$18.25M apartment in world’s skinniest building fuels luxury sales in New York City as wealthy buyers return to market after holiday slowdown

The first full week of 2026 marked a resurgence in luxury home purchases in Manhattan after a holiday slowdown, led by the biggest sales of homes in the world’s thinnest skyscraper.

In total, there were 20 housing contracts worth $4 million or more in the Big Apple in the first full week of the new year, according to the Olshan Luxury Market Report. That is seven more compared to the previous shortened New Year’s week.

In total, the asking sales volume for the week was estimated at $147,338,000.

“We are looking at a seasonal upturn in the market, which is typically after the Christmas and New Year holidays,” Donna Olshanpresident and broker Olshan Real Estatetells Realtor.com®. “The problem now is that inventory is low: about 5% less than last year at this time.”

Olshan notes that many wealthy buyers will soon receive their bonuses, a factor that typically boosts the city’s luxury real estate market.

The No. 1 property under contract is located in the iconic Steinway Tower at 111 West 57th St., also known as Billionaires Row. Unit 36 ​​had an asking price of $18.25 million, down from the initial sales price of $21.25 million set in June 2016, according to the report.

The sale is currently listed as ‘pending’, so it is unclear whether the buyer has paid the full asking price.

The listing was handled by Nikki Fieldby Sotheby’s International Realtywhose team took over the sale of the building on behalf of the developer over a year ago.

“At 111 West 57th Street, we are now 98 percent sold with only two properties remaining. We have completed more than $400 million in closed sales since Sotheby’s International Realty began exclusive representation in the building,” Field tells Realtor.com. “New York remains a global capital that ultra-high net worth buyers continue to acquire for their real estate portfolios.”

Echoing Olshan, Fields adds that the upper end of the Manhattan residential market has grown stronger, driven by a lack of high-quality inventory and continued global demand.

“Sales of luxury products have increased significantly in recent months, underscoring that affluent buyers remain very active,” she says.

Designed by the famous Studio Sofieldthe condo offers three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms across 4,492 square feet of living space.

The centerpiece of the unit is the great room, with 15-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows offering “unparalleled, perfectly centered” views of Central Park, according to the listing description.

The luxuriously appointed master suite offers equally breathtaking views of New York’s most celebrated green space. An adjacent dressing room leads to a bathroom clad in veined white onyx and anchored by a custom, freestanding polished nickel bathtub, complete with high-quality fixtures, hand-cast by New York City’s last remaining foundry, PE Guerin.

The corner kitchen features a good-sized breakfast area, custom cabinetry designed by Studio Sofield, Crystallo white quartzite countertops and backsplash, and a full range of Gaggenau appliances, including a gas hob with fully ventilated extractor hood, steam oven and wine fridge.

Building amenities include a full-service concierge, a fitness center, a 25-meter two-lane pool with private cabanas, a sauna and treatment rooms, a residents’ lounge, a terrace, a private dining room, a padel court and a golf simulator.

Steinway Tower is a 91-story, 60-unit building known as the world’s sleekest skyscraper, measuring just 60 feet (18 meters) wide at its narrowest point.

The former residence of Rush Limbaugh

Manhattan’s second most expensive contract for the week of January 5-11 was Penthouse No. 20 at 1049 Fifth Ave. that once belonged to the late conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.

The property occupied the entire 20th floor of the building and had an asking price of $11.6 million, reduced from $11.95 million when it first hit the market in May 2025. Robert Varvarawith Compass, has the entry for the device.

The 4,661-square-foot penthouse has five bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, a study, media room and four terraces.

The property’s new owner can enjoy stunning views of Central Park and the reservoir from the penthouse’s living room, which also features a fireplace to keep the space cozy on cold nights.

The apartment comes with a third-floor studio and storage space, but the Olshan report notes that the penthouse is in need of renovation, with the listing description characterizing the property as ‘a rare and remarkable canvas’.

The current seller bought it from Limbaugh in 2010 for $11.75 million. The polarizing political commentator and longtime host of “The Rush Limbaugh Show” died in 2021 at the age of 70.

The president of Olshan Realty points out that the Steinway Tower and the Fifth Avenue apartments share a key selling point: unobstructed views of Central Park.

“It’s the views that really help sell the apartments,” she emphasizes.