and designed by Parisian architect Sebastien Segers. See floor plan and full details here.
Custom designed by Morris Adjmi, the elegant open plan kitchen showcases white matte lacquer cabinetry adorned with brushed brass fixtures, scalloped pattern backsplash, honed dolomite slab countertops, and a full suite of Miele appliances and garbage disposal. The oversized dolomite island features a waterfall edge and overhang for counter seating.
The Penthouse features three beautifully appointed bedrooms with abundant closet space and three and a half bathrooms. An urban oasis, the five-piece primary bath is graced by a custom dual vanity with a blackened metal frame, terrazzo floors, and a freestanding soaking tub with a walk-in steam shower. See floor plan and full details here.
Penthouse 63B is a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom home featuring ceilings up to 11 feet and a generous private outdoor space. Oversized arched windows with elegant bronze detailing frame panoramic river and New York City skyline views with all four exposures. The outdoor loggia spans the full width of the residence, reaching nearly 80 feet. Interior finishes include wide-plank white oak flooring and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures custom-designed by Sir David Adjaye. The living and dining area with direct loggia access boasts an open kitchen with custom Pedini Italian textured blackened oak cabinetry with blackened steel insets, Salvatori Pietra Cardosa marble countertops and backsplash hand-selected from the Apuan Alps in Tuscany with a Salvatori Nero Marquina cantilever providing additional seating. State-of-the-art appliances by Gaggenau and Thermador include a fully-vented hood, double oven, and wine storage. See floor plan and full details here.
Enter through the gallery measuring nearly 40' long toward the home's massive open concept living area and kitchen all with airy 10' ceilings throughout. The bright, expansive living room opens directly out to the 2,100+ square-foot south-facing corner terrace. This rare single-floor penthouse terrace runs the length of the building, acting as a verdant outdoor respite and stunning scene-setter for each room within the unit. A private bathroom adjoins each bedroom, including the master bath graced by a custom vanity with blackened metal frame, charcoal slate floors, and a freestanding soaking tub bathed in natural light. See floor plan and full details here.
This penthouse features 3-bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms and two powder rooms spread across 2,789 sq. ft., with 629 sqft of spectacular outdoor space with southern views and outfitted with a stone gas fireplace with an outdoor kitchen equipped with a gas BBQ grill. See floor plan and full details here.
See floor plan and full details here.
The gracious entry foyer leads to large corner great room with 11-foot, 6-inch ceilings, chevron-laid flooring, handsome fireplace with marble surround, and charming bay windows showcasing sweeping downtown and Hudson River views! See floor plan and full details here.
The Penthouse is a FULL-floor duplex 3BR/3.5BTH residence of 3,354sq.ft., with 9'-10' ceilings, offering abundant light and views to the north, west, and south, capturing the dynamic New York City skyline. This sophisticated home offers 7' wide-plank white oak flooring throughout, expansive picture-frame windows and multi-zone climate control. See floor plan and full details here.
Features of this 4,610 sq. ft. home include double-height 18'3' ceilings, a floor-to-ceiling honed marble gas fireplace, and 562 sq. ft. of total outdoor space via a private balcony and a massive terrace accessed via a trio of sliding doors directly off the great room that hovers over the treetops of Sara D. Roosevelt Park. See floor plan and full details here.
The residence is a perfect five-bedroom plus library and dining room floor plan with 12-foot ceilings, incredible views of Central Park and open city exposures and terraces all the way around. Four of the five bedrooms are on the second floor of this contemporary house-like apartment and each has an en-suite bath as well as wonderful views. Two of the secondary bedrooms on the second floor also have terrace access. The primary bedroom, with its own private terrace, and stunning views of Central Park and the Downtown skyline, is ultraluxe with spacious closets and a wonderful-windowed five-fixture bathroom. A fifth bedroom is on the lower level with its own full bath and is well placed to be a guest suite or home office. A full laundry with a sink completes this very special apartment. See floor plan and full details here.