More and more developers are scouring the Earth to source materials from the most unconventional places, both remote and local, in an attempt to bring the rarest of rare finishes to their projects. With NYC’s luxury market on the decline, "the devil is in the details for developers, who in a packed luxury condo market are competing over a limited number of qualified buyers," says the Wall Street Journal.
We’ve seen our share of condos with some of these unusual finishes. But it’s not just condo developers doing it. Houses are getting in on the action too. Below we’ve rounded up some of the homes in our past coverage that have finishes as exclusive as marble from the old MoMA to a Queens mansion with details from the World’s Fair.
↑ First up on the list is that aforementioned condo within a Greenwich Village commercial loft. One of the full-floor units is proud to boast reclaimed marble from the original Museum of Modern Art’s facade.
↑ In Williamsburg, a brand-new townhouse was "built with the highest construction standards and carefully sourced materials," states its listing. Given their claims of sourcing handmade bricks from Denmark, doors and windows imported from France, and floors made from wood salvaged from the Domino Sugar Factory, we believe them.
↑ It takes a certain type of architectural interest to want to live in an idyllic Queens tudor. But anyone can admit that the floors within this vintage home are pretty awesome; they have "wood details taken from the English Pavilion of the 1939 World’s Fair."
↑ An opulent East Village co-op has been redesigned to enhance its fanciful flair. Of course, a townhouse of this stature wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t brag about some far-reaching detail. That's where the 18th-century chestnut wall and ceiling panels from Versailles come in.
↑ DDG's 13-story condo at 12 Warren Street in Tribeca incorporated bluestone rocks quarried in the Catskill mountains in upstate New York for its unusual facade. While the Catskills isn’t that far, the choice of material makes this building worthy for an appearance on this list. Units within the eco-friendly building also have bluestone accents throughout.