Posted by Leonard Steinberg on November 8th, 2013

We just listed a rather exceptional penthouse on Hubert Street in Tribeca at the brand new pre-war conversion 250 West Street that boasts a feature very few buildings can provide:  ultra-privacy. The penthouse is accessed via a private drive-in drop-off entrance……from there you enter a completely dedicated private lobby where an exclusive elevator takes you up to the apartment.

I began the quest for ultra-privacy many years ago when working with clients seeking to avoid any form of visibility. I never fully understood the impact the public has on some people’s lives, even though often its un-intentional. So many people feel it is their right to stop a celebrity, drape their arm around their shoulder and snap a picture. Too many seek status through these efforts, and some actually believe that their Facebook and Instagram followers will think they are ‘besties’ with some celebrity. But for these people, these daily encounters can become painful. At 200 Eleventh Avenue we introduced what the New York Times termed in 2007 as “PAPARAZZI-PROOF CONDOS”, the En Suite Sky Garage that allowed owners to drive into the building, into an elevator that whisks them up to park alongside their apartments…..in total privacy.

Most super-high-priced buildings are unable to afford this level of privacy to an owner. Often they inconvenience other owners by preventing them to enter the elevator when using it. 250 West (at the corner of Hubert Street) is a very rare exception.