Flaws Exposed: Steinway Tower Penthouse Tour by Erik Conover

[@erikvanconover]

Golden Hour with my golden retriever everyday :) Mind is blown. One of the most comprehensive reviews I have ever seen on KZbin. New Fan here.

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

Thanks for being a good sport Pal…. Keep them coming… what’s next home alone?

[@erikvanconover]

@@ArvinHaddadOfficial next I find an agent, owner, broker who will let me give an unbiased truthful tour of a home LOL. The hours of bloopers I have on hard drives...

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

Call me we will do it together

[@jakechartrand7308]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@erikvanconoverthat is SO true. If you actually said what you wanted to say about these properties they wouldn’t let you make the video or upload it 👍🏼

[@moonmissionpassagetototali1952]

Do you have a video of the apts toward the top of Steinway? Wondering how the spaces change as the building becomes very narrow toward the top🔝🤔.

[@louisastuto2878]

Trust me as someone who lives in NYC, the two elevator thing is a HUGE deal. My building is only 22 stories high and I am constantly having to wait 5+ minutes for one to come, and these don’t even open directly into ppl’s homes and can be shared. I would straight up never live in a building this tall with only two elevators, keep in mind there will be many times where one of the elevators will be dedicated to ppl moving in for hours or for the building staff to make trash pickups. Imagine being on the 60th floor and there is only one operational elevator that has to make individual pickups and drop-offs in the lobby, no exaggeration to say you could be waiting 15-20 minutes at times which is obviously horrible if you are in a rush or there’s an emergency. These are the details most ppl do not take into account when buying a place but you absolutely should, it’s something that will effect your life on a daily basis and can never be changed.

[@randomchannel323]

Yeah that's true this property would probably be just a trophy / investment property for whoever could afford this home but still

[@Robin-bn3hv]

100% agree. I live in a Chicago 30-floor building with three shared elevators (2 residential + 1 service) and wait times can be horrendous-and that’s when all 3 elevators are in service. What happens in Steinway Tower if one of its two elevators breaks down? In my building, when one elevator goes out of service and needs repairs, our wait times double. And if someone needs the service elevator for moving or delivery, some of us just plan to not bother trying to leave home or order food/grocery/etc. delivery that day. 😅Usually a broken elevator stays out of service for at least 1.5 days. Something tells me Steinway Tower doesn’t have a dedicated elevator service person on-call for same-day repair.

[@christopherimpey6208]

no imagine those 2 elevators being clogged up by someone unloading a billionairs worth of food shopping for a week/month

[@louisastuto2878]

@@randomchannel323 100%, plenty of places like this end up selling to ultra rich middle-eastern/ Asian clients who maybe stay there a few months a year at most. In that respect the buyers would care less about the day to day operations of the building, good point. That is a common theme with a lot of mega high end NYC realty, It seems like the homes are designed to look good rather than be the most optimal for a family to live in.

[@DaMainDude]

It's not like many people actually live in these buildings. It's all foreign investors.

[@Bacnow]

Imagine hosting a dinner party and having to spend the evening guarding the terrace to make sure some of your inebriated guests don’t fall to their deaths!

[@pmsteamrailroading]

Yea, but what a great place for paper airplanes.

[@mariusvanc]

That railing is LOW....

[@brendadrew834]

Good thinking!!

[@asrr62]

i dont know thats a pretty skinny and narrow balcony. its barely useful. im scared of heights so i would feel like im gonna blow off in the wind. some building really scare me to be in lol. i remember the worst time i had a panic attack just from being in a building lol. its funny i know. also they are always bobbling around its so weird.

[@brentm.871]

It is scary, for sure, but they would die just the same if they were falling from a third-floor balcony. 😮

[@stanlee3619]

I have been watching videos about Super luxury condo buildings, and you are the first one to explain about the keyed elevator going directly from the lobby to your condo, and not stopping for anyone else.

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

Thanks Stan ... i really appreciate your support

[@pierre.a.larsen]

I lived in a much smaller building with only two elevators and the waiting was horrible. Often the elevator would be full when it finally arrived. Just the deliveries and servants will create a lot of traffic. Not even a service elevator? Also, how can they be sure there is nobody inside the elevator when it goes to pick up somebody in the middle of their 50M home? I suppose when the elevator is at the 60th floor, you are at the 50th floor, the elevator will go all the way down to the lobby, where a guard checks it is empty. Then it goes back up to to the 50th. That is really inefficient. If the elevator smells really badly then your cheap home will get a bit of perfume also. And if 10 people are waiting in the lobby they each have to wait for the elevator to go up and then down with one person inside?! I would bring a chair and a computer so I could work while waiting. Surely there must be more elevators reserved for the lower floors - but it can't be a lot as the building is so skinny. This baffles me.

[@pierre.a.larsen]

Well - one of the elevators is double decker with the bottom one being the service unit going to/from the basement. It is not a third elevator. But it helps a bit. There are no elevators reserved for the lower floors of the tower. There are only two elevator shafts for all the tower apartments (46) from 17th floor (called 20 as they cheat) to the top floor. "A pair of elevators connect each of the tower stories to the ground level and floor 10. One is a double-deck elevator with a service cab on the lower deck, which also descends to the cellar, while the other is a single-deck elevator"

[@cross75man75]

​@@pierre.a.larsenThere is never congestion in building like that. I worked for a law firm in NY for many years, we had clients in these fancy building and most of the year these building are mostly empty. The owners have multiple homes in different local and countries, they're usually in residence only a few months a year.

