The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Condo over the Sound
New Haven unit features numerous amenities
An early riser, seller Ramneet Gill enjoyed sunrises over Long Island Sound from the balcony of this top floor New Haven condo.
“You’re overlooking Long Island Sound, it’s pretty spectacular. You’re right in a little cove there, so the water’s calm,” Kate Esposito, listing agent for Press Cuozzo Realtors, said. “You’ve got the best view in the house and no one’s above you, so it’s quiet.”
Gill, a former Yale doctor and professor, who relocated to New Jersey, said the proximity to the hospital as well as the location on the water paired with beautiful sunrises and sunsets were what drew her to buy the place.
“The sun would rise on [the] side [with the balcony], so the sunrises are very beautiful,” she said.
She described an autumn morning ritual she had of drinking coffee on the balcony and watching the sun rise.
Below her – even in the depth of winter – she would often see a pair of swans resting in the marsh grasses or floating on the water, occasionally a clutch of youngsters trailing behind.
In the evening, she could watch the sun set over the New Haven skyline from her kitchen.
A favorite pastime she had was taking the five-minute walk to restaurants along the harbor, such as Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill, where she enjoyed tasty seafood beside an outdoor fire pit, or City Point Kitchen, which, she said was “a fantastic brunch spot.”
Built in 2013, “everything is new and modern” in the secure complex with covered parking, Esposito said. The three-bedroom unit has “a huge open dining and living space with really elegant columns between the kitchen and dining area.”
From the front door, a short hallway leads to the living room where – directly opposite – a wall of windows overlooks the water, allowing one “to get a glimpse of the water” immediately upon entering, Gill said.
Like all the rooms in the unit, the living room, with a gas fireplace, has a high ceiling. It has been the setting for myriad gatherings, including with international students Gill hosted.
A memorable get-together she recalled was “a lovely night” before her move when she entertained work friends, who enjoyed wine and cheese by the fire while bidding her farewell.
“It was a lovely gathering of friends from all over the world that I had together,” she said.
The kitchen has “super easy” flow for cooking.
When she had guests, Gill enjoyed putting a cheese board on the round table she had beside the windows, pouring wine and sitting down and capturing the view.
At the spot where the living room and kitchen meet is the slider to the balcony, bringing more light and views into the space. There was so much light cascading through all the windows that Gill was able to grow tomatoes in her kitchen and shared a photo of a batch of the bright orange fruit she posted on Facebook with “homegrown tomatoes from my little greenhouse in my kitchen!” written beneath it.
One of the bedrooms can be accessed from the living area and is conveniently located for use as an office with peaceful views of grass and greenery at Breakwater Bay complex, where the unit is located.
The generously sized master bedroom has a bath with a Jacuzzi tub, double sinks and a walk-in closet.
Gill said she misses the water and being able to walk to her favorite restaurants.
“The other thing was just sitting on the balcony and just feeling the breeze,” she said, describing the spot as quiet and private and a nice space for small, intimate gatherings.