# Are there any houses in Manhatten? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585 "2006-09-13T19:01:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/1 "2006-09-13T19:01:34Z")
Every film/TV show etc. I’ve ever seen has everyone living in apartments. Are there any single dwelling buildings amongst the skyscrapers? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/2 "2006-09-13T19:07:20Z")
I wouldn’t think there are many fully detached single family houses, but plenty of brownstones. Think of _The Cosby Show_ for an example. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/3 "2006-09-13T19:10:05Z")
There are single-occupancy townhouses and brownstones in Manhattan. They are _very_ expensive. There are detached houses on Ward’s Island, which is part of the borough (but not island) of Manhattan. I don’t know if there are any detached houses on Manhattan island itself; maybe up in Inwood or something. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/4 "2006-09-13T19:17:01Z")
Sure, lots of 'em. But you have to be incredibly rich, have inherited it, or bought it back when houses were selling for a hundred bucks. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/5 "2006-09-13T19:17:06Z")
I don’t think **friedo** properly conveys _very_. _Mind-numbingly_ might be a better adjective. _Insanely_ and _ridiculously_ also work. If you tried to convince someone nearly anywhere else in the Americas that they were getting that little space for that much money, those that didn’t fall over laughing would only haven’t done so because they fainted. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/6 "2006-09-13T19:23:42Z")
[QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] Every film/TV show etc. I’ve ever seen has everyone living in apartments. Are there any single dwelling buildings amongst the skyscrapers? [/QUOTE] Wasn’t there an MD who was killed in his small private building not too long ago. Wasn’t a house as such but a home/office as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/7 "2006-09-13T19:27:46Z")
Yes, **spingears**. The man blew up his home in order to prevent his ex-wife from getting any access, purposely killing himself in the process. IIRC, the building was divided and he had tenants. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/8 "2006-09-13T19:29:40Z")
[QUOTE=spingears] Wasn’t there an MD who was killed in his small private building not too long ago. Wasn’t a house as such but a home/office as I recall. [/QUOTE] It was a $5.3 million townhouse on the Upper East Side. The now vacant 20x100 foot lot is being put on the market for $8 million. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/9 "2006-09-13T19:31:11Z")
Doh! Forgot the link: [Bloomberg Politics - Bloomberg](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a3LqMTWFWvyQ&refer=us) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/10 "2006-09-13T19:32:52Z")
What can I get for $24 in beads and trinkets? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/11 "2006-09-13T19:41:34Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] What can I get for $24 in beads and trinkets? [/QUOTE] Mugged 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/12 "2006-09-13T19:50:41Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Rosewater] I wouldn’t think there are many fully detached single family houses, but plenty of brownstones. Think of _The Cosby Show_ for an example. [/QUOTE] The Cosby show was set in Brooklyn Heights, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/13 "2006-09-13T20:10:21Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] The Cosby show was set in Brooklyn Heights, I think. [/QUOTE] You are correct. I was trying to give a TV example of a brownstone, though. I should have clarified. ---
**Author:** ![homeskillet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@homeskillet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/homeskillet)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/14 "2006-09-13T20:21:26Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] The Cosby show was set in Brooklyn Heights, I think. [/QUOTE] True, the show was set in Brooklyn, however the brownstone seen in the show is actually in the West Village. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/15 "2006-09-14T02:03:13Z")
The [Andrew Carnegie Mansion](http://www.scotia-news.com/testa/Q8.htm) still stands, although I suspect you can’t live there unless your name is Andrew Carnegie. The [Lucy Drexel Dahlgren House](http://www.nyc-architecture.com/UES/UES096.htm) is for the more budget minded. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are 2,740 single-family owner-occupied homes in New York County (= Borough of Manhattan). The median value is over $1,000,000. VALUE Less than $50,000: 69 $50,000 to $99,999: 67 $100,000 to $149,999: 178 $150,000 to $199,999: 195 $200,000 to $299,999: 225 $300,000 to $499,999: 296 $500,000 to $999,999: 320 $1,000,000 or more: 1,390 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/16 "2006-09-14T02:54:24Z")
If there are 69 owner-occupied houses in Manhattan valued at less than $50,000, they must be counting a lot of squeegee guys living in packing crates. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/17 "2006-09-14T02:59:03Z")
Just a guess, but maybe those owner-occupied homes for less than $50,000 are church rectories and parsonages, which would not be assessed for tax purposes and thus have a $0 value. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/18 "2006-09-14T03:12:09Z")
Back when I lived in NYC, I remember once looking down from a high floor of a building. There was a nearby office building, several floors shorter than the building I was in, and on the roof was a house. It was a typical “suburban” house, with a lawn and landscaping, just plopped onto the roof of a building. It might have been around the East '20s, but I’m not sure. And, I guess, Gracie Mansion could be considered a “house.” ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/19 "2006-09-14T03:17:56Z")
I’ve seen a detached house in my neighborhood (besides Gracie Mansion). I can’t remember exactly where, though. I think 84th between East End and 1st somewhere. Anyway, there’s an old building up front, then if you go through the alley there’s what looks like an old wooden farmhouse behind it. Also, every so often I’ll see an old carriage house that’s been spared by the wrecking ball for some reason. There’s one on 41st between 3rd and Lex literally among the skyscrapers. If I remember tomorrow morning I’ll pinpoint the farmhouse. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585/20 "2006-09-14T03:21:57Z")
And remember, as has been mentioned, that Ward Island is part of the borough of Manhattan. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-houses-in-manhatten/372585.md?page=2)