With a height of 1,428 ft (435 metres), the newly built Steinway Tower within Billionaire’s Row just to the south of Central Park in New York City is hard to miss.
As the third tallest building in New York City and the fourth tallest in the United States, it not only creates a new peak in the Manhattan skyline but also stands out visually as the world’s skinniest skyscraper. The 91-storey tower’s base footprint is just 59 ft (18 metres) by 78 ft (24 metres), providing the building with a height-to-width ratio of just 24-1.
And as of this month, the Government of Canada now owns a piece of this ultra-luxurious property at 111 West 57th Street.
According to The New York Post, Canada’s federal government has just acquired unit 11A — a 3,600 sq ft condominium on the 11th floor of the tower.
Daily Hive Urbanized has reached out to the federal government’s Global Affairs Canada for comment.
Aerial of Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street, New York City. (SHoP Architects)
Aerial of Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street, New York City. (SHoP Architects)
Based on New York City real estate listing website StreetEasy, the property was sold on June 27, 2024, for US$6.63 million (C$9.1 million).
StreetEasy’s records show the property was on the market for 235 consecutive days before being acquired last month. It had an asking price of US$10.75 million (C$14.7 million) when it was first listed in February 2022, before dropping to US$8.495 million (C$11.6 million) in October 2023 and then US$6.895 million (C$9.4 million) in March 2024.
The federal government’s unit is specifically located within the Steinway Tower’s attached heritage building podium — a full restoration and conversion of the 1925-built Steinway Hall building previously occupied by the Steinway & Sons piano company.
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
According to the property’s previous listing, it features an elegant entry foyer with white macauba stone floors, a south-facing living room, an east-facing dining room, a separate kitchen with a wet bar and Cristallo Gold quartzite countertops, a study with an en-suite bathroom, custom handcrafted cabinetry, and three oversized bedrooms with dedicated lavatories. Furthermore, the main bedroom has a large walk-in closet and an Italian white Venato marble bathroom with a copper soaking tub and custom bronze fixtures.
Beyond the unit’s confines, the building’s common spaces and amenities are also designed with luxury in mind, featuring an 82-ft-long two-lane swimming pool with private cabanas, sauna and treatment rooms, a double-height fitness gym with a mezzanine terrace, a private dining room with a chef’s catering kitchen, a residents’ lounge with a large terrace, meeting rooms, and an on-site golf simulator.
The federal government’s monthly strata fees for the luxurious unit and access to the building’s shared amenities is US$7,788 (C$10,700).
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Inside unit 11a at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City (Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
According to The New York Post, the listed deed on unit 11A is “His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, Represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
This will be the new official residence of Tom Clark, Consul General of Canada, in New York, United States. Clark was appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2017 to fill the diplomatic role, ending his decades-long journalism career, most recently with Global News.
The size of the unit and breadth of building amenities suggests the official residence is intended to also be suitable space for an entertainer’s home — given that such diplomats are known to host meetings, receptions, and other events with high-profile business and political leaders — in addition to serving as the Consul General’s home.
Other than Clark, Canada’s other key diplomat in New York City is Robert Rae, who is the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York.
The overall tower and heritage building conversion are designed by SHoP Architects, while the interior design is by Studio Sofield.
The entire Steinway Tower project was completed in 2022 at a cost of US$2 billion (C$2.74 billion).
This is a mixed-use building with about 50,000 sq ft of luxury retail space over the first four levels fronting West 57th Street. Within the upper levels, the entire project consists of just 60 homes for its primary use, including 14 units within the heritage building and 46 in the skyscraper.
As of the time of writing, the priciest listing in the Steinway Tower is the penthouse on level 72, featuring 7,132 sq ft of living space and panoramic views on all four sides of the skyscraper from the unit’s size spanning the entire floor plate. Its asking price is US$56 million (C$77 million).
Aerial of Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th Street, New York City. (SHoP Architects)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)
Shared resident amenities and common areas at the Steinway Tower’s heritage building at 111 West 57th Street, New York City). (111W57/StreetEasy)