An tsara wannan gida na musamman a matsayin wurin da mutum zai iya fita daga rayuwar birni ba tare da ya yi nesa da ita ba, kuma tsawon shekaru ashirin, haka ya kasance.

An tsara shi kuma aka gina shi bisa buƙata a shekarar 2004, a matsayin gida na biyu da wurin ƙirƙira ga masu shi na farko; daga baya ya zama gida mafi shahara kuma mafi bambanta ta fuskar gine-gine a Rockaway. Babban ɗakin zama mai hawa biyu, wanda rufinsa ya kai ƙafa 22, yana da manyan tagogi masu fuska biyu da suka shimfiɗa a bango, da kuma bene na sama mai faɗin murabba’in ƙafa 850, mai haske kuma buɗe. An yi amfani da shi a matsayin babban gidan zama, haka kuma a matsayin wurin da al’umma ke taruwa domin baje kolin fasaha, shirye-shiryen kiɗa, azuzuwan motsa jiki, da bukukuwa da dama, tarukan sada zumunta da na kasuwanci, da ɗaukar hotuna.

Masu gidan na yanzu sun inganta shi cikin kulawa, tare da rage buƙatar gyare-gyare da kulawa akai-akai. Manyan gyare-gyare da inganta kariyarsa bayan Guguwar Sandy sun ƙara ƙarfafa gininsa, wanda tun farko ya yi fice. Yanzu an lulluɓe shi da ƙarfe mai kariya daga tsatsa, kuma an ɗaga shi ƙafa 9 sama da ƙasa. An ƙarfafa ginin da ginshiƙan kankare da babban sandar ƙarfe mai siffar I, sannan an kare shi da ingantaccen tsarin kashe gobara irin na gine-ginen kasuwanci. Wannan ba gida ne mai ban sha’awa a gani kawai ba; kadara ce ta bakin teku da aka gina cikin tunani, mai ɗorewa kuma an tsara ta da hangen nesa—abubuwan da suka bambanta ta da sauran wurare.

Wurin da ke ƙasan gidan, mai faɗin murabba’in ƙafa sama da 1,200, yana magance ɗaya daga cikin manyan ƙalubalen zama a bakin teku da cikin birni: ajiya. Tsayinsa zuwa rufi ƙafa 8 ne, kuma yana da wurin aikin hannu da aka killace, rumfar ajiya, wuraren jinginar allunan hawan igiyar ruwa, da faffadan sarari. Akwai isasshen wuri don adana alluna, kekuna, kayan aiki, kayan bakin teku da sauran kayayyaki.

An kuma yi la’akari da yadda za a ji daɗin zama a ciki da waje: akwai faffadan bene na bayan gida, lambun bayan gida mai natsuwa kuma an tsara shi da kyau, da kuma shawa ta waje mai ruwan zafi da sanyi wadda ake amfani da ita a wasu lokutan shekara, don sauƙaƙa komawa gida daga bakin teku. Wani gini dabam mai zaman kansa, wanda a yanzu ake amfani da shi a matsayin ɗakin atisayen kiɗa, yana ƙara wata dama ta ƙirƙira da amfani.

Gidan yana kan ɗaya daga cikin titunan Rockaway Beach da aka fi so. Yana ba da daidaiton da ba kasafai ake samu ba: teku da hanyar yawo a bakin teku suna nan kusa; Jamaica Bay, Bay Breeze Park da Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge kuma suna ba da damar hulɗa ta yau da kullum da faffadan ruwa, namun daji da kwanciyar hankali na bakin teku mai ƙarancin cunkoso. Jirgin ruwan Wall Street Ferry na kusa, jiragen ƙasa na karkashin ƙasa da bas-bas suna sa wuraren aiki, al’adu da rayuwar birnin Manhattan su kasance cikin sauƙin isa. Bugu da ƙari, akwai yiwuwar ƙara gini mai faɗin kusan murabba’in ƙafa 800 bisa ƙa’idar FAR (don Allah a tuntuɓi masanin gine-ginenku). Wannan gida ne mai tarihin daraja, kuma har yanzu akwai damar ƙara bunƙasa shi.

Wannan ba kawai wani gida ne da ya fi na kusa girma ko jan hankali ba. Gida ne na bakin teku da aka tsara kuma aka gina musamman, wanda ya tabbatar da ƙarfinsa da juriya; gida ne mai tarihin ƙirƙira, haɗin kai da hulɗa da al’umma, wanda ba a samun irinsa a wani wuri.

This remarkable residence was conceived as a place to step out of city life without stepping away from it, and for two decades, it has been just that.

Custom designed and built as a second home and creative space for its original owners in 2004, it has become Rockaway’s most iconic and architecturally distinctive home. With a double-height great room framed by soaring 22-foot ceilings, walls of oversized double windows, plus an 850 square foot bright and open loft, it has been enjoyed as both a primary residence and the local go-to setting for art exhibitions, music performances, fitness classes, and countless parties, networking events, and photo shoots.

The current owners have thoughtfully upgraded this low-maintenance home, and extensive repairs and resiliency improvements following Hurricane Sandy reinforced its already exceptional construction. Now clad in galvanized steel and raised 9 feet above grade, the structure is reinforced with concrete columns, a steel I-beam, and protected by a commercial-grade fire suppression system. Not merely a striking house, this is a thoughtfully built coastal property with the durability and foresight that distinguish it from everything else.

Over 1,200 square feet of space on the ground level below the home solves one of the greatest challenges of beach and city living: storage. With 8 feet of clearance height, an enclosed workshop, storage shed, surfboard racks, and plenty of open space, there’s room to store boards, bikes, tools, beach gear, and everything else.

Indoor-outdoor living is equally considered with a spacious back deck, tranquil and beautifully-landscaped backyard, and seasonal hot-and-cold outdoor shower to make the transition from beach to home effortless. A separate freestanding structure, currently a rehearsal studio, adds another layer of creative and functional possibility.

Situated on one of Rockaway Beach’s most desirable blocks, the home offers a rare balance: the ocean and boardwalk are nearby; Jamaica Bay, Bay Breeze Park, and the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge invite daily contact with open water, wildlife, and low-density coastal calm. The nearby Wall Street Ferry, subways, and buses keep Manhattan work, culture, and city life within reach. With additional buildable potential of approximately 800 square feet of FAR (please consult your architect), this is a home with both an established legacy and room to evolve.

This is not simply a larger or more dramatic alternative to nearby homes. It is a custom-built, proven, resilient coastal compound with a history of creativity, community, and connection, one not found anywhere else.