Why NO ONE ever uses their terrace/balcony in NYC

If we're talking about those small balconies adorning some NYC apartments, they are awfully small and often serve as storage space. Some are fortunate enough to have slightly larger outdoor space where one can grill(with restrictions), but how much time is one honestly going to spend there. Seasons, weather and a job will limit time there further. So what are we talking about.. Sunday morning coffee or the occasional evening party?

I use my terrace and rooftop sporadically. Spring is the big season, weather has turned, you're excited to be out. By summer, it's kinda too hot except towards the evening, and you're often out of town. By fall, weather is good again, but you don't give a crap any more. The fact that your neighbors get annoyed at you for "wasting away" your outdoor space is icing on the cake.

Stupidly, though, neighbors who befriend me always get invited.

Friggin' iPhone: "stupidly" should have been "seriously"...

We're on our terrace every day from late spring through early fall. Love it.

I constantly use my terrace, all seasons. Great place for guests, drinks, parties, my kid's kiddie pool, smoking... We have ~350 sq feet with a nice view.

inonada, wow, iPhones are capable of Freudian slips too! Amazing!

LOL, Sunday. Because of captive's chiding, this is being written from the terrace. Are you happy now, captive???

I can see not using your rooftop, b/c its shared space, and its weird to run into other tenants from the building. You don't want to be "that guy" who is taking advantage of all the amenities. (Ironic, eh?) I get that. Plus, its a whole explicit decision to go up there, etc. I am talking balconies right outside your living room. Even if just to step outside for a few mins, and stare at traffic. Storage is not the culprit, b/c most are clear. Size is not the issue, b/c how much space does a person take up just to sit in the fresh air for a bit, reading the paper, or checking email? They are just empty. Always. I never understood it.

Funny. Lacking private outdoor space, I'm perfectly happy be "that guy" [or gal, in my case] taking advantage of all the amenities. And, when it comes to balconies, size does matter. Larger balconies often get heavily used. Small balconies are often too small to put a chair out, and thus don't count for much or get used.

We have a large terrace, and use it a fair amount (kiddie pool, grill, table, chairs, kids running around, we even have a little slide on it). However, I always catch myself thinking the terrace doesn't get as much use as it "should". Too hot, or too windy, or rainy, or we have other plans, etc. In our prior apartment we didn't have outdoor space, and really craved it. Now that we have it, probably take it for granted too much. Oh well...

i believe it's not so much the balcony itself that's not enjoyable but the peeping neighbors literally steps in front of you (9 floors up and block wide) peeping at what you're doing in your balcony..

people like their privacy..

i remember moving into my building with no blinds.

blind contractor took 1 month to custom install, leaving me to use random boxes to cover half of my floor to ceiling windows giving the neighbors multiple orgy shows..

awkward yes, but once i got the blinds up i was able to double the number of participants in the gangbang as i was able to utilize all of the freedom brought on by my full privacy.

Have breakfast on the terrace every morning. Use it during the day with the awning out to block strong sun. Definitely use it in the evenings - drinks, dinner, after dinner. It is a set back terrace - no one above, so very private.
there is definitely a difference between a terrace and a balcony (most balconies seem to be used mostly as storage space - very rarely see people out on them)

We dress up as Bert and Miss Piggy and re-enact trashy erotic thrillers on ours.

Terraces are much better than balconies (size often bigger, feel more solid and relaxing). But a small balcony in the right conditions can be great in nice weather. Also, even if you don't use it much it is nice to feel the weather when you step on to it. But....the mega-issue in a huge number of balconies is NYC is that they are simply unpleasant due to noise from either proximity to traffic or , equally often, sound from air-processors of nearby buildings or the other units in your own building. Personally, I think the noise is the main issue....I had a nice balcony, great view of WTC in chelsea, 12th floor, unobstructructed view...but rarely used it because 8th avenue was half a block away and the sound carried right up. In BPC had a nice apartment in a courtyard with trees and a little sliver of river view -- would have been great but could hear every ptac unit in the whole quadrangle -- just gross.

For example, I laugh when I see those balconies in those super-duper condos on the west side highway -- i couldn't think of anything less relaxing than hanging out on top of a freeway.....

The amazing thing is that even balconies with spectacular views, like those on the buildings along the promenade in brooklyn heights, go unused most of the time. And those owners paid a huge premium for that view.

I agree, terraces are way more functional, valuable than 5 x 8 balconies..I used my terrace 12 months out of the year..loved it loved it loved it...i can understand not many people using a balcony, or using it for plants, storage, smoking, or the occasional drink outside. In general, I see so many balconies unused..but a huge terrace? How do you NOT use it

http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/520482-condo-245-east-93rd-street-yorkville-new-york

I use my terrace. Small 5x8 balconies are useless, but I eat breakfast on my terrace in warm weather, lie in the sun with a book and cold juice on hot days, fall asleep under a blanket when it cools off. Size matters.

