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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGot a spare quarter of a billion dollars lying around? Here's an apartment for you.
Dec 20, 2022Today Architectural Digest brings you high above Manhattan to tour the ultra-luxurious penthouse at Central Park Tower on West 57th street, the highest residential home on the planet.
Soaring over 1,400 feet above New York, the triplex is currently on the market for $250,000,000. With 7 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 2 full kitchens and a private ballroom to go along with world-class amenities, it only takes a quarter of a billion dollars to own the crown jewel of Billionaire's Row.
ProfessorGAC
(68,560 posts)$14,285 per square foot. That would make our house cost $24 million.
No matter how much money one has that's stupidly expensive.
hlthe2b
(105,065 posts)hedda_foil
(16,466 posts)I'm A peasant at heart apparently.
hlthe2b
(105,065 posts)would certainly make you so.
I have to also wonder if the thought of another 911 event might not haunt you a bit in that record-setting tall building.
Retrograde
(10,485 posts)Nothing says target like a huge, isolated building that dwarfs everything around it. Although elevator malfunctions are more likely (you don't think the buildings owners would skimp on things like quality, safety, and maintenance, do you?)
tblue37
(66,016 posts)something happened.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)LakeArenal
(29,556 posts)Money clog in Penthouse 1
bronxiteforever
(9,291 posts)lame54
(36,334 posts)Chainfire
(17,757 posts)I wonder if it has an open balcony so that the owners can piss down on the little folk.
chowder66
(9,658 posts)But congrats to whoever buys it.
GoodRaisin
(9,407 posts)Location location location.
Demovictory9
(33,210 posts)House of Roberts
(5,540 posts)I get wobbly looking off a landing halfway up to a second floor.
The eye doctor my ex had do her cataract surgery was on a second floor, and unless I went up or down in the elevator I had trouble.
Funny, since in my 20s I erected CB towers for friends because I had a climbing belt and a gin-pole. I used to work up to fifty feet with no trouble back then.
GoodRaisin
(9,407 posts)I still live in my 2 story home and probably will for life or until I cant. Been here over 30 years. My ex has a one story and I stayed with her while recovering from cervical spine surgery. I get around okay but not perfect and I still need a lower back surgery Im terrified to get. All the bedrooms unfortunately are on the second floor of the house. I have good days and bad days, on the bad days its easiest to go up the stairs doggy style. I wanted to buy a stair lift but unfortunately our older son is draining our retirement savings, so until that changes, woof.
EarthFirst
(2,995 posts)In a single family residence
FFS!
If this isnt the billionaire flex; I dont know what is.
Rather disgusting; honestly.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)Not that uncommon in upper class homes from what I have read.
marybourg
(12,955 posts)Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)progressoid
(50,425 posts)I had to do some work there.
The main kitchen was obscenely large. The second one was downstairs near the pool. That was about the size of my kitchen. The third was a small one off a sitting room - used for grilling and outdoor entertaining.
The house belonged to a mid-forties douche nozzle who inherited his money. He had a family of 5. About 8 years later he built a different house with just one kitchen but it had a golf practice room in the lower level (along with the theater). On one of the wall was a picture of him golfing with Trump.
Genki Hikari
(1,766 posts)To comply with the requirements of kashrut.
But two kitchens isn't all that rare, even for non-Jewish or less affluent families.
We had two kitchens once at a house my parents rented in the 70s. There was the "main" kitchen upstairs where mom made most of our meals. And then a kitchen downstairs for parties and where we kids hung out, because that floor had our rec room and led right to the lake access. Which was why we used that kitchen for parties. Outside of entertaining, my brothers and I mostly used the "downstairs" kitchen for snacks, drinks and to make sandwiches, boxed mac 'n' cheese, and other stupid stuff like that.
Chellee
(2,191 posts)They have a regular kitchen for everyday meals, and then they have a summer kitchen that is used for canning. Not much cabinetry, LOTS of prep space. Usually two stoves and two double sinks. Lots of windows for airflow. It gets hot when you're canning.
jalan48
(14,147 posts)Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)jalan48
(14,147 posts)Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)Efilroft Sul
(3,706 posts)Yavin4
(35,827 posts)It's for laundering money. Esp. money from Russia.
