Penthouse in New York's Woolworth Building goes on sale for $110 million

Wolworth Building
The penthouse of the Woolworth Building

A penthouse inside the celebrated Woolworth Building in New York has gone on sale with a record-breaking price tag, as developers tout the unique features of the historic landmark.

The top floor flat went on the market on Wednesday for $110 million (£81.5m) – a sum which, if reached, would easily eclipse the current highest sale in Lower Manhattan. A penthouse in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood sold for $50.9 million in 2014.

The 9,710 sq foot apartment has 24-foot ceilings, a private lift and spans five floors.

The interiors have been left “raw”, meaning that the buyer can decide how many bedrooms and bathrooms they would like.

Woolworth
The Woolworth Building, in Lower Manhattan

Situated close to Wall Street and Ground Zero, the building sits on a site bought by discount shop tycoon Frank Winfield Woolworth.

It has its own private air observatory, 727 feet above the city, and residents can access Woolworth’s private swimming pool in the basement.

“This is as close to having a castle in New York City as you can get,” said Ken Horn, the developer.

The steel and terracotta structure, built in neo-Gothic style, is a national historic landmark, created by architect Cass Gilbert.  When it was completed in 1913, it was the world’s tallest building - a title it held for 17 years.

The apartment, with 125 windows, first went on the market in 2014, but no buyers emerged.

Building amenities include a health club and spa with a pool, sauna and a hot tub, a wine cellar, a tasting room — and personal mail delivery.

Steve Witkoff and Ruby Schron bought the building in 1998 for $146 million and still own its lower floors.

“This is one of the five most iconic buildings in the world,” said Mr Horn. 

“One can always build new penthouses in glass skyscrapers, but it is impossible to replicate this anywhere. 

“No one builds terracotta anymore. It’s too expensive. When you go up there, you feel like you are at the top of the world. 

“You are buying something that can never exist anywhere else in the world.”

However, the asking price has been deemed somewhat steep.

So far, only one other Manhattan apartment — in a midtown skyscraper known as One57, the “billionaire’s building” — has sold for more than $100 million. 

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