Designed by Foster + Partners, 50 United Nations Plaza is a magnificent architectural addition to the Manhattan skyline, offering 88 condominium residences just a block from the UN headquarters. Among its luxurious apartments is an astonishing duplex penthouse apartment, currently on the market at $70 million.
Jill Mangone, director of sales with Zeckendorf Marketing, describes the residential building as an “island site” — an uncommon feature for New York City. “The building is very open on all sides, and as a consequence of that, even the apartments on the lowest floors enjoy tremendous light and space for views,” says Mangone.
From the hard-to-come-by private motor court, the lobby greets residents with a 20-foot water wall feature that backs to an open circular fireplace. Past the water and fire elements are the elevators that can either bring you to your residence or to the amenity-filled floor described as a “temple to luxurious wellness,” fit with a health and fitness center, spa and 75-foot swimming pool, not to mention abundant wine bottle storage available for residents.
An immediate distinguishing factor for 50 United Nations Plaza is the remarkable 10,000-square-foot penthouse, exceeding luxury standards in all definitions of the word. Contributing to the price tag are a 10,000-pound, handcrafted stainless steel staircase; two outdoor spaces, one of which features a heated, infinity-edge pool; and impeccable 360-degree views of some of the most recognizable buildings in the world, including the Empire State Building, UN Secretariat and Chrysler Building.
A feature exaggerated in the penthouse, but a fixture for every apartment in 50 United Nations Plaza, is the deep bay window design that frames the city vistas. “The curtain wall features deep bay windows that truly animate the views. You don’t have a flat panel of glass with a one-facet view — instead, you have this surrounded quality. It brings you out into the view, and brings the view in,” says Mangone.
Rounded glass windows, coupled with stainless steel and burnished gold, create a shimmering iridescent exterior for 50 United Nations Plaza as it stands at 43 stories tall, making its mark on the city skyline.
“One of the qualities of life in New York that really impressed Norman Foster was the brilliant quality of light for so much of the year. He was very intrigued by this, along with the use of stainless steel in skyscrapers. Therefore, stainless steel as a design element is consistent throughout the entire building and was a deliberate attempt to harken back to its use on the Chrysler Building, and to a lesser extent, the Empire State Building,” says Mangone.
Also on the market at 50 United Nations Plaza is apartment 20A, a 3-bedroom turnkey residence exclusively designed by Bennett Leifer offering a livable, internationally accessible space with iconic and recognizable pieces of furniture and accessories.
To find out more about 50 United Nations Plaza, visit 50unp.com.
Photos courtesy of Chuck Choi, Marco Ricca and Paul Warchol