I agree once a Terrace encompasses more than 300 square feet it begins to add utility, but in a good building and in a good neighborhood it costs via added r.e. tax , cc & higher purchase price. When one opts for a property with a usable terrace are they making sacrifices in other areas(neighborhood,view,# of bedrooms.. Not everyone is indifferent to cost.

I guess I was referring to balconies. Got any pictures of the types of terraces you're referring to? Do you mean something like this? http://nycsapartments.com/ny-apartment-images/apartment-olivia-in-manhattan-terrace-in-nyc!_2203.html

No one uses this amenity, but it cost thousands of dollars.

the one you put a link to is a nice place to chat on the cellphone, maybe sipping java - people do use these things, but you're right, at any given moment you can look at any highrise and see them all unused

My girlfriend used our balcony all the time (when we had one). I never used it, though. Depends on the person.
In my current building, we have a roof deck that lots of people use (it's only a 25 unit building, but owners have a key to the roof, which is roughly 13 or 14 units). We even have our board meetings up there in the summer.

Broadwayron, that's a clever way to weed out the riff-raff renters. Like a micro-country club. Outstanding.

Our balcony is all of 4 x 9. We have a cafe table that can seat two comfortably and squeeze three for dinner or four for breakfast/drinks. We also have a small tree, two window boxes mounted on the railing (one with an herb garden), two more windowboxes mounted on the walls, a small fountain, plus five or six potted plants. Not a day goes by when I'm not out there. Granted, our balcony is rear-facing and quiet.

When evaluating our place against comparables, the appraiser assigned $15,000 in extra value to the balcony. To me (green thumb), it was worth far more than that; to the previous owner, it was probably worth nothing since the existing planters were filled with nothing but cigarette butts.

Now if we can only annex the 400-500 s.f. of empty roof space above our unit....

captive914, NO ONE? It's like a fake trend that The Times is so fond of creating. "Everyone" is running in purple shoes now!
Seriously though, my terrace is my sanctuary. The plants, the sun, the quiet, the air. Watching the planes in the sky and the hawks gliding really takes the edge off things. I use the terrace all year long, even in the winter, bundling up for coffee with a smoke.

The balconies you see are usually facing busy streets, the ones that are used are the ones facing the back-quieter and cleaner air.

I had a 30x30 terrace for 4 years and a similar sized yard for another in NYC. I BARELEY ever used it - always too hot or cold. It had no shade. I had occasional parties, but it was not worth the extra money. Imdont really miss them.

I was out there yesterday afternoon having a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee, thanking my lucky stars that I didn't live in Long Island City.

Anybody else?

i could live with or without my terrace--it's nice but not a space i cherish--and it really is of little utility for much of the year--in that im in a rental and it's really just thrown in with the deal, it's fine--ie i didnt (as most buyers do) pay the same psf as for interior space to have this--would make little sense to me, tho to buy vs rent my fine apt would make no sense to me either

hey stevie--check out the weber babyq--thing's sweet

Once you get above a certain floor height, its just too windy most of the time to enjoy yourself out there.

Depends, printer: 8th Ave. balcony tends to be windy, 52nd Street balcony is calm.

Too bad I live in a crappy rental, eh, LICC?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

how about using the balcony as storage space? nyc people always need more storage space.... does anyone have any suggestions on how to make over a balcony as useable storage space?

"does anyone have any suggestions on how to make over a balcony as useable storage space?"

Move it to Long Island City.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Main reasons (in no special order):
1) Wind
2) Noise
3) Lack of lack rendering balcony dark and cold
4) Furniture gets FILTHY sitting outside and wiping it off it a pain so it just isn't used.
5) Vertigo beyond a certain floor: sitting on an exposed, windy 4'x7' slab 40 stories up is too much for some people.
6) Small: not enough room for proper table and chairs to make it comfortable.
7) Lack of privacy.
8) Cluttered with bikes, cases of seltzer, junk.
8) Better in theory than reality.

We use ours every day for breakfast, grill, drinks, fresh air. Helps expand the number of spaces to live in. The same lack of use phenomenon occurs in the 'burbs. Almost no one using their yard or deck, just going to the "club" or staying inside with A/C.

I'm hyper and feel trapped if I have no outdoor space. I like to open the door, walk out several times a day, feel the weather. That alone makes a huge psychological difference to me and is worth a lot -- to me nothing is grosser than being inside with NO outdoor space on a lovely day.

Actual sit down usage depends on season, and, critically, on lack of noise (assuming not a super high floor with awful wind).

"cases of seltzer"

Really?

the terrace I spend the most time is big enuf for a table---or three---lot's of flowers, trees, a legal grill, faces North, South and East from different areas and almost always has shade, sun, breeze, shelter, etc. Yes, it is heavily used.

in my many years growing up and living in nyc, i have lived with many outdoor spaces--if i can afford outdoor space, i would always opt to merely buy/rent more indoor space

I use mine every day - no landscaping yet except two tomato plants cadged from Alan Hart. Here's my view: file:///Users/lauriepollock/Desktop/70%20berry%20panorama.m4v

is that a ground level cabana you refer to lofty?