[@pierre.a.larsen]

@@cross75man75 Ok - thx - that could explain it. Lol - they are dimensioning infrastructure according to the price of the apartment. The more expensive - less infrastructure. It explains some of the many lawsuits in these billionaire towers. It is similar to supercars. The quality is so horrible that you can only drive a few thousand miles and then you have to take the engine out. They are meant to be used rarely or never. I am so happy I can't afford these apartments 🤣

[@daveydoodle52]

My legs turn to rubber just watching him on that glass terrace. I rented a high rise apartment a few years ago with a similar terrace and it was terrifying. Plus, the crazy wind out there at that height made it unusable.

[@Tchild2]

You just enjoy the deck when the wind is not blowing. Did you see the views? Enjoy the views inside when windy and the deck when it is not blowing.

[@derrick072]

I'd be terrified to have small children there

[@YannR34]

@@Tchild2 Enjoying is a really big word in that case... It would be more a punition. Even this appartement is way to high to appreciate the view. If you are a hawk maybe, but I'm not.

[@Aurelia-s3z]

Also very impractical - if you don't use some kind of table to run up, you'll end up on your neighbor's patio. 54 million down the drain. It's better to buy a Hayabusa and a decent line... yes, I know, for 54 million dollars you can buy quite a lot of Prozac, and even a wife from Asia or Europe with a medical education, but who has such an amount of money anyway?

[@SaltyChip]

Fatass!!! Totally kidding, loved heights and rollercoasters but the older i got, the more lightheaded and potential of vertigo setting in while going up the stairs to the water slides. I wouldn’t enjoy those high winds no matter how stable it was built.

[@winwinogaming]

I live on the 60th floor of a building in Hong Kong. It's a very chunky building with several connected towers and during a strong typhoon (hurricane) the building sways a lot, as it is designed to do. It's very noticeable, swaying one way and abruptly swaying back. Doors move on their own, lights move, and there are all sorts of noises. I can't imagine how bad it must be in a skinny tower like this.

[@midbc1midbc199]

What developer built your building?........do you feel safe considering the known problems with contractors cheaping out on build quality?

[@winwinogaming]

@ ​​⁠Wheelock built our building. In general the standard of building in HK is decent, much better than in Thailand where I used to live. Buildings here must withstand the typhoons that go through several times a year.

[@johnschieffelin3226]

I worked on the upper floor of old skyscraper in Manhattan that was skinny and it swayed back and forth in high winds. Doors swung back and forth, the elevators banged against the sides when they went up and down. It was awful. I would never live in an ultra-tall, skinny building like this.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

Did you ever bang the hot rich ppl in the buildings?

[@RTDice11]

I love supertall's as marvels of craft and engineering, but the idea of living in one as climate-change makes wind speeds increase is terrifying

[@floxy20]

@@RTDice11 "Climate change" increasing wind speeds is a new one for me. When will this BS end?

[@SpartaSanks]

@@floxy20forests never burned carbon the way humans do.

[@God.Almighty]

@@floxy20 one can shove one's head in the sand all one wants in denial, but the climate change is real and not just based on science. i remember how winters were like even 20 years ago. it's nothing remotely like that, hardly any snow or frozen over ponds anymore. maybe it's debatable whether it's man made, or god made, or nature made, but it is real.

[@S_Morgan44]

I love how he substituted “Jersey View” with the much classier “Golden Hour”. Top tier salesmanship right there.

[@dpfreedman]

No idea why KZbin recommended this video but I'm very glad they did. What an outstanding, even-handed, in-depth, perceptive assessment of a living space for "the other half". To me, these residences are cold, antiseptic, and very corporate feeling. No warmth whatsoever. And, I must admit, at first I thought that realtor was AI generated.

[@brendadrew834]

Yes, no real old world charm to them at all...soulless!! smdh

[@ralphl7643]

Hopefully, AI wouldn't make his suit so tight. I had the same thoughts also about the antiseptic feel. Some luxury condos used to put in cheap kitchens/baths so the buyers could redo them to suit, but that was when people actually lived in them.

[@cammieg4381]

Golden hour is world-wide universal with photographers! Always sunsetting where the angle of sunlight shines a golden glow. It's the perfect term for a specific time of day! (I believe that 'finish' on the Steinway pianos is called Black Lacquer, a proprietary stain...gorgeous!) Inefficient kitchen and kind of worthless space on that terrace. Not a fan. Wouldn't want to live in a skinny fish bowl anyway! 🧐 Interesting vid of an iconic structure with phenomenal views! Thanks!

[@perkygrubb]

I also like how Arvin makes note of the positive things too…a nice balanced approach to giving us the real deal.

[@Raytracer96024]

He has to force himself to do that, otherwise clowns like you will cry "baised"

[@auditat]

Imagine getting locked out on the balcony - another corner moment.

[@Griffinmc]

Why would the balcony doors have locks? To guard against the best building-scaling cat burglars in the world?

[@Kai...999]

​@@GriffinmcI mean... That is a good point.

[@user-bj4ev1tx3c]

Remember those Sky cells from Game of Thrones? That balcony seems perfect for those awful relatives that always appear out of notice or owe you money

[@friedrichweitzer3071]

@@Griffinmc What about Batman? He is coming to you to catch you for money laundry.

[@Tchild2]

Ain't nobody scaling this building to break in at 1,000 feet up.

