A number of new condo developments on the market feature townhouses — attractive for both developers, who get to transform undesirable ground-floor space into something appealing, and buyers, who get townhouses with condo amenities.
Putting a storefront there is the best solution, but it’s not always possible, whether because of local zoning, a less-than-ideal location, or the high chance of scaring away luxury buyers. In the past, a first-floor doctor’s office was a popular workaround, but as private practices go the way of live-in maids, some developers have hit on another solution: turn them into townhouses. “If you sell the first floor in combination with two or three bedrooms upstairs, a rec room downstairs, a backyard, and maybe parking, suddenly it’s good enough,” says Caleo. Throw in the amenities of a condo development, like a concierge, a gym, and a roof-deck, as Caleo has for the two townhouses at 524 Halsey Street, a Bed-Stuy stable conversion, and you have something that’s not just good enough but quite compelling.The townhouse-condos are, in many ways, the descendants of maisonettes — the two- or three-story homes that were incorporated into the bottom floors of full-service prewar buildings and could be accessed from either the street or the lobby. Although maisonettes have a reputation for being a little fusty — a lot of the surviving ones are somewhat dollhouse-like and dark — “the best of them were quite luxurious,” says Andrew Dolkart, an architectural historian and professor at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.the luxury market June 30, 2025 The Empty Nesters of the Williamsburg Waterfront The neighborhood’s shiny new condo buildings overlooking the East River have been a hit among the 55-and-up crowd.For those who want the perks of a townhouse but none of the hassle, a new crop of condos promises just that.
