A ‘Peak’ at Some of New York’s Most Anticipated High-Rise Developments

Featured within Central Park Tower is a luxe collection of 179 two-to-eight-bedroom condos and penthouses beginning on the 32nd floor, and ranging from 1,435 to more than 17,500 square feet. Prices for current availability start at $6.5 million and rise to $63.75 million for a five-bedroom unit spiraling 1,192 feet in the air (and are likely to be even more for the top penthouse, which according to “Architectural Digest,” is a four-bedroom unit with an outdoor pool listed for $95 million).

Among the highlights: grand Rottet Studio-designed living and entertaining spaces strategically placed in the corners to maximize panoramic city views via floor-to-ceiling walls of glass (with structural elements discreetly placed between the units), along with soaring ceilings, and master retreats outfitted in the finest imported stones, custom millwork, and high-end fittings and fixtures.

“Central Park Tower has taken over a decade of planning and collaborating with the world’s most talented architects, engineers and designers,” says Joaquin Stearns, senior vice president of development for Extell, which is co-developing Central Park Tower with SMI USA, the U.S. subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment. “This building stands out in New York City history as the singular residential offering that will redefine luxury living in Manhattan and around the world. There is simply nothing else like it.”

Found between Columbus Circle and the Plaza District, just minutes from Central Park (hence, its name), the development designed by Chicago-based architectural firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill was completed in 2021, with the first closings in February. Also having the notoriety of being the second-tallest skyscraper in the U.S. and Western Hemisphere (behind One World Trade Center), as well as the 13th-tallest building in the world, it’s already been recognized with the 2021 Award of Excellence by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat as “The Best Tall Building” in the 400 meters and above category.

The units are accessible via a special Otis Elevator-designed high-speed elevator that ascends 2,000 feet per minute, traveling up 131 floors in a minute and a half. And lest one is worried about the elements at those momentous heights, elaborate cantilevers, aerodynamic openings and a massive rooftop weighting system have been employed to keep the tower from sashaying in the wind.

“Central Park Tower was designed by a firm dedicated to the design of high-performance, energy-efficient, striking architecture on an international scale,” says Stearns. “AS+GG has collaborated with clients across the globe to design nine of the world’s tallest and highest-performing buildings. Currently, AS+GG is responsible for the design of the next world’s tallest building, Jeddah Tower, that is now under construction in Saudi Arabia.”

As for the resort-inspired amenities, expect the exclusive Central Park Club (towering more than 1,000 feet in the air), which offers about 50,000 square feet of curated luxury amenities spread across three floors. Each level offers a different experience, with the crème de la crème being the highest private residential club in the world on the 100th Floor at 8,300 square feet, complete with a private ballroom, dining room, bar, full-service kitchen, and wine and cigar lounges. There’s also an expansive outdoor terrace on the 14th floor, with a pool surrounded by a 60-foot sundeck and cabanas, and a private fitness center with a gym, training room, squash/basketball court and spa treatment room on the 16th floor.

Lifestyle planner to the stars Colin Cowie also has been tapped to serve as the building’s exclusive lifestyle specialist and event planner for the residents, and will offer a food and beverage program helmed by celebrity chefs including Alfred Portale, Laurent Tourondel and Gabriel Kreuther. And, at the base of the building is a new 320,000-square-foot, seven-floor Nordstrom flagship store, where residents will be privy to special privileges — like in-home personal stylists and priority access to invite-only style events.

Perhaps the best amenity of all, though, is having Central Park right outside your doorstep. The vision of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, this 843-acre National Historic Landmark is home to fountains, playgrounds, ball fields, theaters, restaurants, gardens and numerous other attractions.

“With first-class product and exceptional pricing that speaks to today’s market,” says Stearns, “Central Park Tower is the very best you can buy on Central Park.”

180 East 88th Street

Already known for striking architectural buildings in downtown Manhattan and San Francisco, DDG’s eye-catching 180 East 88th Street tower north of 72nd Street is making its debut in uptown Manhattan as the tallest residential project on the Upper East Side at 50 stories tall. The Gaudi-inspired project, the developer’s first partnership with Eyal Ofer’s Global Holdings, is marked by a stunning concrete façade featuring iconic arches and nearly 600,000 hand-laid bricks crafted by Denmark’s Petersen Tegl, expansive residences showcasing unparalleled views, as well as upscale amenities to meet every need and interest.