[@zuma-dude]

A friend of mine knows someone who looked at a unit at 111 West 57th. The takeaway from their viewing was that all the rooms are tiny, and things felt on a smaller scale - for example countertops did not feel as deep as standard (such as in the kitchen, and check out the width of the stairs, they are almost unusable) - to give a sense that there was more room than there actually was. The other takeaway was that while it photographs well (especially if you use the proper lens to make it feel bigger, which is the case in Conover's video) is that the build quality was not all that. In addition, I was told it feels very claustrophobic and if there were standard height ceilings it would show how truly cramped it is. Height to width ratio of 24:1 (IIRC) is insane. I don’t care if it has a mass damper, that puppy is gonna sway in moderate to high winds big time. And that “Romeo and Juliet balcony” (good call on that by the way) is useless, and there’s no way you’d get me on that (that retaining glass is not high enough). All of that said, the one thing that never seems to be mentioned about these super slender high rise condos is that they have much fewer units than a building of normal width and depth for that height. That means that, aside from common charges (which for that place are around $20,000.00 per month) the cost to maintain a mega tall skyscraper after a number of years, by so few people will end up costing more than one originally paid for the unit. Yeah, sure, 20K a month for someone who can afford 57 million is no big deal, but after some years when the special assessments start to hit, repairs and upkeep to perform work beyond the general scope of maintenance, that’s going to be insane. (There are some Wilshire Corridor owners out there who know what I’m talking about, and those are folks have much higher percentage of units per height, and the structures are nowhere near as complicated and expensive). I subscribed because I’m really liking your observations. Well done. BTW, Conover did a 2fer (2 units in a single video) at Madison House (in NoMad at 15 East 30th St). The lower unit on the 58th floor, which is a single story, and I like better than the penthouse above, has one of the most insane views of any condo in Manhattan I’ve seen. It alone is worth the 13.9 million asking price. You might want to check that one out. Cheers!

[@rickyt11]

You are so right about the retaining glass is not high enough. I get vertigo just by watching this video. 😜

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

thanks for all the info well said

[@stanlee3619]

Great observations and info.

[@perkygrubb]

Wow, i didn’t think about collective repair costs! With fewer units and a super tall, new building, I agree. Ongoing costs are going to balloon! Thanks for adding that.

[@OSTARAEB4]

Agreed with everything you mentioned. Having lived in New York, my concern is a fire and only two elevators. Yes, the view is stunning but you don’t live in the view. I won’t mention some former NYC buildings, but you did feel them sway and creek on windy days. If I can’t get out quickly it’s a no go.

[@Yapostadodat]

It's nice to find a real channel with real information that doesn't rely on bobbles or tricks to grab eyeballs and keep asses in the seats. No yellling or bro speak just logical facts clearly explained. Is this KZbin? Thanks for this bit of clarity in a sea of internet noise.

[@BenSussmanpro]

7:51 re your comment on Golden hour - still a common term in landscape photography. Entertaining video! (my late grandmother lived in a penthouse in Philly and she called the “PH” elevator button “the Poorhouse” lol)

[@EricLehner]

Although everyone is an individual - as a general principle this extreme exposure to height and glass is unnatural, for most people, in my opinion. Humans have evolved to be physiologically wary of heights. This particular arrangement is so "in your face" that there might be some kind of subconscious stress going on, even if not perceptible. It is possible that many people would be unsettled to live in this structure. P.S. The low height of the glass balcony railing is astonishing. It would be so easy for accidents to happen, and for objects to be dropped inadvertently too.

[@puggles5744]

I literally get anxiety just watching the video.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

Too many modern architects seem to find delight in designing buildings that trigger anxiety and alienation while ignoring livability, creature comforts, and even basic safety.

[@RichardMcGrath]

Did you see him lean out over the balcony, when he was at the corner, in order to see Central Park? NO THANK YOU!

[@chicagonorthcoast]

@@RichardMcGrath , I saw. Some people just don't feel alive unless they're courting death.

[@nicolasuribestanko]

@@puggles5744 Puggles..... and I get what in Spanish we call "culillo"... a trembling ass.

[@KKOPPONG]

That balcony is good for one thing and one thing only….SMOKING

[@MattttG3]

planting some green on that there Terrance that is super skinny

[@margarita8442]

is smoking allowed ?

[@KKOPPONG]

@@margarita8442 on your own property you bought for millions? Hell yeah!

[@margarita8442]

@@KKOPPONG some have smoking restrictions in europe

[@KKOPPONG]

@@margarita8442 I don’t know for sure but I’d be willing to bet the NY doesn’t have those restrictions especially when you own the entire floor.

[@vaylon1701]

A friend let me spend the night last month. It was way up and I can say without a doubt, I don't like big buildings like that moving under my feet.We had some pretty strong winds that day but there is no way I would feel safe in it. No wonder its so empty.

[@sweetoney-it1pl]

Tower Inferno....what a movie

[@hermask815]

Didn’t they have to take the stairs?

[@Tchild2]

What would even burn in these buildings? It is all stone and metal. Besides, what highrises lately in the USA have burned down in the last 50 years?

[@lovelyla85]

That balcony is so scary. 😂

[@perkygrubb]

Agree. The railing is so short it feels scary just looking at it!

[@bartonone2005]

Could a gale wind lift a person off the terrace and put them in freefall?

[@beverlyjohnson3025]

OMG, the floor to ceiling windows for me, and the swaying in the wind. yikes.

[@nycartist3421]

The balcony is scary….. I would NEVER go out there .

[@michaelrusso8466]

Seriously. My stomach dropped for a solid minute while the realtor was walking around out there.

[@4thumbsdown]

just imagine being asleep during the winter with strong winds and you're on the 70th floor and you feel the vibration while internally thinking about getting the hell out of there 😮😅😢

[@mikedtw]

"getting the hell out of there" and having to wait maybe a half hour or more for one of the two elevators. Honestly...?!!

[@erinsmart8422]

But you can’t get out bc somebody else is using the elevator rn 😂

[@Tchild2]

I would sleep like a baby. Trust the science and engineering.

