Is it made of real gold? This is the first thought that pops into one’s head gazing out from the huge windows of the penthouse atop the Ritz-Carlton, NoMad, on a sunny day. Amid a dense thicket of skyscrapers, the shimmering golden pyramid of the New York Life Building stands out. Designed by Cass Gilbert a century ago – with its 25,000 terracotta tiles indeed dipped in 24kt gold – it represents the Gilded Age of more than a century ago, but it is also not so out of tune with our bling-forward 2020s.

This penthouse, however, is made of different stuff. “The Ritz-Carlton, NoMad is a link between the worlds,” enthuses Sebastian Steinau, one of the Corcoran Group’s top real-estate agents. “On one side, the Financial District and its traders. On the other, Millionaires’ Row and its towering skyscrapers overlooking Central Park. But it’s also something totally different!” This neighbourhood – to the north of Madison Square Park, between the Flatiron District and the Empire State Building – is perhaps one of the most deeply layered in Manhattan. Art Deco edifices, Neo-Romanesque churches and early-20th-century buildings rub shoulders with brick blocks and gargantuan car parks. Korean tailors and well-established holes-in-the-wall share the pavements with boho-chic coffee roasters and designer boutiques.


The opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Nomad, in 2022 initially drew some consternation from locals, but today, the hotel lures as many inquisitive New Yorkers as it does tourists to this curious melting pot. Although its elegant, Martin Brudnizki-designed lobby seems to have appeased a wide swathe of clientele, reassuring old-school guests while also luring in a new generation, all eyes are now turned 40 floors upwards to the building’s upper storeys, where a 162sq m, two-bedroom pied-à-terre offers some of the best views in town. Its unassuming name: PH40A. Passing through its doors, the panorama expands from the golden New York Life Building outwards. “The Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty … all the symbols of Manhattan are within sight,” Steinau points out. “This apartment is the quintessence of the city, its emotions and its moods. That’s what makes it so rare.” He notes that location remains the number-one criterion for wealthy clients. Still, hotel amenities (restaurants, cinemas, pools, gyms, spas), design and art curation are becoming increasingly important – and PH40A ticks all the boxes.

On one of the few living-room walls not swathed in sheet glass, an artwork by Jonathan Lasker serves to break up the decor, which admittedly borders on the sterile. The most dynamic piece in sight is the coffee table created by artist Pia-Maria Raeder, who, like the penthouse’s owner, hails from Germany, and is best known for her abstract interpretations of the beauty and vulnerability of nature.


“On paper, this project was the polar opposite of what I usually do,” she explains. “Severe vertical lines, a man-made environment, anti-organic forms … but when I crossed the apartment’s threshold, I immediately imagined who might live here and what story I wanted to tell.” It is a story of light and reflection that captures the rhythms of the day, from the first golden rays of dawn to the brassy beams of the setting sun. “I covered the driftwood and beads with liquid silver, then added a mirror to echo the metallic dance of the skyline,” the artist says of her table. Reflecting rather than dazzling. What a wonderful – and novel – way to experience the high life in New York City.

PH40A is available for rent starting at $5,500 per night and $45,000 per month. A similar property is available for sale on the 43rd floor. For more information, contact Sebastian Steinau at s.steinau@corcoran.com or +1 917 446 0205.

Photos by Russ Ross