“The development literally raises the bar for luxury living on the Upper East Side, as it is the tallest residential tower in the area,” says Joseph McMillan Jr., DDG’s chairman and CEO. “You can see Central Park, planes take off and land from LaGuardia, various bridges connecting Manhattan to the rest of the city, and the entire Midtown skyline from our homes — you can’t get views like this anywhere else in Carnegie Hill.”

The boutique development is home to 47 residences ranging from lofts to five-bedroom, full-floor and duplex units, along with a triplex penthouse with insane views of Central Park and the New York City skyline. Current availability begins at $1.295 million, with a large four-bedroom unit at the project currently listed for $16.75 million. Pricing for the penthouse isn’t available at this time.

Among the distinctive design characteristics: formal elliptical-shaped entry galleries with herringbone flooring, custom wainscoting, coved ceilings, wide-plank Austrian white oak flooring, picture rails for displaying art and custom brass details. Cubic volume also stands out here, with soaring ceilings from 14 to 28 feet tall and 9-foot windows bathing the homes in abundant natural light and lending a light, airy quality to the residences.

Also showcased are professional chef’s kitchens outfitted with white lacquer cabinetry custom designed for DDG by Molteni & C Dada, honed statuario marble slab countertops, wine refrigerators, Gaggenau appliances, stone-topped islands and Fantini fixtures, along with sumptuous spa-like bathrooms highlighted by deep soaking tubs, and mosaic-accented walls and flooring.

“180 East 88th Street is ideal for design-forward buyers who want to live somewhere that is stylish, has a point of view and space,” says McMillan. “We’re also seeing a lot of interest from families with children thanks in large part to the building’s wide range of private amenities spread across eight floors (designed by Hadas Dembo of Mise en Scene Design).

“From the partial indoor basketball court and soccer pitch, to the game room, residents’ lounge, wine room, private fitness and yoga studios, and interactive children’s playroom,” he adds, “there is something for everyone.”

The Leyton

Inspired by the intimacy and ambience of a boutique hotel, Dart Interests and Real Estate Inverlad’s ritzy new 38-residence, Art Deco-inspired condo complex on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is the ideal answer to post-pandemic living in New York, complete with secluded outdoor spaces offering striking vistas of Central Park and the East River. Planning and design of the sleek glass and stone tower known as The Leyton began in 2016, with construction now under way on the 37-floor, Manuel Glas-designed building, and completion and occupancy set for fall 2021.

“The Leyton is a truly timely offering for what we are seeing buyers looking for right now,” says Robin Schneiderman, managing director of Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing, who is exclusively managing sales and marketing for the new building. “It’s boutique size, coupled with the privacy of its full-floor units, many of which include vast outdoor spaces, that allow for the expansion of the home’s footprint to easily take work or play outside.”

Situated at 1059 Third Ave. — between East 62nd and 63rd streets — the development houses a collection of 38 residences, with prices ranging from $2.12 million to $11.6 million (and pricing for the penthouse duplex available upon request). Medical office space takes up the lower levels, while one- and two-bedroom, full-floor units start on the 10th floor, and a limited collection of three- and four-bedroom, full-floor homes and one duplex penthouse round out the top-most levels.

Expect modern floorplans offering voluminous and elegant Elena Frampton-designed living space rife with loft-like ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, wide-plank oak wood flooring, organic finishes and custom marble fireplaces. Among the highlights: open gourmet kitchens boasting custom Poggenpohl cabinetry and Gaggenau appliances, and master suites with walk-in wardrobes, and ensuite bathrooms outfitted in Siberian Tundra limestone and a polished Herringbone feature wall.

On the 24th floor, the exclusive Champalimaud-designed Brandy Room offers residents access to indoor-outdoor entertaining spaces, including a living room sporting a chalet-style fireplace surrounded by seating; sun terrace with an outdoor kitchen; dining room for private entertaining; and solarium with a butler’s bar and conversation tables. Residents also have access to The Studio, a fitness center with cardio and conditioning equipment, and a “Paw Spa” featuring washing facilities and a grooming table, as well as porters and a doorman.