20 W 53rd St

Baccarat Residences

Pampering is an underappreciated art, and one that The Baccarat’s designers are experts in. For the firm of Skidmore, Owing & Merrill, this 50-story tower is an extension of their modernist resume that includes One World Trade and the Burj Khalifa. With valet parking, in-unit personal chefs and a concierge ready with reservations and recommendations, residents have someone to take care of everything. “It’s like living in a hotel with all of the benefits, [only] you don’t have to worry about a late check out,” says Jeremy Stein, a New Yorker and top broker at Sotheby’s International Realty. “There’s a luxury experience that is on par with some of the buildings on billionaire’s row.” That attention to detail comes from the building’s namesake, a 19th-century French luxury crystal maker. Baccarat crystal chandeliers elevate the on-site restaurant, and the glass facade delivers cityscape views from the heart of Midtown. While residents share amenity access with guests in the hotel that occupies the first nine floors, owners have an exclusive entrance for privacy. Inside, The Baccarat offers six floorplan options, all detailed by Tony Ingrao, who’s designed homes for billionaire power brokers. From one bedrooms that start at 1,167 square feet — including terraces with outdoor water and electricity hookups — up to three-bedroom duplexes and four bedrooms that occupy entire floors, the residences meet practically every buyer’s space needs. Prices start at $3 million for one-bedroom layouts, go up to $18 million for the four bedrooms, and finish at $60 million for the one and only penthouse. Across the 60 units, most have views in three directions, while the four-bedroom layouts and singular penthouse have 360-degree panoramas of One World Trade to the south, Central Park to the north, and the Empire State Building in between. Ceiling heights—ranging from 10 feet to 20 feet in the duplexes—enhance visibility and lighting, letting the oak-plank flooring and Baccarat crystal door handles shine. Dual bathroom sinks and walk-in closets in larger layouts exemplify a sense of spaciousness that is capped off with high-end conveniences, such as Sub-Zero and Miele kitchen appliances, LG washer-dryers and smart home accessories for touch-screen temperature, shade and speaker control. A fitness center, 55-foot swimming pool and rooftop pavilion are to be expected. But The Baccarat goes above and beyond for residents by providing full housekeeping services, a spa stocked with La Mer cosmetics, and an on-site restaurant that purports to offer the country’s largest champagne list. Concierge staff also handle valet parking, personal shopping and catering. Most amenity spaces are shared with The Baccarat Hotel guests, although residents have priority over spa reservations, as well as restaurant and room reservations at the hotel for friends and family. The Global Membership program also offers residents exclusive tours of the French village of Baccarat and privileged access to Baccarat hotels around the world — so their luxurious home life comes with them everywhere. Standing in Midtown between Rockefeller Center and the Museum of Modern Art, The Baccarat is steps from some of New York City’s finest restaurants, entertainment and green spaces. To the west, there are Broadway shows and Michelin-star eateries such as Le Berardin and Per Se. Looking north, Central Park is many New Yorker’s favorite place to recharge, whether sunbathing in the Sheep Meadow or communing with ruffed lemurs in the surprisingly diverse zoo. Plus, Fifth Avenue is right there for luxury and retail shopping. Over a dozen subway lines are within a half-mile walk of The Baccarat, so transportation is never a question. Grand Central Terminal, just south, makes for easy commuting and traveling both upstate and to Staten Island. And multiple CitiBike stations right outside 53rd Street are handy for quick trips around Manhattan. The Baccarat is an investor-friendly property, and owners can sublet their unit at any time, subject to a fee equal to one month of their common charges. Lease agreements must be a minimum of 12 months, meaning short-term sublets are not possible, and the hotel does not offer owners the ability to rent out their unoccupied units as hotel suites. As many units are used as pieds-à-terre, it is not uncommon for buyers to find fully furnished opportunities.