Who buys "cases of seltzer"?

No, it's a terrace on the 7th floor. I won't be able to "landscape" exactly - will get planters.

I did store my bike on the 30X30 terrace. I contemplated getting a sears-type storage shed, but did not really need etra storage space.

I did use it for when I dog-sat for a friend. The dog could poop and pee on the terrace without me having to take it down 8 floors to the street. She also played with a neighbor's dog (they were both pit bulls so not dog-park ready.)

Really, kind of a waste though. The guys who moved in after me said the same thing. That they hardly ever used it, even though at 900SF it was bigger than most apartments.

It is really pretty simple: it is a matter of personal taste (and the nature of the outdoor space). Some will use it, some won't. I have a hammock on mine and use it sometimes, usually in the evenings. But I cherish the ability it gives me to have a large party in a small apartment. Some won't have such a large space.

I also love to grill (real charcoal please) and a small terrace would be of value if it had that as an option. (In the outer boroughs lots of people do this on smaller terraces in multi-unit. Not sure if it is legal but it certainly seems accepted.)

umm, who doesn't buy cases of seltzer?

we had a small balcony for 5 years (similar in size to the one in captive's link above). used it. loved it. miss it.

Having an open space in the city is a waist of money, unless your balcony face a park...A REAL PARK.

"Honey, let's get outside to have a breath of fresh air..."

I don't think so :)

Terraces that are unusually large for the size of the apartment are difficult. E.g., there's a junior one bedroom in our building with an outdoor area larger than the interior area. The maintenance is $350/month more than the identical units without the outdoor space. Even as an outdoor space lover, it would be tough to swallow paying more upfront + $350/more each month for more outdoor space than I could practically use, while being short on interior square footage. This apartment has maintenance more in line with the two bedrooms in the building. (And, no, the terrace is never used - haven't seen anyone there all summer.)

Large terraces are probably also not ideal for renters because (IMO at least) you need to spend significant money to make them really nice. Even if you're inclined to the outdoors, are you really going to spend tens of thousands of dollars setting up the terrace with nice outdoor furniture, potted trees and plants, etc. when you have a one or two year lease and low odds of finding similar outdoor space again? If you fully furnished/decorated a 900 square foot terrace and then lost your lease, your odds of finding an equivalent space would be pretty slim.

^^what he said. My neighbors did spend a lot on fixing up their similar sized terrace, but eventually coudl not afford the place so it was a waste.

I have a 600 sq ft outdoor space on the ground floor between brownstones. I love it. Even when I don't grill or do anything, it's great to open the door and have just have that space there.

In 1976 when I first moved into a new building with an enclosed terrace, I celebrated by sleeping on it one night.

They are also good if someone "needs" to smoke, and you don't allow that inside.

who smokes??

well, my husband occasionally smokes a cigar - and that's DEFINITELY not happening inside!

probably useful for those who still engage herbalism

but i cant think of anyone i know who still smokes cigs----yick

penthouse lady, you and your terrace again

I have a 10x10 terrace in the EVillage and I love it. I'm out there all year round -- visiting with friends, having coffee, tending the plants, I've even wrapped myself in blankets and sat out during a snowstorm. I grew up on a farm, and having even a bit of outdoor space in NYC makes me feel sane. It would be hard for me to go back to an apartment that doesn't have outdoor space.

Incredible: I live in DC in a hi-rise condo, and look across a duck pond a block to a sister of my building. In five years I have never seen a single person on any balcony across from me, in any weather, night or day, summer or winter. There are maybe 150 Units.

I walk upstairs and down every day to my 8th floor unit, and in 5 years I have never heard or seen anyone on these stairs.

I lived on Twin Peaks in SF for 10 years and hiked the traffic-less walking roads all over the Peaks, greatest view and exercise in the world, and never encountered one person hiking. Am I crazy and an alien, or are all other people around me crazy aliens? Certainly we are not the same species.

Just found this link...I'm 6 months into my 1 bedroom 34th floor 25 x 25 terrace...and I love it! Yes, I do but storage outside (trunk, unicycle, cleanings supplies) I also furnished it with trees, furniture, lights..but then again, those things all came from garage sales or freecycle. One of the posteres is correct..when my lease is up, will my next place hold his stuff? I have a tippee outside for the kids, my view is of the Hudson River and Tower 1 is practically in my living room. I use it often, entertaining but mostly in the early am with coffee. I pay stupid money and frankly the terrace is the best part of the building as I refer to my place as the expensive tenement for the lack of care by management (Lefrak bldging) I'd stay if I can find away for the terrace to generate income...with my views it makes a great shoot for films, TV or rental for private parties, guests to stay and apparently I hear that hotels are offering "glamping" Glamor camping..sleep outside under the stars of NYC lights...and yes, some days the wind will blow everything over the side..thus heavy furniture and everything is tied down.