Manhattan Market ~ Property, Decor, Interiors

157 WEST 57TH STREET

Manhattan Style ~ Property, Decor, Interiors
Property Highlight: 157 WEST 57TH STREET, With Views of Central Park.

By Christine Philip

Manhattan residents are very familiar with how quick property can go off the market whether you are renting or buying. If you like something, act fast, because it’s likely to be gone within a few days- especially it it ticks most of the boxes you are looking for (ie: square footage, location, layout, amenities, etc…), and more than likely, it will be a few years till it is available again.  Apps such as ‘street easy’ and ‘zillow’ save time; instead of  physically scouting every building and area, you can view what is on the market according to your filters and preferences on these apps. More importantly, you can also look up any building, (whether it’s a condo, co-op, or rental), and the available units  to rent or purchase, including past sales/rental price, in that specific building.

In Manhattan though, there is always a compromise you will have to make.  Even the most luxurious multi-million dollar spaces will not tick all the boxes. The sensible thing one can do is to prioritize your ‘must haves’. Most people have a budget, and neighborhood in mind, and work their way from this. Some individuals even have strict criteria: great views, outdoor terrace, verizon Fios enabled building, a washer-and dryer in-unit (a rare thing- most buildings have separate laundry facilities), pet-friendly, separate dining alcoves, doormen and concierge, garage parking, addresses near or on Central Park, 5th, Madison, or Park avenues- these are some of the boxes that need to be ticked for the discerning future resident.

Looking at Manhattan real estate has officially become a hobby of mine to add to the list because it’s fascinating to see how much prices are substantially increasing every year (which areas are decreasing), new building developments with state of the art amenities and appliances, how owners are utilizing manhattan cookie-cutter space furniture-wise, and how units are interior-designed to resemble high-rise-living- my favorite. I love to get inspiration from the smallest spaces to even the luxurious ones.

This particular opulent high rise pad in Manhattan is on the market for $27,500,000 USD from Sotheby’s International Reality. APT 61B to be exact on 157 WEST 57TH STREET and is right smack in the middle of Central Park South, probably my favorite neighborhood. It’s staged brilliantly, and is a 4,193-sq.ft. half floor apartment in the famed ONE57 Condominium. 

157 WEST 57TH STREET Common Area

I love that there are little seating benches built-in near the floor to ceiling windows that look out to Central Park. The large Entry Gallery opens through two gracious over-sized doorways to the 30 ft. x 43 ft. Grand Salon with soaring 11’10” ceilings and framed on either end by floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows offering endless views across the Park and the New York City Skyline.

157 WEST 57TH STREET Dining Area

157 WEST 57TH STREET Dining Area

Not feeling this dining table (it looks a little conference-table to me), although the Living and Dining areas are ideal for large scale entertaining. The Chef’s Kitchen with large breakfast room and hand-crafted, hand-painted white walnut cabinetry by Smallbone of Devizes is equipped with the finest appliances including two Miele refrigerators/freezers, gourmet cooking zone with externally vented hood, double wall ovens, warming drawer, two dishwashers (?!?- why haven’t they invented one that’s large enough?), premium coffee bean system and Subzero 132-bottle wine cooler. 

157 WEST 57TH STREET Master Bedroom

157 WEST 57TH STREET Master Bathroom

The Master Bedroom Suite, consisting of over 1,000 sq.ft., the size of most 2-bedroom apartments in Manhattan, encompasses the entire Eastern side of the apartment with breathtaking views of Central Park, the iconic buildings in Midtown and the Southern skyline- absolutely in love. This Master oasis has two walk-in closets and a marble Spa-Bath with a Thomas Juul-Hansen custom designed vanity, Dornbracht and Graff fixtures, Waterworks soaking tub, glass steam shower and separately enclosed Duravit toilet and bidet. The private West Wing of the home offers two additional Bedrooms each with their own marble Bath, a Powder Room for guests, large Laundry Room and a service entrance. A state-of-the-art, multi-zone climate control system, permits year round heating and cooling in each room.

157 WEST 57TH STREET Guest Bedroom

157 WEST 57TH STREET Kitchen

157 WEST 57TH STREET Kitchen

157 WEST 57TH STREET Living Room

157 WEST 57TH STREET Office Room

Not too shabby, but still lacking a few things for the price in my humble opinion. It would have been nice if this apartment included heated washroom floors, a Mediterranean courtyard-esque terrace, perhaps a secret hidden den/room with a private entrance (I saw the floor plan- there is none), i-phone smart enabled amenities, access to a private roof top deck, to name a few things- or shall I say, boxes to be ticked.

-CP