The world’s tallest penthouse at the top of Central Park Tower offers sweeping views of New York City, but is marred by high winds and a high-pitched whistling sound.
Known as “The One Above All Else,” the $250 million penthouse has seven bedrooms, nine-and-a-half baths, and a total of 23 rooms atop the 1,550-foot tower overlooking Central Park. The enormous building even allowed residents to look down on the Empire State Building.
Normally, spaces with attitudes like this are reserved for offices, and the penthouse has experienced some unique problems from the high winds that pound the New York City skyline.
During a tour of the penthouse, CBSs Brook Silva Braga noticed that the terrace was being whipped by strong winds, especially in winter, which also caused the door to slam loudly behind him.
He also pointed to a high-pitched whistling sound echoing in the penthouse, which the real estate agent attributed to the cold weather, describing it as a “growing pain.”
The world’s tallest penthouse at the top of Central Park Tower (above) overlooks the Manhattan skyline, but its sheer size has also created unique problems due to high winds
Inside the $250 million penthouse known as “The One Above All Else,” a high-pitched whistling noise can be heard, especially from the windows overlooking Central Park and northern Manhattan
CBS’s Brook Silva Braga (left) noted during his tour that the terrace was being lashed by high winds
It also caused the door to slam loudly, startling the reporter and the penthouse real estate agent
The penthouse has seven bedrooms, nine and a half baths, with a total of 23 rooms
Architects Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill, who designed some of the world’s tallest buildings, noted that there is a difference between working in a huge skyscraper and living in a huge skyscraper.
Like many tall buildings that experience high winds, the Central Park Tower is equipped with a weight at the top that acts as a pendulum that causes the building to swing in an upwind direction.
While residents may not feel the shifts, and Braga noted he felt nothing during his two-day tour, Smith and Gill said the swings would be obvious to anyone taking a bath or swimming in the penthouse.
“It’s a little more forgiving in an office building than it is in a residential building,” Gill told CBS. “If you have a pool or bathtub full of water, the psychology around watching that move is a little bit different.”
The enormous penthouse houses several catering kitchens and dining rooms spread over three floors
In addition to large living rooms, the penthouse features a grand ballroom on the third floor
It has seven bedrooms, with the more luxurious suites on the second floor
NYC residents have complained that when the sun moves, the building casts a large shadow over Central Park
While not the world’s tallest building, The Central Park Tower boasts the penthouse as the world’s tallest residence at 416 meters along Manhattan’s Billionaires’ Row.
The penthouse occupies the three top floors of 17,545 square feet, with an additional 1,433 square feet of outdoor space.
On the first floor alone, it features a drawing room, an observatory, a library, a media room, a breakfast room, a kitchen, guest rooms and a private elevator.
The second level is equipped with five luxurious bedroom suites and a recreation area, with the third floor featuring a grand ballroom, powder rooms, cloakroom, private study, private catering kitchen and enough space to set up a private gym.
While not the tallest building in the world, The Central Park Tower features the penthouse as the tallest residence in the world at 416 feet. The building is located on Billionaire’s Row in Manhattan
The building features an observation room where residents can look down on the rest of the NYC skyline
In addition to the strong winds, the building is also facing complaints from New York City residents, who have criticized its sheer size and the shadow it casts over Central Park.
They said the building ultimately sacrificed the enjoyment of the thousands who visit the park for the few who can afford to live in the tower’s luxury suites.
Almost two years after the start of the project, the building, which contains 179 units, still has fewer than 30 full-time residents.