Retrograde
(10,485 posts)to the decor - it must be there so the owners and guests can literally look down on the masses.
And the ballroom - every residence should have one (although I think you could fit my entire house into it). Overall, though, the decor is "look at me I'm rich but boring". And the building itself is ugly. I think I'll stick with my bungalow.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)So many hard, shiny surfaces, so much glass.
It needs to be softened up a bit.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)But I guess the heating bill is not an issue.
progressoid
(50,425 posts)Meanwhile I sit here in my cold house with a small space heater under my desk.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)No matter how much my friend cranked up the heat, it was always cold.
Right most people are wondering what their heating bills are going to look like
after the frigid weather. Even though they didn't turn up the heat as much as needed,
but wore layers and layers of clothing.
Sympthsical
(9,876 posts)We have 22 foot ceilings in a living room/loft area. We don't even bother turning the furnace or upstairs heater on. We just have little space heaters we use in whatever room we happen to be in at the time. Since they run on our solar, no energy bills. I think if we tried to run central heat on the cold mornings, we'd be paying $600+/month. Newp newp newp. Not today, PG&E.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)Along with all the staff needed to clean, cook, etc.
Of course if you can afford this condo, it is all chump change I guess.
MiniMe
(21,789 posts)I'll leave it for Eloon to buy, not for me.
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,828 posts)Is not a home to me.
iemanja
(54,088 posts)Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)High end closets are mirrored rooms with a central seating area to put your shoes on and look
at your clothing.
Make-up mirror with special lighting.
Shoe racks.
Numbered clothing racks.
Hat racks.
Dressers.
Shelving.
iemanja
(54,088 posts)Considering my little closets suck.
Irish_Dem
(55,692 posts)Trying to rearrange for more efficient use of space.
Yes I would have liked to see the closets in this place as well.
Torchlight
(4,119 posts)just a (little) bit higher inside, though.
DET
(1,583 posts)Looks like a hotel, not a home. Not inviting. I once bought a home because I fell in love with the great room. It was about 30 x 40 with a beamed ceiling and six huge picture windows. But we never used it once we moved in. Furniture gets completely swallowed up in a big room, it was always cold, and it just was not welcoming. But at least it didnt cost A QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS.
iemanja
(54,088 posts)Less cozy that a hotel.
nilram
(2,940 posts)Hate it when I have to waste my time in elevators. Guess Im not suited to be a billionaire.
LuckyCharms
(18,451 posts)Here's the thing...even if I had all the money in the world, I would probably still live in my 1700 sq ft home that has a nice yard.
I've put so much meticulous work into my home that I feel pride every time I look at it.
There is nothing in the world that could replace that feeling.
Not that apartment, not money, not anything.
Living in an over-sized apartment with 27 ft. ceilings that was built by someone else would give me no satisfaction whatsoever.
Interesting video though!
Genki Hikari
(1,766 posts)If the house had only one or two bedrooms. I don't need a bunch of rooms, but I do need big rooms because I freak out in too-small spaces. Severe claustrophobia will do that to a person.
And yet I hate open plan houses. Go figure.
Emile
(27,781 posts)Renew Deal
(82,743 posts)Genki Hikari
(1,766 posts)I've nothing against minimalism or a neutral palette, but sometimes these modern decorators take both to extremes.
Actually, I take it back. I do have something against the monotony of modern home decorating. I'm getting so tired of these minimalistic neutrals that I'm at the point of wanting a true mid-century modern home, ca 1955 with pink appliances, turquoise and yellow kitchen cabinets, and mint green bathroom fixtures.
I'm sick to death of the same old look in every stinking home out there now.
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,828 posts)I hate neutral colors. My apartment living room is in rainbows.
And I hate modern minimalist crap.
I like a colorful home with interesting things,and different styles within it like a victorian sitting room,a rustic dining room,an egyptian style kitchen,an art deco living room you get my drift it would look like a different house in every room also I like catwalks and funky little alcoves and niches and zig zag hallways. I hate stairs so it will all be one level, That is what I would do with my house if I had money to have a house also I would have NO lawn,I would have woods,gardens and other landscaped spaces and native plants just no mowing no shitload of yard work and no damn yard with no trees and boring lawn grass.
