I toured the first residential building to open in Hudson Yards, NYC's new $25 billion neighborhood - and it was clear they're selling much more than just real estate

Katie Warren

Feb 25, 2019, 21:19 IST

I toured the first residential building to open in Hudson Yards, NYC's new $25 billion neighborhood - and it was clear they're selling much more than just real estate

Hudson Yards is a $25 billion development on Manhattan's West Side.

Fifteen Hudson Yards is the first residential building to open in New York City's Hudson Yards, a brand-new neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side set to open on March 15.
I took a tour of the 88-story tower and was amazed by the level of luxury it offers its residents.
The building offers 40,000 square feet of amenities space that includes a 75-foot pool, a private spa and yoga studio, a children's "imagination center," and wine cellars available to buy for $200,000.
More than 60% of the condos have sold, but those remaining range from $3.9 million for a two-bedroom to $32 million for a duplex penthouse.

On a recent winter afternoon, I visited 15 Hudson Yards, an 88-story super-luxury tower. It's the first residential building to open in New York City's Hudson Yards, a brand-new neighborhood on Manhattan's West Side.

At $25 billion, the site is the most expensive real estate development in US history.

On my tour of 15 Hudson Yards, which was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group, I got a sneak peek of a model unit and its 40,000 square feet of amenities space on the 50th and 51st floors, which include club rooms, a private screening room, a fitness center, a 75-foot pool, a yoga studio and private spa, and wine cellars available to buy for between $25,000 and $200,000.

The Hudson Yards site as a whole doesn't officially open until March 15, but 15 Hudson Yards is already more than 60% sold with contracts totaling more than $800 million, a publicist told Business Insider. Remaining condos start at $3.9 million for a two-bedroom and go up to $32 million for duplex penthouse 88B.

After seeing 15 Hudson Yards, I was blown away by the amenities and the ultra-luxurious lifestyle it's selling to residents.

Here's what it looked like.

At $25 billion, NYC's Hudson Yards is the most expensive real estate development in US history.

The site, which includes luxury residential buildings, hotels, public spaces, art installations, and more, is set to officially open on March 15, 2019.

The site's first residential building, 15 Hudson Yards, known for its 40,000 square feet of lavish amenities spaces, welcomed its first residents in February 2019.

"Our world-class amenities and residences truly embody the spirit of Hudson Yards, where stunning architecture and design meet next-level wellness and entertainment offerings," Sherry Tobak, senior vice president of sales at Related Companies, said of 15 Hudson Yards in a press release.

One January afternoon, I headed over to Manhattan's West Side for a sneak peek of the site's first residential building, 15 Hudson Yards.

The stately entrance made me feel like I was walking into a high-end hotel.

The lobby was modern and stylish ...

... with lots of sleek lines and shiny finishes.

After checking my coat, I was taken up to the 51st floor where other reporters were awaiting our tour. Most were gazing out the window taking in the view, and I immediately saw why.

The views of downtown Manhattan, One World Trade Center, and the Hudson River were unbeatable.

We were gathered in what I later learned was a "club room." The 51st floor at 15 Hudson Yards is "devoted to entertaining, leisure and cultural pursuits," according to press materials — and it quickly became clear that this building was as much about luxury real estate as it was about luxury lifestyle.

The room was decorated with warm colors and accents such as candles and stylish coffee table books.

The 51st floor includes a club room, two private dining suites, a soundproof screening room, a golf club lounge, wine storage and a tasting room, a business center, and a co-working space.

The co-working space featured a long conference table, comfortable chairs, and like the club room, floor-to-ceiling windows for optimal city views.

The screening room was full of leather chairs and had its very own popcorn machine.

When we stepped into one of the private dining rooms, I felt like I had actually set foot in a glamorous ballroom.

The building has a full-time lifestyle director on staff to help residents with anything from arranging a child's birthday party at Disney World to organizing themed, catered events in one of the private dining rooms.

We passed through other common lounge spaces, all sumptuously decorated.

We came to the chef's kitchen and wine tasting room ...

... which looked like it could seat at least 13 people.

Tobak said most other developers would've "taken the cheap way out" and put such amenities on the lower, less valuable floors of a building. "To be able to sell amenities that are this high up in the air… is something that's very different than any other building," she said.

We were led out of the wine tasting room ...

... and into the wine cellars. The building has 45 wine cellars available for residents to buy.

35 wine lockers each hold 192 bottles of wine and sell for $25,000 a piece. Ten wine cellars that hold 1,500 bottles of wine are available for $200,000 each.

Next, we went down a floor to the 50th to visit the fitness center. It was huge, spanning an entire corner of the floor.There were plenty of weight machines and cardio machines.

If my gym had this view of the city, I might be more motivated to work out.

If the gym isn't your thing, 15 Hudson Yards also has its own yoga studio ...

... and a massage room, where massage therapists can be brought in for residents' appointments ...

... and where you'll find complimentary Aesop products.

But the amenity that most impressed me was the 75-foot indoor lap pool overlooking the Hudson River. If I lived here, I would be in it all the time.

After our look at the pool, we went down to the 25th floor to check out a model unit.

The two-bedroom, 2.5-bath condo was designed by Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing.

I wasn't a big fan of the bold, colorful design choices, but that was just personal taste.

The bedrooms felt a bit small to me — definitely smaller than my room in Brooklyn, which is in a building that's far from being in the same class as 15 Hudson Yards.

Of course, we're talking prime space in Manhattan, but for a $4.2 million price tag, I still expected the condo to feel a bit more spacious.

I stepped outside of 15 Hudson Yards and was welcomed by a nighttime view of Vessel, Hudson Yards' already famous climbable art installation. As I headed home, I couldn't stop feeling staggered by the level of luxury the residents of this swanky new building will enjoy.

Next Story A $135 million mansion with 210 feet of private beach is one of the most expensive homes for sale in Florida, and it's right down the street from Trump's Mar-a-Lago club