Getting high: Living atop your nabe’s tallest building
Yesterday, a three-floor penthouse at 10 Sullivan Street went on sale for $45 million, with marketers touting it as “the highest residence in Soho.” Residing on the top floor of a neighborhood’s tallest tower not only means never having to hear your upstairs neighbors—it also often means panoramic views, sky-scraping roofdecks, private elevators, and all the amenities you’d expect (gym, doorman, storage) from a large, luxury building. But in Soho, much of which is protected as a historic district, it doesn’t take much to tower over the neighborhood—16 stories, to be precise. (The Trump Soho is quite a bit taller, but technically a "condotel," rather than straight-up residences.)
Likewise, on Staten Island, a 10-story complex at 80 Bay Street Landing wins the title of the borough's tallest apartment building. The twin spires of the San Remo rise a mere 28 stories above the Upper West Side, but are still taller than anything else in the area. Meanwhile, in Midtown, a penthouse at 432 Park Avenue is set to be the highest residence in the western hemisphere. And in some areas, the record for tallest building is a moving target. Witness the arms race in Long Island City, where a 596-foot tower planned for 42-12 28th Street is set to overtake the 500-foot 43-25 Hunter Street, also currently under construction.
All this got us wondering: how much does it cost—and what do you get—for the highest perch in different parts of the city? Using building height numbers from Emporis and listing info from StreetEasy, we craned our necks upwards to find out:
You’ll have to drop $82.5 million for the uppermost penthouse at 432 Park Avenue, a 1,400-foot skyscraper that recently became the tallest apartment building in the city. For the price, you’ll get six bedrooms, all of which have en suite bathrooms, plus a seventh bathroom and two powder rooms. Panoramic views of Central Park and the city are a given, and the 8,255-square-foot condo also comes with a private elevator (though you may need to budget some extra commuting time).
Benefits to owning the six-bedroom penthouse in this 204-foot condo building include a living room with 23-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows; two wraparound balconies and a 974-square-foot private roof garden; and a private pool with a skylight. The price tag is $45 million.
388 BRIDGE STREET, DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
Set to be the tallest building in Brooklyn, 388 Bridge Street has a collection of 40 “penthouses,” including one at the top of the 590-foot tower available for almost $6 million. The four-bedroom condo on the 53rd floor comes with a 500-square-foot private roof deck.
Unsurprisingly, many of the city’s tallest towers boast the Trump name. This 623-foot example at 200 East 69th Street has a full-floor penthouse on the market for $14.95 million, and if you like outdoor space, this is for you. The 3,158-square-foot condo has two terraces and six balconies, including one off every one of the four bedrooms. A private elevator and 4.5 bathrooms are also perks.
On the northeastern edge of Chelsea, this 614-foot rental tower has two top-floor penthouses on the market. Both are three-bedrooms, though one has a terrace and is slightly larger at 1,740 square feet, and rents for $18,700 a month. (The smaller one is $17,100 a month.) A hotel occupies the lower levels of the 53-story building at 105 West 29th Street, which also has a public patio area on the ground floor with a huge screen that projects onto a neighboring building.
LINC LIC, LONG ISLAND CITY
At 429 feet, the LINC LIC is set to be eclipsed by new developments already underway in Long Island City. No matter. For now, you can rent the three-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse for $6,100 a month. Though the 42nd-floor apartment has a balcony and a washer/dryer, the real draw here seems to be the building’s amenities, which include basketball and squash courts, a screening room, and a resident’s park.
Related:
On top of the world? The ups and, yes, downs of living on the highest floor
Ask an Expert: When is a "penthouse" not a penthouse?
The ups and downs of sky-high living
