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Thursday, November 24, 2011

Clock Tower Penthouse - House of the Week





1 Main St., Brooklyn NY
For sale: $23,500,000

Whoever said time is money must have seen this New York City apartment.

The converted clock tower penthouse is by far the most expensive listing in Brooklyn at $23.5 million. Located in the Dumbo neighborhood (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), the 7,000-square-foot space is defined by four 14-feet high glass clock faces. Peering out between each working clock hand are 360-degree vistas of the New York City skyline including views of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.

Built in 1914, the brick tower building was first used as a cardboard box factory. In the 1980s, developer David Walentas of Two Trees Management bought the factory as part of his $12 million real estate acquisition.

Walentas turned the clock tower building into 126 condo units as part of the area development in the late 1990s, leaving the top portion of the tower until a few years ago. As a part of his personal project, he outfitted the three-story penthouse with high-end furnishings and �smart home� technology. Accessible by a private glass elevator, the loft-like apartment boasts 15 to 50-foot high ceilings, an open floor plan and sleek modern finishes. The fourth floor has a small crow�s nest and rooftop deck for further city panoramas.

The three bathrooms have stone radiant heated floors and the all-white kitchen features stone and stainless steel countertops, high-end appliances and lacquer cabinets.

Originally listed on the Dumbo real estate market in 2005 for $25 million, the penthouse caught the eye of Esquire Magazine who used it as their �2011 Esquire Apartment.�

�They could pick anywhere and they fell in love in this apartment,� said Ian Kleier, vice-president of brokerage Gumley Haft Kleier.

Labeled as the �ultimate bachelor pad,� the magazine outfitted the three-bedroom space with luxury designs sponsored by Hugo Boss, Asics, Lufthansa and other firms.

�They say they�ve transformed a stunning contemporary home into a modern man�s lifestyle,� said Kleier. �It�s just gorgeous what they�ve done to it.�

Esquire showed off its finished pad with a few charity events, hosting celebrities and philanthropists for the Fresh Air Fund, City of Hope and International Medical Corps. While you can take a video tour of Esquire�s space online, the penthouse will also be in the January 2012 issue of Esquire Magazine.

Unfortunately, Esquire�s furnishings are only temporary, but whoever buys the pricey penthouse probably won�t need to invest in any clocks.

According to data from Zillow�s Mortgage Marketplace, a monthly payment for the apartment will be $88,319 a month with a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year mortgage.

The listing is held by Michele Kleier of Gumley Haft Kleier.