56 Leonard St

56 Leonard

As a typology, soaring, glass-clad residential towers seem nearly ubiquitous in much of Manhattan. For all their considerable luxuries, many of these gleaming buildings are made up of repetitive, simple, extruded forms, and to their critics, they can sometimes make New York feel like any place — or no place at all. Basel-based architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron set out to flip the script and alter the paradigms associated with contemporary high-rise condos with the skyscraper fondly referred to as “the Jenga tower.” A composition of stacked rectilinear volumes seemingly balance like the blocks from Jenga to form a combination of different units with intentionally planned setbacks. “56 Leonard Street acts against this anonymity and repetitiveness, emanating from so many towers of the recent past” says Jacques Herzog, co-founder of Herzog & de Meuron, in the project statement on the firm’s website. “Its ambition is to achieve, despite its size, a character that is individual and personal, perhaps even intimate” Evident from the multi-angled facade, each residence has multiple terraces facing different directions. “56 Leonard is not a typical tower,” says Laurie Lawrence, licensed real estate broker and member of Corcoran’s Multimillion-Dollar Club. “Three kinds of units have multiple floors within the same layout. Each stack has a similar internal layout, but the balconies are different. This gives each residence a private view and space with more sun and sky.” Inside, interiors feature kitchen islands sheathed in an obsidian, high-gloss lacquer with a black granite countertop — bearing a resemblance to a Steinway grand piano. Meanwhile, the meticulously detailed bathrooms at 56 Leonard Street include custom marble mosaic-tiled walls, vanities, a six-foot oval soaking tub and a waterfall shower — all strategically positioned in relation to the expansive windows that frame views in the most private area of the home. With 146 units across 60 stories, studios start at $2.2 million to three-bedrooms at $4.4 million. On the top nine floors of the building, penthouses start at $30 million. Nearly 17,000 square feet of amenities spaces are spread across two floors. Floor nine is designed for entertainment and recreation, featuring a 25-seat indoor-outdoor theater with reclining seats and a terrace, a children’s playroom, a library lounge and a private dining room with an adjacent catering kitchen. Floor ten is designated the wellness suite, with a 75-foot, two-lane lap pool, a black terrazzo deck, a landscaped outdoor terrace and a hot tub cantilevered 25 feet over Leonard Street. Every time residents walk out of the building, they come face-to-face with what appears to be a giant droplet of liquid mercury on which the Manhattan skyline is both reflected and distorted. Inspired by “The Bean” sculpture Anish Kapoor made for Chicago’s AT&T Plaza at Millennium Park, its smaller counterpart is made up of plates of stainless steel welded together into a polished bean-shaped sculpture with no visible seams. Estimated to cost between $8 to $10 million, the 19-foot scale replica occupies the base of the building on the corner of Leonard and Church streets. The British-Indian sculptor known for his installation and conceptual art lives on the 47th floor in a four-bedroom residence. Tribeca’s streets — many of them cobbled — are lined with cocktail bars, mom-and-pop shops and legendary eateries. Life here moves at a somewhat more leisurely pace than most other downtown neighborhoods, but still at a decidedly upscale pitch. The iconic Michelan-awarded French bistro, The Odeon, has woven itself into the fabric of Tribeca, delighting residents for over five decades. Primo’s art deco-themed lounge offers midnight pasta and perfectly filthy martinis — all enjoyed amidst green velvet banquettes and wood-paneled walls. Meanwhile, at the former carriage-house-turned-bar, Smith & Mills, cocktails flow freely alongside oysters and cheese plates. Families can conveniently leave their strollers in the designated “stroller parking” area before indulging in comfort food at Bubby’s. The neighborhood also boasts beloved independent businesses, including the whimsical party supply purveyor Balloon Saloon, the somehow still-in-business Fountain Pen Hospital and The Mysterious Book Shop, where floor-to-ceiling stacks of crime and suspense titles beckon. Denizens can conveniently grab necessities at Gourmet Garage, just a block away, or venture to Target or Whole Foods on Greenwich Street for additional odds and ends. Residents can access Fulton Street Station just half a mile south on Church Street. The transit hub integrates nine subway lines—the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J, R and Z—allowing residents to transfer through well-lit mezzanines. Within two to three blocks, there are also three different Canal Street stations serving the N, Q, R, W, 4, 6 and Z trains.