Billionaires’ ‘attic’
Storage area now Central Pk. triplex
Only in New York could an attic become a 10,000 square foot triplex overlooking Central Park.
Developer Arnon Katz was looking for a unique space when he discovered a pied-à-terre at the top of Hampshire House at 150 Central Park South.
He was searching for the apartment’s mechanical system and was told it was “upstairs” — in the roof, which housed an attic that’s become a gold mine.
“An idea was born!” architect Peter Pelsinski, principal of SPAN Architecture, told The Post.
“We realized the possibility to transform storage space into an incredible, habitable penthouse.”
The result will be a 10,000square-foot triplex overlooking the heart of Central Park.
The buildings on West 57th Street’s Billionaire’s Row have a certain “anonymity to them — even at the top,” Pelsinkski said. “This is different. The roof sets it apart. It has iconic status.”
Construction on Hampshire House began in 1931 during the Great Depression but stopped six months later when the Cleveland-based developer ran out of money. It started again when the economy improved.
Over the years, residents in the 37-story building have included legends like artist Frida Kahlo and opera megastar Luciano Pavarotti.
But because the building was created in pieces, it has an “assemblage quality” to it and was never landmarked, according to Pelsinkski.
The tower, crowned by a copper roof with twin chimneys, is in a different style than both the Spanish Baroque dormers below it and the base of the building, which is modern with white marble walls, aluminum fixtures and black-granite trim.
For Katz, t he fact t hat t he building wasn’t l andmarked t urned out to be his “golden t i cket.”
“All the stars needed to align, and in this case, they did,” he said. “We got lucky. The co-op board was sophisticated and understood the value of design, and the Department of Buildings was also on board.”
The triplex will be marketed by Douglas Elliman’s Noble Black and Roger Erickson.