City residents have been curious about the construction of the new, unusual skyscraper that rises 57 stories into the sky over the TriBeCa neighborhood in Manhattan. 56 Leonard Street, nicknamed “Jenga” by the media, was designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron.
Previously, Herzog & de Meuron partnered with famed sculptor Anish Kapoor, most recognized for his sculpture “Cloud Gate” in Chicago, colloquially known as “The Bean”. The nickname “Jenga” came about from an interview in which the designers described the building as “Houses stacked in the sky”. In order to give each residence a unique, spacious floor plan with a balcony, the tower veers from the traditional appearance of a residential building, looking as if it was constructed of units stacked haphazardly on top of each other.
56 Leonard Street has 145 condominiums including nine penthouse apartments. From fifty stories in the air, these penthouses offer panoramic views of the entire city. According to developer Izak Senbahar, the building was 92% sold within seven months of being listed. In April 2017, a 53rd floor apartment in this building sold for $29 million. In June 2013, one of the luxury penthouses went into contract for $47 million, becoming the most expensive residential property ever sold below Midtown Manhattan. The building features 17 thousand square feet of amenities on its ninth and tenth floors, including a children’s playroom, a movie theater, and a 75-foot pool.
More prominent than its surrounding buildings, 56 Leonard Street is a unique structure that is well deserving of its review in New York Magazine as “The most alluring addition to the downtown skyline in decades”.