Here is my rainbow room.
Scrivener7
(52,122 posts)IcyPeas
(22,327 posts)the cats could watch the helicopters outside the windows instead of squirrels.
give me a little cozy cottage near a warm beach. this "residential home" is cold and more like a hotel.
so which Saudi prince will purchase this?
Look like colored currents in the street
A helicopter lands on the Pan Am roof
Like a dragonfly on a tomb
I_UndergroundPanther
(12,828 posts)A huge catroom and cats everywhere !!❤️❤️❤️😸
Vinca
(50,754 posts)And, of course, there's that quarter of a billion dollars. If I had that kind of money I could definitely find better uses for it.
When he walked towards the window my stomach flipped over. Live there? I couldn't even visit there. I'd be hugging the walls all the time.
What kills me is, those windows open. They had handles. Why? You're not going to get a gentle breeze at that height, so it's not for fresh air. No fireman is rescuing you that way if the building catches on fire. So what's the purpose? Your exit if the stock market crashes? The Russians told the builder they needed the windows to open "just in case?"
GoodRaisin
(9,407 posts)Anyone who could afford that honestly needs to be paying much higher tax rates.
Poiuyt
(18,213 posts)more character.
tblue37
(66,016 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,598 posts)thinking of all the people I could have helped with that amount of money and still had an incredible house for myself. I would prefer a view of the Pacific ocean on the California central coast. Not a distant view of the Atlantic blurred by smog.
wackadoo wabbit
(1,207 posts)This sort of conspicuous consumption shouldn't exist especially when there are so many people who are homeless/unhoused.
niyad
(118,133 posts)Hekate
(93,599 posts)Oh my god.
You know what I want to live in? A single story hobbit-home with all woodwork panels and beams. I was taken aback when my teenage grandson told me how much he loves my place because it was hobbit-like not round, of course, but with the wood. And I looked around and realized that the kid was right, and that was definitely why I fell in love with it at first sight too. Lucky us.
But the worlds tallest building is not for me. You couldnt pay me enough to even visit the damn thing.
Not sure Id want a hobbit home, but that thing is scary. Id be paralyzed by the thought of a terrorist attack or a fire. I was at Windows on the World at the WTC about a year before the planes hit and I had an overwhelming sense of doom. It was terrifying. This place reminds me of that.
JI7
(90,105 posts)I wonder how much the lower level apartments cost . I might actually prefer that .
But If i had that much money I would actually prefer a nice house with ocean view.
dalton99a
(83,355 posts)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park_Tower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Municipal_Investment_Group
Yeah, zero affiliation with the Chinese government
Wingus Dingus
(8,292 posts)Between Sept. 11 and the Florida condo collapse...nopety nope nope.
A HERETIC I AM
(24,501 posts)Id buy 10,000 acres in Montana or Colorado or Florida or Texas. You would REALLY have to love living in a city to even consider dropping that much on that place.
Not to mention those ultra tall, skinny buildings have their own set of unique issues, the least of which is sway in the wind.
Being in that apartment during a high wind event would be very interesting.
But nope, if I had to have a place in Manhattan, Id rather have a place in The Dakota or another of the iconic building on Central Park West.
Bryan
(1,837 posts)The views of Manhattan are definitely sweet, but where's the dedicated storage for emergency food and water in case the owner gets stuck up there due to power outage/extreme weather/elevator failure?
llmart
(16,157 posts)Obscene wealth makes me nauseous unless the wealth is used to help the less fortunate. I look at housing like this from an environmental viewpoint since I'm a rabid environmentalist. How many decent housing units could we build for the homeless or low income families with the amount of money this costs, including the upkeep of it?
As someone else said, give me a little craftsman bungalow on a tree lined street somewhere.
mnhtnbb
(31,733 posts)to spend on housing, I wouldn't spend it all on one place in Manhattan. London, Paris, a Caribbean villa and a mountain chalet in Italy or Switzerland would also be on my shopping list. So, $50 mill tops for a Manhattan apartment in my budget.
But whoever buys that apartment probably already has at least five other homes. Damn.