[@ihartkai1255]

​​@Tchild2 can't trust anything nowadays. so no thanks 😬

[@derrick072]

I agree with you

[@ohhs7830]

The terrace is terrifying. Pets, children, yourself may fall over the glass barrier. Also an attraction for those who are suicide inclined.

[@MattttG3]

Generally speaking, the Uber-rich tend to not have those kinds of thoughts until a market crash

[@MrWiseinheart]

​@@MattttG3😅

[@stevenmarkeveys864]

You'll only fall 14 feet onto your neghibors terrace lol

[@Tchild2]

You could die falling from 20-30 feet up. What is the difference?

[@rowaystarco]

@@MattttG3 Perfect for a market crash, the only is that you might fall on a balcony below.

[@fitzgeraldmystique]

Often you are very funny, while being right on the money in what these realtors should disclose or consider when matching a customer to a property.Thanks so much Arvin !

[@tobiasrockel]

What was the point of 04:30? Expected another view from higher up on the right hand side.

[@GMDL]

Same. I think he's just trying out features of his software?

[@LudiCrust.]

I was on the observation deck in Sears Tower in Chicago during a storm about 30 years ago & felt the swaying sensation. Just based on that 15minutes & having to walk all the way down bc the elevators stopped working I’d never in a million years buy a condo/apartment way up a skyscraper. The swaying is really uncomfortable & that was in a relatively wide building & not as high up as this apartment is. If you felt sick & your apartment started swaying side to side it’d be absolutely miserable. Imagine if you were older & had a condition that made you dizzy…you wouldn’t know if it was your illness or if it was the building. Even as a kid the swaying made me feel anxious & uncomfortable.

[@Tchild2]

I was a guest on a 96' Yacht and my room was the most forward aft of the boat as we went through a really windy stretch in the Baja. I was actually pitched off my bed by a half a foot or so most of the night. Swaying in the wind by a few inches? Please, I would sleep like a baby.

[@IkechukwuUche-jt7wr]

Yours is probably the best and insightful real estate channel on KZbin. Keep doing what you do,man. I really really love this channel

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

thank you so much for your support

[@anthonyjasper371]

@@ArvinHaddadOfficial Hi Arvin. I'm from Kenya, I've seen the properties in Nigeria and Pakistan that you reviewed and would appreciate if you reviewed this one in Kenya. It's a $5m earthquake proof mansion. Thanks. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZC1kHunqNF4i80&pp=ygUWUmVhbHR5IGJvcmlzIGtpdGlzdXJ1IA%3D%3D

[@pacovl46]

Golden hour is definitely still a term in the photography and film world.

[@jerdonsbabbler3515]

True. This guy grates. Don’t know why.

[@stanstan-m9b]

true if you say Golden Hour you immediately loose your status in the upper society

[@pacovl46]

@stanstan-m9b I couldn't care less about what the snobby hi-so people think about my vocabulary! Neither should you!

[@nicolasuribestanko]

@@stanstan-m9b It's even worse if you say Golden Shower.

[@SurfCityBill]

I've heard of Golden Shower, but not hour.

[@Caocao8888]

Found this channel by accident. My, my, MY, but as an experienced condo owner, I have to say that you are really spot-on. First-rate comments in every way!

[@craigbradley6210]

I’ve been in high rise buildings that are infinitely wider than this place and they still move around considerably when it’s windy. It must be quite the ride in this place when the wind gets up

[@kingrabbit101]

So funny. These are 2 of three KZbinrs i follow for real estate and then found you and you just shit all over them 😂😂😂. So good

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

thanks pal ... will keep them coming

[@5erazoR]

you need to give the last one channel.

[@vhall244]

I totally agree.👍

[@Braselton21]

He doesn't shit on them :D It's just that Arvin isn't trying to sell us something so he can be honest & transparent

[@ocon4064]

He shows the flaws that you don't normally think about when it comes to actually living in these spaces. These videos are great.

[@richarddcvamd]

'The Terrace, a great place if you don't have vertigo' ...I lost it!

[@ChrisKogos]

17:06 if you put a chair there then go can't go around it, if you try to go around it you're really risking your life." 🤣🤣🤣

[@Libertaro-i2u]

Yeah, you'd think a condo of this price point, the balcony would be deeper

[@Tchild2]

Put the chairs on either end of the balcony. You got your seating and no walk around.

[@The-queen-is-dead-england]

It just overwhelming me about how the brave men and women build these incredible buildings

[@aperturelabs8552]

Mostly men.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

Feminist though I am, I daresay you won't see many women, if any at all, working on the skeleton of a 100 story building. And darn few men can work at those heights. Guys who can walk those beams over 1,000 ft get paid an extremely high hourly wage and they earn every dime of it.

[@Tchild2]

Men do the building, women do the selling. You need both.

[@thomasallen6980]

I do like the fact that Mr. Haddad gives the viewers a different perspective on properties. He helps separate out what is really nice and what seems to have been a personal preference but does not fit in. I enjoy watching these reviews. Thanks.

[@GShelley13]

Hi Arvin, would love to see you do Sydney’s “One Sydney Harbour”

[@cqbarnieify]

It’s a beautiful building, but I got vertigo watching it. If I was there in person, I doubt if I would be able to relax.

[@sheelfjohnson]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I feel like I'm going to have nightmares about that f__ing balcony. Especially having pets.

[@derrick072]

same here

[@redwood_shores]

Well, beautiful is an opinionated term. I can say ugly, torturous, cruel.

