Mansion close to the clouds...

QUIZ: Do you know where this little chateau is? It's not in France. It's not in Europe...

Well, I am sure many of you recognized it immediately, cause of the title of this blog. Another hint: have you seen "Meet Joe Balck" with Anthony Hopkins?...

The first time I really became aware of it was only around 6 years ago. And funny enough, many to whom I had pointed out that mansion didn't even recognize it though being only ~300 meters away.

I know we are moving a bit away from architecture into pure real estate. Here is the solution:

It is Martin Zweig's penthouse located at The Taj Pierre Hotel (sorry, but I just had to put that 'taj' there, it is incredible how things change...) built in the 1920s. It encompasses the top three floors. It is the triplex penthouse at The Pierre, a residence that will forever remain without peer in Manhattan, with spectacular 360-degree views of Manhattan. The apt encompasses 16 grand rooms - including five master bedrooms, 7 full baths and three half-baths, five working fireplaces, oak flooring with mahogany borders throughout, separate guest suites plus staff accommodations. The living room is considered the most magnificent privately owned room in the world, which was the original ballroom at The Pierre Hotel, with a 23 foot high curved ceiling and 20 foot French doors overlooking the park and the city. Four adjoining terraces add to its phenomenal dimensions. This is without question one of the most important and spectacular penthouses in the world.

I remember having seen a headline on the Bloomberg in late 2004 that it was for sale: $70,000,000 and maintenance $44,000. And it is actually still for sale: http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/detail.aspx?id=364979 .















Check also my post "The Pierre Hotel - Some History" for some historical information on the building...