When creating Five Twenty Fifth — the 1,002-foot-tall skyscraper that will soon become the highest residential building on Fifth Avenue — the owners of Manhattan-based real estate company Rabina were determined to build something distinct from other recently constructed towers.
“They wanted to create a building in Midtown that was a departure from the typical glass-and-metal curtain wall building,” explained Ian Klein, Rabina’s head of development. “We wanted something connected to the history of the neighborhood, that felt warmer and more like home.”
Of course, a home in a Manhattan skyscraper — particularly, this Manhattan skyscraper — is still a rarified existence. The apartments at Five Twenty Fifth, which are slated to begin opening in mid-2025, start at $2,370,000 for a one bedroom, 1,040 square feet residence. At the highest end of the currently available residential spaces, there is a $12,750,000 four bedroom penthouse – with a direct entry elevator, a 119 square foot terrace, and space for a library.
The building itself will be mixed use — with office spaces on lower levels, and residences beginning at 440 feet — which is where, Klein points out, “most buildings have their penthouses.”
Aside from height, the distinction between Five Twenty Fifth and other luxury residences is two-fold: First of all, its design evokes the Beaux-Arts architecture of classic Manhattan buildings like Grand Central Station and the main branch of the New York Public Library; Second, the building’s interior is designed with the intent of fostering community.
“At the top of the building, we’ve created a residents-only amenity floor,” Klein said. “That was really important to us. Whether folks live on the 40th floor or the 80th floor, everyone can go up to 1,000 feet and enjoy that view.”
The amenity floor itself is intended to make up for the size constraints inherent to even the most luxurious instances of city living.
“We designed that top floor to provide all the things you would want to have in your New York apartment that are hard to fit,” said Klein. “So there’s a great private dining room for 12, there’s a solarium, a library, a lounge with a large television — it’s a place to watch award shows or a game.”
“You could organize a party where you have drinks in the solarium, and then everyone goes into the dining room, or you start in the lounge, and then you go to the billiards room,” he continued.
And when residents retreat to their private homes, they’ll be in spaces designed by Vicky Charles — who typically works in single-family homes owned by the likes of the Clooneys, the Beckhams, and Harry Styles. They also will have access to a concierge service, which in addition to typical offerings, will also help residents source art work for their living spaces.
Hundreds of feet lower in the building, residents will have access to a members-only club called Moss, where “members [will] gather for intelligent leisure and physical culture,” according to the building’s website. The Moss dining program will be a collaborative project with Union Square Events.
“[Moss] gives all kinds of opportunities for people living there, in terms of expanding their definition of home away from home,” Klein said. “It was really interesting and symbiotic, how all these uses work together and make a better building and make a very New York building.”