[@RichardBarnett-hs1qy]

At night, reflective glass doesn't do much......one can still see into apartments. I don't love onyx either. I thought it was too soft for countertops. The piano theme was great until we got to the kitchen cabinets. (Did they forget the black keys?) Every elevator shaft eats up space, so I understand limiting it to two. Since units are going to be sold for foreign money laundering, no one will care about waiting 10 minutes for their elevator. The glamour of Manhattan at night is stupendous. All in all, much more thought and quality went into this building. Very little to complain about. I really love the 'corner moments.'

[@Antsir12]

😆. For the kitchen cabinets I was surprised that they didn’t create black piano keys for the cabinet handles!

[@Letsberealish]

The kind of people who live in situations like this WANT to be looked at through the windows. This is not the kind of place an introvert would be comfortable, at all.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

I just can't believe a building can call itself luxury without a separate freight elevator. I'm merely middle-class, and the comfy, beautiful 1920s vintage high rises I've lived in in St. Louis and Chicago had two passenger plus at least one freight elevator for 50 and 60 unit buildings with 15 floors.

[@Tchild2]

You are 1,000 feet up. You worried someone has a telescope? What are they going to see? You in your underwear snacking on cheese doodles?

[@chenchen3258]

I really admire that real estate agent guy who dared to stand next to the glass railing on the balcony to introduce it. I am afraid of heights.😅

[@LVQ-so5th]

Me too. My legs go a bit wobbly just watching the videos of NYC skyscrapers. Yikes!

[@FigaroHey]

The way he adds a schwa to the ends of words makes him sound like an immature girl: now-a, wing-a, again-a, view-a, tub-a, building-a... I would want an adult showing me the place.

[@ralphl7643]

My palms were sweating for most of the video. Floor to ceiling glass creeps me out even on a second floor. I guess I'll pass on this condo.

[@mokaPCP]

Im not scared of heights and that looked scary to me, not safe at all whatsoever, needs a safety glass or something

[@Tchild2]

Perfect unit to buy to overcome your fears. Height isn't bad if you don't actually fall.

[@jelsner5077]

I agree with your comments. It is a gorgeous apartment and my biggest ding is the decor. I know everything was probably really expensive, but it looks like an IKEA showroom. I absolutely hated the light fixtures in the main room. Again, probably expensive but they looked kind of off-the-shelf Home Depot. The Juliet balcony could have used some stone (onyx, perhaps)? benches pushed close to the wall as to not impeed circulation. I agree, it so needed another living space on the upper floor, instead of a second office and second master bath. Time will tell if this building and the other new skinny towers will survive a hurricane.

[@mannycamacho3892]

Erik is really tall but truly that terrace does not at all feel safe. It should have the extra height glass to prevent you from tipping over.

[@hansonel]

Seriously, that terrace doesn't look safe. Especially with the high winds at that height.

[@auditat]

Creepy

[@Mijah1016]

Imagine having a gathering one night over a meal and drinks. One of your drunk guests goes out for a cigarette….. 😅

[@LowValueMan]

He’s only 6’0” I wouldn’t call that really tall and that’s what the balcony looks like to him definitely very uncomfortable.

[@king_has_no_clothskul8635]

@@LowValueMan YO, SIX FEET IS TALL. BY SEEING THESE NBA FOLKS YOU HAVE BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT. IT IS ABOVE AVERAGE OF US MEN'S HEIGHT OF 5 FT 9 PLUS.

[@korien8976]

Loving your long and in depth videos. This building really is beautiful and an engineering masterpiece, but definitely only for people completely unafraid of heights. Nobody would ever get me on that balcony.

[@Antsir12]

I think you have summed my thoughts perfectly. The building is stunning and obviously a lot of complex engineering had to be used in its construction. But I could never live in such a high and narrow building! Perhaps I could try the 30th floor? Haha.

[@stanlee3619]

Speaking of the "reflective glass" giving you "privacy," Google "Alex Rodriguez on the toilet" in his Billionaire's Row condo.

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

hahahhaha

[@realgood537]

this penthouse is on floor 70 or something. reflective glass or not i dont think anybody can see you taking a sht. very few buidlings nearby that high

[@stanlee3619]

@@realgood537 Ever heard of drones?

[@realgood537]

@@stanlee3619 lol do you take a sht in a prison cell or something? all bathrooms have windows and a drone can fly wherever. in nyc you actually need a permit and it is hard to get to fly a drone, anybody with permit probably tryna get a nice video of the city skyline and don't want you in it wiping your ass lol

[@chirpie11]

@@realgood537and at that point, I say, go for it!!

[@msglimmertwin52]

I need a corner moment to think about all this.

[@derrick072]

lol

[@nazmo_za9654]

glad i found your page, just going through all of them. you confirming so many things i didnt find impressive when watching the originals

[@youtbe999]

There are several lots between this building and Central Park. Some day someone is going to build a tower right in front on this one and obstruct the million dollar view to Central Park.

[@bernieschiff5919]

And the new apartment's bathroom will face their Livingroom window so you and your dinner guests can watch them taking a bath and shaving.

[@MrWiseinheart]

​@@bernieschiff5919 😁 you guys are funny

[@Libertaro-i2u]

And who knows? The building built between Steinway Towers and Central Park might be even taller than Steinway Towers, thus not only potentially completely obstructing the view, but also presenting significant privacy issues and lowering the property values of Steinway.

[@tjr-007tt]

I think the developer bought the air rights between the building and Central Park. There’s very little chance of anything of significant height being built there.

[@DrunkenUFOPilot]

What do the owners and occupants of the neighboring buildings next to Steinway think? Probably doesn't matter. It's New York! Buildings block buildings everywhere.

[@egarcianyc]

TONS of people still say golden hour. I literally hear it almost every day

[@derrick072]

as a photographer, I say it for my shoots

[@chatteyj]

never heard it before is it an american saying?

