Save your nickels, New Yorkers — you’ll need millions of them to shop at Woolworth’s now. $110 million to be exact.
If permits clear, the entire top of the Woolworth Building — one of the city’s first skyscrapers — will be available as one luxury apartment. The buyer could even snag private access to a tiny deck at the very top, with 360-degree views of the city.
The terra-cotta building, overlooking City Hall Park at 233 Broadway, was designed by Cass Gilbert for five-and-dime-store magnate F.W. Woolworth. When the office building opened in 1913, it was dubbed “The Cathedral of Commerce” and at 792 feet was the tallest in the world until 1930.
Gilbert’s great-granddaughter, Helen Curry of Look Event Planners, who hosts tours of the building’s ornate lobby and mezzanine, says the top floors are the ultimate show space.
At one time, its tiny 58th-floor observation deck was open to the public, who paid 50 cents, or five dimes, for a tour. They first took an elevator to the 54th floor, then transferred to another elevator made of glass, which went to the 58th. Above this deck is “The Lantern,” which once shone a bright light like a lighthouse.
Afterwards, visitors shopped in the “highest retail store in the world” on the 55th floor, which Curry said consisted of “mostly trinkets.”
Sources said this glass elevator will be reproduced for the exclusive use of the penthouse buyer as an internal elevator.
Developer Kenneth Horn’s Alchemy Properties, which bought the top 30 floors of the Woolworth and is making them over into 34 apartments, isn’t saying much about the plans yet — but has hired designer Thierry Despont to give it a luxury Art Deco upgrade.
There may be safety problems or other occupancy issues that would prevent the developers from selling the topmost portion of the cupola, which could prevent access to the observation deck.
Other spectacular high-floor city condominiums have sold for $45 million to $88 million. Asking prices at the upcoming 432 Park Ave. are topping $6,000 per square foot.
The handful of full-floor Woolworth units, especially the 49th floor with its 1,500 square feet of surrounding terraces, which is just below the multi-level tower penthouse, are also likely to command much more per square foot and perhaps set price records for the city.