Buy a townhouse (with basketball court!) near the Second Avenue subway—at a $2 million discount

Traditionally, people move to Yorkville to find an oasis of relative affordability in Manhattan. But for a buyer looking for the exact opposite, may we interest you in this opulent, 10,000-square-foot townhouse, just a couple of blocks from the new 86th Street Second Avenue subway stop?

The asking price is a steep $15.9 million, which, believe it or not, is the result of a recent $2 million price reduction. (The home has been on the market for close to a year.)

The 25-foot-wide limestone home features a separate service entrance with a mud and cloak room, but the main entrance leads into a stately foyer, complete with an 18th-century French white marble fireplace:

The chef's kitchen (which includes radiant heat floors and a woodburning fireplace) is on this main level, as well, and leads out from an informal dining area into the backyard garden, which has been set up with a timed irrigation system.

Up one level on the parlor floor, you'll find more space for entertaining, including a service kitchen, and a dining room with decorative panels, as well as a terrace that overlooks the back garden. For added convenience, there's a commercial hydraulic elevator that services every floor.

The master bedroom is on the next floor up, and includes a dressing room, as well as a master bath with radiant heat floors, a jacuzzi tub, and a fireplace.

The next levels up include more bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as ample areas for entertaining, including the half-basketball court with vaulted ceilings (pictured up top), and a media room with a projector, surround sound, and kitchen facilities. There's also a separate guest suite on the top floor, and a basement with storage, laundry familities, and another game room.

Overall, the home seems set up for a growing family that likes to entertain (and has millions upon millions of dollars to spend). And assuming that any of your friends actually take the subway in lieu of chauffeured town cars, it'll now be a lot easier to get them to come visit you in this neck of the woods. Just in case the basketball court and movie theater weren't enough enticement.