[@jersey282]

@@chatteyj Yes and almost an artists thing, like photographers and painters. It just means when the light is at that best time when the sun I setting, it's just very pretty.

[@derrick072]

@@chatteyj It's a term used just before and during sunset for video and photography shoots. The sky, environment, and model/talent become more vivid in colors.

[@calummccreath4740]

Please do THE ONE house

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

its on the list

[@gn6905]

Love Paul McClean but The One is a travesty

[@paintedegg8275]

That view is perfect, I look at that billionaires row from my apt Watched it being built.

[@johnreynolds5407]

Excellent presentation. I’ve observed the tiles flying off of the sides of this building during high winds in at least two instances.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

Yikes!! Those flying tiles could easily kill someone below.

[@Pure_B]

Imagine sleeping in bed and you roll out of bed onto the floor because the building is swaying so much during a hurricane or really windy night. 😂

[@Libertaro-i2u]

Yeah, the building isn't that stable for the price of the condos

[@ScWeeGeeBoyReacts]

The tower has a mass dampener at the top which helps to balance out the sway during high winds, which makes it almost unnoticeable

[@ipadasher]

It is amazing. Absolutely every observation and critic Arvin made in these videos are spot on. This is the value that a good professional can bring to the table. Outstanding!

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

The architects did a great job of the interiors. No plain walls and such. Lots of interesting nooks and crannies and changes in the surfaces.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

I agree. I was impressed with some I saw listed for sale on the real estate sites. They were truly beautiful apartments with interesting details and beautiful appointments. But the elevator situation would be a deal-killer for me, and so would the swaying on the upper floors.

[@JulianBoyce]

Corner moments, you mean!

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@chicagonorthcoast Yes. The swaying and the Argentinian death gangs below! Bring back the Charles Bronson movies from the 1980’s.

[@mmurmurjohnson2368]

Lived in NY 24 years, best view of the park is from a bicycle seat, smart money moves to Jersey

[@Lex-Rex]

high figure billionaires can spend 60 million like I do at the coffee shop getting an americano and a scone.

[@robertmeehan9400]

Really enjoyed this review and walk through Arvin, I’m fascinated with super skinny apartment living but you highlighted flaws very nicely. I’m sure there are structural nightmares yet to be exposed also … new subscriber here today. Enjoy the golden hour my friend 😝 Rob

[@morganzweifel2488]

Beyond shocking… only 2 elevators to service the entire building. I don’t understand how one unit sold.

[@markmalbone1147]

A lot of buyers don’t even move in. That’s the shocking thing.

[@mariusvanc]

How many people live there at any given time? A dozen?

[@chicagonorthcoast]

I don't understand how the building got approved by the building dept to begin with.

[@maryellenc8837]

$$$…

[@drewdabbs418]

Most of these flats will never be occupied they are just investments

[@tobias8538]

Holy crap, I am not even finished with watching the 1 billion estate from the last video, yet there is a new one. Nice. :)

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

i got 2 in edit

[@anthonymartino9917]

Love your critique with no sugarcoating but also highlight the positive aspects of these properties. If I am ever fortunate enough to consult you I will!

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

at ur service

[@perkygrubb]

You’ll have to get in line. I’ve got plans to book him too when I’m ready to move to LA/Hollywood area. @ArvinHaddadOfficial your investment in doing these is paying off!

[@stevenpike7857]

No way you would get me out on that balcony.

[@Tchild2]

Why not? You could die falling from 30 feet up.

[@stuomsen5094]

This is one of the best real-estate critiques ever!

[@isabellind1292]

For what? Critiquing other RE agents?

[@LooshChipper]

Working overtime pumping out these vids, love it

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

yes sir

[@markuswunsch]

Since you are the "How to buy a mansion guy" I would say a video comparing the pros and cons of mansions / townhouses vs penthouses / luxury condos might be interesting as well. I faced that dilemma a bit in Switzerland where an apartment with private pool terrace in an A+ location was asking the very same as a house in an A-/B+ neighborhood and offered the exact same amenities and comparable finishes and both were lakefront properties. Generally speaking it can also be easy to fall prey to buying amenities which you don't actually use that often when talking about mansions (e.g. home cinemas while common in luxury mansions, do you you really use them enough? Or how do you like to entertain and who are your guests - friends vs business partners?). In many of these cases shared amenities in a luxury condo building can be a cool alternative even though that means a bit less privacy / flexibility. Or take a shared gym in the right building which can also be great for networking. Plus always consider maintenance costs, taxes and available services (concierge, security, chefs) etc... Also learn as much as you can about your neighbors before buying (e.g. families = children noise while very old neighbors means that these neighboring properties might soon come onto the market) and the building (how many apartments and buyer structure/turnover). Or ask yourself the question whether you would also consider buying something which needs a bit of work done (can be great deals) rather than a done house and is a done house really a done house in your eyes. This said, my personal advice to anyone looking to buy property is to gain clarity regarding what you really need and want first (and how much time you actually spend there -> primary vs. secondary residence, etc.)! Once you figured out how you want to live and what amenities and layout you want and which ones are optional/just nice to have approach your broker with that list and ask them to tell you a price range matching these criteria. Don't tell them your budget right of the bat because my experience has been that once you put that number out there they'll only show you properties around that number! Back in 2018 I for example told the broker my budget is 60 million (and also got shown 111 West 57th despite not a great match to my criteria of which one was outdoor space) and they only showed me products around that price point. Only by incident back then I heard about a property which cost half of what my budget was yet met all my criteria in a great neighborhood... and that to me is a bit of a problem that brokers are so budget focused rather than "lifestyle-focused" and hence I suggest you try to reverse that if you can by letting the broker know how you want to live and then let them educate you what this means in terms of pricing. Take it from there. *PS: Another great and educative video, Arvin! You're doing a great job here and I really like your videos!* PPS: I guess two offices in an apartment can make sense: One office for him and one for her.

