Take a Look at Life Atop the Tallest Tower in the Country's Biggest Development

Anyone with a cool $5 million to spare can now plant their home flag at 35 Hudson Yards, the tallest tower in the nation's biggest real estate development.

Soaring 1,000 feet, the luxury condominium built by developer Related Cos. towers over the Hudson Yards district in New York on Manhattan’s Far West Side. Its 143 two- to six-bedroom condos, now being marketed to potential buyers, sit atop the first hotel of Related’s Equinox fitness brand, starting at the 53rd floor. Prices range from $5 million to $28 million, and the company is distributing the images it's using to lure buyers.

The redevelopment of Hudson Yards, a rezoned business district on a former rail depot, is expected to bring the city well over 25 million square feet of new commercial space by 2023, according CoStar data.

Related’s contribution is expected to be responsible for about 18 million square feet of that figure, including nearly 6 million square feet of residential, noted commercial real estate services firm CBRE.

And as the most expensive development in U.S. history, Hudson Yards’ $25 billion construction cost means its condos with high-end amenities are skewed toward an uber-wealthy demographic. Case in point: 35 Hudson Yards, designed by renowned architect David Childs of Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, offers residents 22,000 square feet of wellness and entertainment features. Those run the gamut from a golf simulator lounge, billiards room, private office suites for telecommuters, movie screening room and children’s playroom.

"We approached the design of 35 Hudson Yards with the idea of creating something that would be a visual contrast to the glass towers in the area," Childs said in a statement. They used softly toned and veined limestone quarried in Bavaria for its look and structural features that make it work in New York's climate, he said.

The builder helps justify the high price tags by including complimentary two-year memberships to the 60,000-square-foot on-site gym at the Equinox Hotel. Residents also have access to hotel services, including in-room dining, valet and laundry, private car and ground transportation.

A custom mobile app lets them book a dog walker, appointments with a personal stylist at Neiman Marcus, SoulCycle fitness classes and visits to the Mount Sinai health center.

Related’s first luxury condo tower at the development, 15 Hudson Yards, opened this year, and 60% of its 389 units are already sold. Closed contracts to date total nearly $1 billion, according to the company. Manhattan’s luxury market has done well so far in 2019, with sales spiking in the second quarter to $297 million, from $213 million in the prior quarter, according to a report from residential brokerage Douglas Elliman. Wealthy buyers this year rushed to beat the deadline on a higher mansion tax included in New York state’s fiscal 2020 budget.

Here’s a look at two condos at 35 Hudson Yards:

Unit 5503

Sized at 1,892 square feet, unit 5503 is a two-bedroom, two-and-half bathroom apartment designed and staged by interior decorator Tony Ingrao. It is listed at $5.8 million.

Ingrao hung art throughout the unit to showcase tall ceilings and large living and dining rooms.

"For 35 Hudson Yards, our goal was to create a mix of glamorous environments that work for small intimate gatherings as well as elaborate celebrations," he said in a statement. Each space was designed to frame skyline and Hudson River views, he said.

Unit 6501

Independent designer Sara Story styled unit 6501, a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom condo overlooking the Hudson River with southwest views.

Story said her inspiration for the home was a mix of downtown loft living and Park Avenue’s grandiose apartments. Related is asking $9.8 million for the 2,570-square-foot apartment.

"After spending time in the space, I recognized that my inspiration for this home was the color palette of the sky — soft pinks, blues and grays" complemented the architecture, Story said in a statement. Vintage furnishings were chosen with the goal of giving the space "depth and history, while designing custom pieces to be sculptural, functional and comfortable," she said.