Live in a giant clocktower for $30 million

The penthouse apartment of an iconic New York City clocktower is on the market for the first time. 

The opulent Tribeca pad at 108 Leonard was built at the height of the Gilded Age by trendsetting architects McKim, Mead & White.

Over its lifetime, the building spent chapters as a clothing store, art gallery, life insurance office and government headquarters. 

Developers began converting the clocktower into apartments 12 years ago. The first residences hit the market in 2018.  

Now, the sprawling five-bedroom penthouse is on the market for $US19.25 million ($30 million). 

The home has been sensitively renovated to maintain a historic feel, with statement arched windows, cream panelling and herringbone floors.

At the heart is a vast living room with a double-sided fireplace and soaring five-metre ceilings. 

There is a dedicated wing for the main bedroom suite, which comes with its own private bar, a marble shower and a supersized bathtub.

The penthouse is the only apartment at 108 Leonard with direct access to the clocktower itself. 

At the base of the clock, a square salon is billed as “one of the world’s most spectacular galleries for a private art collection”. 

It leads onto a wraparound terrace with stone gargoyles and jaw-dropping views of the New York City skyline.

An antique spiral staircase leads into the clock itself, where four 3.6-metre clockfaces gaze out over Broadway. 

Until recently, the city’s official clock master, Marvin Schneider, came in regularly to wind the clock by hand.

The clock was eventually electrified in 2023 – a decision that sparked criticism among some local horologists. 

The penthouse is being sold by Douglas Elliman Development Marketing. 

In addition to the $30 million asking price, buyers will have to fork out a $US14,639 ($22,843) strata fee each month.