[@algroulx1774]

aww man, the dilemma!

[@roberthenry9319]

This may be a bit more than we generally look for in the "comment" section. Has anyone read the whole damn thing? Or understood it if you have read it?

[@asanda-siyabonga]

Sorry I ain't reading that story

[@asanda-siyabonga]

​@@roberthenry9319hell no

[@Miguelperry411]

I loved all of the "corner moments".😂🤣

[@rapmastac1362]

Well he is definitely playing the long game in banking in those corner moments for a corner hour.

[@ramonkroutz]

So gay

[@isabellind1292]

@@ramonkroutz Huh? Was this dude here to review the penthouse or the RE agent? Yuck!

[@derrick072]

Imagine punishing your kid in time-out by sending him or her to the corner. The kid happily says OK and later grows up and says I had great corner moments there on punishments

[@xebatansis]

So when the elevator stops working (malfunction) you are just stuck up there and screwed? Who builds something like this?

[@joelove1987]

Out of all those super tall skinny towers, I have to say I like this one the best also!! I love the Art Deco design of the building. It's aesthetically pleasing to look at, but I also wouldn't buy one of those because I would be uncertain of how well this building is going to stand the test of time.

[@sirashley2355]

you are on a roll. i sometimes hesitate to watch some of their real estate walk throughs but i never fail to watch one of your takes. great content

[@TheSpac3monkey]

Gotta love that power outlet over the cooktop 😂

[@alecs1196]

You missed the outlet on the backsplash [@13:25] above the kitchen sink (contravening the electric code of most states)

[@TheSpac3monkey]

@@alecs1196 I hope they remembered to put one inside the bathtub too. Wouldn't want to have to work too hard to get the hairdryer over.

[@somethingsomething404]

The kitchen outlets are all in the most useless spots

[@christheghostwriter]

"I'd rather subscribe to the channel" Okay, you earned it with that one

[@m.kayewilliams2550]

Love your reviews! I was really put off by the AI (or just super filtered?) agent - felt like I was in a video game. I also felt like the views were artificially added. When looking directly, the view was beautiful - static though. When he moved through, the views suddenly became hazy and gray. I've seen this in several of your videos - umpty jillion dollars for a fantastic view of Smog! Make sure to find out how often those mega windows are cleaned, either on the inside or the outside, or you'll just be looking at streaks, not views. The bathtubs are almost impossible to get in and out of - friends bought one like this and even though they are young and agile, it was definitely hard to use - especially with all the marble/granite/onyx surfaces - even bath mats with rubber backing won't stick and they nearly killed themselves before they changed it out. As far as not being transparent, you were right - you could see in even in the day. Turning on the bathroom lights at night will make for a very interesting show - at least from Central Park and any helicopter. Are drones illegal in NYC? Really appreciate your pointing out things like the elevator situation, staircase, and closet space - I have more space in my one bedroom apartment (granted not in NYC)! Where are the servant quarters? So glad I don't have enough money to be fleeced.

[@DanielMartinez81]

14:33 Dont forget that at night, when there is no light outside and at the same time there is light at the inside, the "reflecttive glass" effect is completely lost!

[@Slonge92]

Let me just take a corner moment to discuss a $54M airline sized apartment in a swaying skinny high-rise. I would feel ripped off if I paid more than $12M for a duplex with little character aside from good views. At least the balcony is easy to jump off when you realize what you’ve done. Thanks Arvin for another great video. (Yes, the elevator situation is ridiculous. How long is the wait?)

[@chris53659]

🤣

[@Pxxro]

Nah im dying, your to funny man🤣. Had a real crazy corner moment reading your comment

[@crystaleefyffe1230]

😂

[@jerdonsbabbler3515]

Viciously funny!

[@derrick072]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@grgr3074]

Steinway Tower for me is absolutely crazy, as a french parisian citizen, no chance ever to see this type of tower in Paris. However, living there, enjoying "corner moment" not really for me. What about opening the windows and breath the fresh air over NYC...?

[@Tchild2]

Paris is a different type of city. You Parisiens have such a fantastic stock of historic buildings, why go high?

[@broadwaybaby348]

Two elevators work fine here. The owners of these apartments have multiple properties and likely will only spend a few weeks a year in this building, if that. So no worry that both elevators would be in use at the same time. On West 57th there are probably right now only a handful of apartments where someone is home today. I walk by these building entrances frequently and have yet to see anyone except a doorman enter or leave, not even a food delivery, It's for good reason in NYC they are called 'safe deposit boxes in the sky'.

[@rayshelld791]

When I see these kinds of condos, it reminds me of the 1974 movie, The Towering Inferno. The movie was based on 2 novels inspired with the constrution of the world trade center and what could possibly happen in case of fire in a skyscraper.

[@smoothacceleration437]

Love this appartment and building. Love the neo art deco theme which is so NY. If i had 54m lying around...

[@kingsleyodu9796]

The architecture is visually striking but its skinny structure is a question mark ❓️❓️❓️ keep them coming Arvin 🙌

[@Libertaro-i2u]

The sheer fact that the building is as thin as a needle or pencil means that inevitably, the tower will experience significant swaying.

