The Woolworth Pinnacle

New York City

This condo soars 222m above Manhattan’s bustling avenues and occupies a formidable five floors of the neo-Gothic pile that is the Woolworth Building. The unit’s actually eight stories high, with double-height ceilings and at the very peak, a stunning 38sqm observatory terrace offering views across the skyline, the Hudson River and all the way to the Atlantic. Inside, the 9,680 sq ft of space was intentionally left unfinished by developer Alchemy Properties to provide a prospective buyer with a blank canvas. Much of the architectural character was preserved, but one change Alchemy did make was the addition of 125 windows set into the US$79 million penthouse’s exterior terracotta tiles to flood the interiors with light. To spark the imagination of potential buyers, Alchemy commissioned elaborate renderings from leading interior designers Thierry Despont and David Hotson that show some incredible possibilities. The Woolworth Building dates to 1913, when it was the trophy headquarters for Woolworth’s Five & Dime store empire. The conversion to the Woolworth Tower Residences has seen floors 29 through 58 transformed into 32 loft-like condos.