Astoria, UWS and Park Slope

For under a million dollars, one can find all sorts of housing configurations: park- and subway-adjacent studios, one-bedrooms hidden in carriage houses or former shoe factories, and even the occasional true two-bedroom. We’re combing the market for particularly spacious, nicely renovated, or otherwise worth-a-look apartments at various six-digit price points. 

This week, actually spacious one-bedrooms in full-service buildings in Astoria and Park Slope, plus a lofty spot on the Upper West Side.

45-02 Ditmars Blvd., Apt. 539

Photo: Modern Spaces

Photo: Modern Spaces

Located in a 1907 building that was once part of the Steinway Piano Factory, this one-bedroom condo is an unusually grand space for Astoria. Loftlike, with 12-foot ceilings and a row of southwest-facing windows with views of the Manhattan skyline, the apartment is bright, with wood floors and huge white walls. The kitchen, tucked off the living room, has stainless-steel appliances, and there’s a nice-size bedroom with lots of closet space. Also, each room has its own HVAC unit — an unusual perk. In the Ditmars section of the neighborhood, known for being quieter and closer to the park, the building has a 24-hour doorman, a laundry room on every floor, and a huge fitness center. But there’s currently a tenant in place, so buyers will have to wait before they can move in.

221 E. 78th Street, Apt. 2F

Photo: SERHANT

This Lenox Hill apartment has three things that can be hard to find at this price point, especially in Manhattan: a lot of space, a second bathroom, and a pleasant view. The long living room overlooks a tree-lined street of brownstones, as does one of the bedrooms. There’s a dining-room area and a big kitchen with nice finishes, an Italian gas stove, and a Sub-Zero under-counter refrigerator and freezer. What’s more, it’s in a great area — only four blocks from Central Park. What’s the catch? Well, the listing bills itself as having two bedrooms, but one of them is interior, so it doesn’t have windows (meaning it’s also not a legal bedroom, although it’s been nicely done). The current owner, however, has done a lot to maximize light: a lot of mirrored walls, glossy white surfaces, and built-in light fixtures. There’s also the maintenance, which, at $3,925 a month, is pretty high, especially considering the doorman is only part-time. The amenities seem nice — a tranquil courtyard with a waterfall and seasonal plantings, a bicycle room, storage — but are hardly lavish.

167 West 73rd Street, Apt. 4

Photo: Corcoran

This apartment, on the first floor of a brownstone, is surprisingly lofty and modern, with 12-foot ceilings and an open floor plan. The living room is a 15-by-15-foot space, with a kitchen at one end — nicely appointed, although the finishes are a little out of date — and a bedroom off the other. The bedroom is small, but the high ceilings help it feel airy. The apartment also opens directly onto a brick-paved, 50-foot-wide communal garden, and the building is located a block and a half from the 72nd Street 2/3 trains, equidistant from Central and Riverside Park. The maintenance, at just over $2,000 a month, is a little steep, but it does include internet and basic cable. Pieds-à-terre and subletting (after a year) are also permitted.

235 Lincoln Place, Apt. 5B

Photo: Brown Harris Stevens

Here’s a gracious one-bedroom in North Park Slope, close to the Park and Grand Army Plaza, with an elegant layout: a big foyer, with a large living room on one side, the bedroom on the other, and a kitchen in the middle. The living room is spacious enough for a dining area, and the bedroom is also wide enough for a king and a lot of other furniture besides. There are ample closets, windows in every room, hardwood floors, and a bathroom with a beautiful old bathtub, black-and-white tile, and a pedestal sink. The building is pet-friendly, with a full-time doorman, a pretty lobby, bike storage, and storage spaces that trade with the apartment.