An expansive, two-floor apartment in an iconic Manhattan building that was once the headquarters for the New York City Police Department has hit the market for $18.5 million.
The sprawling Nolita four-bedroom home on Centre Street was a former gymnasium in the Beaux-Arts style Police Building, constructed in 1909—a historic detail reflected in the apartment’s 25-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings with exposed steel trusses, according to the Douglas Elliman listing, posted Tuesday.
More:Read More About the Luxury Manhattan Market on Mansion Global
The historic 6,600-square-foot duplex sits on the fifth and sixth floors, and features a private terrace with views of Lower Manhattan. The home, which includes four bathrooms and a half-bathroom, has a master bedroom suite on the first floor with walk-in closets, a private sauna, dressing room and office area. The library, on the second floor, "floats" above the master suite and overlooks the main floor’s living and dining room, according to the listing.
The landmarked building, which served as the NYPD headquarters from 1909 to 1973, was converted to luxury apartments in 1988. The apartment was designed by late architect Charles Gwathmey, known for creating residences for a slate of prominent clients including Steven Spielberg and Jerry Seinfeld, as well as several notable New York City buildings, such as the Museum of the Moving Image.
Gwathmey was a friend of the apartment’s owners, the late Alvin Einbender, a former Bear Stearns COO, who died in 2016, and his wife, Joan, said listing agent Michael Kotler. The famed architect completely overhauled the apartment, a renovation that took about three years. The couple bought the apartment between 1999 and 2000 at $2,050,00, for what was then "a shell of an apartment; it was still basically a gym," Mr. Kotler said.
More:New York Matches Best Week of Year for Luxury Homes
The family has tried to sell before, including for $31.495 million in 2014, according to The Wall Street Journal. Kotler said the new price reflects the "current luxury market."
The building also includes a private shared garden, fitness room and 24-hour concierge.
Mr. Kotler said any lover of architecture would specifically appreciate this apartment. "It’s a modern apartment in a Beaux-Arts building," he said. "The apartment is really a work of art."