9. There’s a Rooftop Cottage and Meadow Atop a Greenwich Village Apartment

One of our favorite New York City quirks are the adorable cottages and detached houses people like to build atop New York City apartment buildings. This one on Greenwich Street even has a grassy meadow. As The New York Times reported in 2006, owner David Puchkoff was inspired by a visit to Elk, Pennsylvania and just wanted a porch.

As the Times describes, “The porch is basically a glorified bulkhead over a hole punched in the ceiling of the family’s loft to make way for a nautical stairway that rises to a landing with a galley-like kitchenette, with two paned windows and a door that opens to the roof.” Puchkoff is the developer of the entire apartment building, formerly a basket warehouse, and did much of the work himself.