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The Best Places to Watch the 'Once in a Lifetime' Frankenstorm

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Batten down the hatches?a storm is brewing. As Hurricane Sandy makes her way toward the east coast, meteorologists are warning Northerns of a "once in a lifetime Frankenstorm" set to destroy us all when Sandy meets about 40 other storms moving in from the west. 'Destroy' might be a little dramatic, but weather experts say they are definitely not overhyping this, and we need to take this monster seriously. So how to prepare? By mapping out the best places to watch the creation of this perfect storm, naturally. The rains will start this weekend, but the real fun won't begin until early next week, so there's still time to befriend residents in these buildings or collect $100M to buy your own.

· Early Worries That Hurricane Sandy Could Be a 'Perfect Storm' [NYT]
· Weather Experts Swear They Are Not Overhyping the 'Once in a Lifetime' Frankenstorm [NYM]

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The Brooklyner

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Brooklyn's tallest residential tower gives you unobstructed views of Manhattan, the harbor, and even the ocean, giving you the perfect vantage point to see Hurricane Sandy roll in from the Atlantic to meet the massive storms coming from the west. Just make sure to get your wristband if you're going to use the shared rooftop terrace.

New York by Gehry

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Manhattan's tallest residential tower offers stormtastic harbor views, making it ideal for Frankenstorm-viewing parties. The penthouses obviously have the best sight lines, but one could have an equally exhilarating experience on any of the outdoor terraces.

City Spire Penthouse

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The City Spire penthouse, with its circular layout, is ideal for storm-watching; you can follow the storm's every move without having to go outside. But the wrap-around terrace is there in case you really want to feel the power. And this place is still on the market, so if you can scrounge up $100 million, it's all yours.

The Edge

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Situated right near the East River, the Edge towers offer great views of Manhattan so residents can stand before their floor-to-ceiling windows and watch as the rain slashes across the river and beats down on the city.

Red Hook Stores Building

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Red Hook's harbor-front location makes it ideal for watching Hurricane Sandy roll into the city. The Red Hook Stores has a waterfront vista and an open rooftop terrace for all your Frankenstorm-viewing pleasures. Plus, you might see Michelle Williams and Jason Segel.

870 United Nations Plaza

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The towers at 860-870 United Nations Plaza are far enough from the rest of midtown's soaring skyscrapers that they'll have stormy views of Manhattan, as well as Brooklyn and the East River. Both have rooftop terraces with 360-degree views.

One Hanson Place

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Arguably the grandest place to watch the Frankenstorm will be the penthouses located in the clocktower of One Hanson Place. While not quite as tall as the Brooklyner, the apartments still tower over the rest of the borough, with great views of Manhattan and the East River.

130 Beach 119th Street

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For the true storm-lover (or dare devil), head to the beach. There are hundreds of ocean-front properties in the Rockaways, but the condo building at 130 Beach 119th Street has a 2BR with a terrace overlooking the ocean for sale right now. If that doesn't satiate your stormy desires, the boardwalk is just steps away.

Trump International Hotel & Tower

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While the condos at the Trump International obviously have the better views on the higher floors, there's still time to rent a room with Central Park views to watch the storm take Manhattan.

The unfinished state of One57 would make storm-viewing especially, er, fun! Or life-threatening, but that's neither here nor there.

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The Brooklyner

Brooklyn's tallest residential tower gives you unobstructed views of Manhattan, the harbor, and even the ocean, giving you the perfect vantage point to see Hurricane Sandy roll in from the Atlantic to meet the massive storms coming from the west. Just make sure to get your wristband if you're going to use the shared rooftop terrace.

New York by Gehry

Manhattan's tallest residential tower offers stormtastic harbor views, making it ideal for Frankenstorm-viewing parties. The penthouses obviously have the best sight lines, but one could have an equally exhilarating experience on any of the outdoor terraces.

City Spire Penthouse

The City Spire penthouse, with its circular layout, is ideal for storm-watching; you can follow the storm's every move without having to go outside. But the wrap-around terrace is there in case you really want to feel the power. And this place is still on the market, so if you can scrounge up $100 million, it's all yours.

The Edge

Situated right near the East River, the Edge towers offer great views of Manhattan so residents can stand before their floor-to-ceiling windows and watch as the rain slashes across the river and beats down on the city.

Red Hook Stores Building

Red Hook's harbor-front location makes it ideal for watching Hurricane Sandy roll into the city. The Red Hook Stores has a waterfront vista and an open rooftop terrace for all your Frankenstorm-viewing pleasures. Plus, you might see Michelle Williams and Jason Segel.

870 United Nations Plaza

The towers at 860-870 United Nations Plaza are far enough from the rest of midtown's soaring skyscrapers that they'll have stormy views of Manhattan, as well as Brooklyn and the East River. Both have rooftop terraces with 360-degree views.

One Hanson Place

Arguably the grandest place to watch the Frankenstorm will be the penthouses located in the clocktower of One Hanson Place. While not quite as tall as the Brooklyner, the apartments still tower over the rest of the borough, with great views of Manhattan and the East River.

130 Beach 119th Street

For the true storm-lover (or dare devil), head to the beach. There are hundreds of ocean-front properties in the Rockaways, but the condo building at 130 Beach 119th Street has a 2BR with a terrace overlooking the ocean for sale right now. If that doesn't satiate your stormy desires, the boardwalk is just steps away.

Trump International Hotel & Tower

While the condos at the Trump International obviously have the better views on the higher floors, there's still time to rent a room with Central Park views to watch the storm take Manhattan.

ONE57

The unfinished state of One57 would make storm-viewing especially, er, fun! Or life-threatening, but that's neither here nor there.