About six years ago, his vision failing because of macular degeneration, Dr. Newman was forced to retire from his job at Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, N.Y. They decided to move. The Newmans had always enjoyed their visits to Manhattan, but figured that living there was a dream for an unspecified someday. In the meantime, they would live closer to the city.
For around $390,000, they bought a three-story post-and-beam house in Cragsmoor, a hamlet in Ulster County. They were captivated by the view of the southern Catskills, with its layers of mountains.
“We redid the house from stem to stern,” said Dr. Newman, now 75. This included adding a heating system. Mrs. Newman, 65, used a shed for a painting studio.
But winters were tough. Their narrow, steep driveway froze and refroze. At first they parked the car at the bottom and took their groceries up on sleds; later they used a snow-thrower and put down sand and salt. Dr. Newman helped as much as he could. Unable to drive, he couldn’t go anywhere without his wife.
Though the Newmans both come from the Midwest, they had several elderly relatives living nearby in New York. When the relatives died, they felt free to move. “There was a lot of loss going on,” Mrs. Newman said. “With the background of that loss, I realized we were getting older and there is no guarantee how long either of us might have.”
It was time to move to the city. Last summer they went on the hunt for a two-bedroom condominium in a new building with a great view and a walkable neighborhood. Their budget was $800,000 to $900,000.
Roosevelt Island, in the middle of the East River, was appealing. Mrs. Newman liked the idea of having a Main Street address in New York City. At Riverwalk Court, erected in 2008, they became interested in a penthouse with a wonderful view of Manhattan.
But there was a problem: The penthouse would not be on the market for a few months. And ensconced renters made access difficult.
Moreover, Dr. Newman was iffy about the lack of variety of stores and restaurants within walking distance. The Newmans moved on; meanwhile, Roosevelt Island’s retail situation is about to change with the addition of several new stores.
Most of Manhattan was beyond their budget, but plenty of new developments elsewhere in the city fit their bill.
They visited several buildings in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, but were disappointed by indifferent sales agents and low-quality finishes. They feared that future construction would obscure views.
They came close to buying at Murano in Long Island City, with its colorful changing light display. They were intrigued by an apartment with an enormous terrace, Mrs. Newman said, but then “we realized we don’t even like to be outdoors.” The couple had hardly ever used their deck in Cragsmoor. “We knew we weren’t going to sit out there,” she said. “We came to our senses.”
At the BellTel Lofts, a conversion of a 1920s Art Deco building in Downtown Brooklyn, they found the layouts odd, with too many walls and too few windows. To them it was a bit too obvious that it had begun life as offices.
But nearby at Toren, they loved a duplex penthouse with a sculptural stairway and enormous windows facing north and west. “We took one look and we were sold,” Dr. Newman said.
The couple paid $1.12 million, more than they had intended. The common charge and taxes are around $1,550 a month. They arrived in the fall, turning the second bedroom into a combination office, art studio and guest room. Their children or grandchildren — they have 10 — can stay when they visit.
Meanwhile, the Cragsmoor house sold within two days of being listed for the asking price, $345,000.
“I never thought we would get a view that possibly compared with the view we had up in Cragsmoor,” Mrs. Newman said, “but this is it.” She especially loves watching the Staten Island ferries. “There is one place where they pass each other, and I can’t get enough of it.”
The Newmans are relieved to be free of driveway-related stress. “It has been icy and snowy up there,” Mrs. Newman said. She often checks the weather map, and “there is always pink over Cragsmoor, which is freezing rain.”
Though the Newmans have as much room as they did in their house — 1,600 square feet — much of it is “dramatic open space,” Mrs. Newman said. They have organized their closets and shelves with precision. The building has no additional storage space, “so we had to outsource that,” she said. Their rented storage space is filled mostly with memorabilia and Christmas ornaments.
Shortly after arriving, the couple detected a problem with uneven heat. The bedroom was chilly even when the thermostat read toasty. They discovered that the thermostats were badly placed, detecting heat at the source rather than in the rooms. The sponsor has ordered new parts in preparation for moving the thermostats.
The Newmans were thrilled with their new area code. “I did for a long time have my heart set on living in Manhattan and wanted a 212 number,” Mrs. Newman said. Verizon FiOS was happy to oblige, confounding callers. “I think people in Manhattan are a little put out that they are willy-nilly giving 212 numbers away to people who live in Brooklyn,” she said.
Customers with FiOS Digital Voice can pick any number that’s available, “even if it’s in another state,” explained Phil Santoro, a Verizon spokesman.
The Newmans cheerfully gave away their car. Dr. Newman is able to go places alone on foot. “I walked over to the Starbucks in MetroTech Center to get some coffee,” he said. “It was the first time in six years I had done anything by myself.”
E-mail: [email protected]