[@deanchur]

Something else no-one mentions about penthouse apartments is that at the higher floors you're going to be spending more time waiting for and in an elevator; don't be surprised if it takes 5 minutes from when you press the elevator button in your apartment to when you exit the lobby/garage. Now imagine it taking 5 minutes from your front door to the street; something equivalent is having a big block of land that can only be reached via a dirt path. I live on 9 acres and it takes a bit over 5 minutes from my front door to reaching bitumen, and it gets old sometimes.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

You're right. Dwellers in large hig-rise buildings everywhere complain about this.

[@Tchild2]

How much time does it take anyone to grab a taxi in NYC or do anything? So you have to wait a few minutes for an elevator? The horror! You have hundreds of millions or billions, where do you have to be so immediately?

[@ScWeeGeeBoyReacts]

These elevators are super fast, the ones that service the penthouse floors move up to 7m/s. Which means it takes less than 2 minutes for go from the ground floor to the penthouse. The building has 14 elevators, with 2 that solely service the penthouse levels

[@RawOlympia]

Such a cool chan ~ pointing out the flaws! Wonder if the 'smoked oak' was from a fire sale?

[@tedjohnson64]

Love your insightful analysis of the pros/cons of this condo building! This is so much more interesting to watch… than a channel where they just repeat the marketing literature.

[@Taureg]

As someone that stayed in Manhattan, the building is stunning against the backdrop of the city skyline

[@kristoferjakistam832]

14:43 I think this balustrade is a bit too low. It's not very safe. If a drunk person leans out too far, he or she may fall over the barrier.

[@Tchild2]

Rich people don't invite stupid drunks over to hang out.

[@bigwilito]

I love the south facing view

[@vickythaya4451]

Thanks for this video, i was about to get a penthouse in this building! I have decided otherwise! 👍

[@garykanter7137]

With so many golden moments, I thought the agent was going refer to the master shower as having “golden showers”. 😂😂😂😂

[@nicolasuribestanko]

Garykanter, as long as they are not brown showers we should be OK.

[@andrewdubose9968]

1:22 Several years ago, I went to the Aon Tower and Chicago and was surprised to learn that double-decker elevators are a thing. Apparently it’s also possible to run two cabs in the same shaft. Seems like a fantastic use case for either.

[@Whenlifegivesyoulemons1-t9e]

Greetings from Ireland. Love the videos. Very informative.

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

Glad you like them!

[@amorosogombe9650]

Arvin, you're so right. I currently live in a building only 9 floors high with 1 lift that can stop on every floor. New building modern lift. Takes forever. I can't imagine what it's like having 50+ floors, with two lifts, that cannot stop off on demand. That's insane. And then, what happens if there's a fire? How do you escape from the uppermost floors? It's sexy, but is it livable?

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

Ya fire would be disaster

[@Romiman1]

You'll have to walk down many many stairs...

[@ScWeeGeeBoyReacts]

Thats because both you and Arvin are wrong. There are 60 condo units in Steinway Tower, 14 in the Hall and 46 in the Tower. There are a total of 14 elevators. 5 of the elevators are for Steinway Hall, which is the first 16 floors. 7 of the elevators are for the luxury units in the Tower levels. And 2 elevators are solely for the Penthouse levels. The elevators for the Tower levels move at 7m/s, which is fast enough to get from street level to the 76th penthouse level in less than 2 minutes.

[@klote82]

Im deathly afraid of heights. I couldnt even step off the elevator! #cornermoments lmao, "come on dude, with these corner moments!". Absolutely stunning night views! Almost doesnt look real!

[@TonyBabarino]

As a Southern California real estate agent (Orange County), I have to say I appreciate your video and agreed with everything you said. I like the presentation, the sincerity, and info. Subscribed!

[@jamielancaster01]

Holy crap in 9 hours you already have 21k views👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉

[@iseemelanie]

This unit is obviously very very nice. But it’s very unimpressive for the $54M price tag.

[@Tchild2]

54 million is a subjective value based on your preferences. If this was not worth 54 million it would not sell. If it sells, it is worth 54 million to someone.

[@iseemelanie]

@@Tchild2 honey, please stop. You can talk about relativity all day. This place still ain’t with $54 mil. And if someone wants to pay that amount for it, then they are comfortable getting ripped off. Have a good night.

[@beckspitler1747]

Love the authentic POV you give rather than usual youtube real estate marketing BS.

[@ArvinHaddadOfficial]

I appreciate that!

[@ThatBearHasMoxie]

Notice that a lot of these NY Realtors, that are selling these super skinny apartment towers, don't talk about how the weather affects the building or develops a sway. Thank you for bring it up. I've read the nightmare articles about living in Central Park West.

[@Tweedonker]

This is it. This is my favorite house toured on this channel. If I could choose any place to live it would be this one.

[@Gregemio]

8:42 Oh neat a Suicide door; This place has everything

[@PaulLoveless-Cincinnati]

Is that what that is? A sliding door with no balcony? What is the point?

[@luuvvvu4ever692]

The railings for the terraces are wayyyyy too short!

[@__Silvia__]

54 million dollars and NO BIDETS?

[@chicagonorthcoast]

I was thinking the same thing. But what would really kill the place for me is the lack of enough elevators.

[@Tchild2]

Good point. Bidets are the hallmark of sophistication and ultimate luxury. Trump or Kamala, whoever wins, should mandate that all new construction MUST have bidets.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

@@Tchild2 Never mind sophistication and luxury. They save water because they save natural resources. It takes 37 gallons of water, 1.3 KwH electricity, and 1.5 lbs of wood to make one roll of toilet paper. As one who is trying to reduce her use of paper for cleaning and hygiene, I would love to install one but my vintage building isn't plumbed for it. I would totally do it in a new build. What I'd save in TP would pay for the thing in a decade.

[@Tchild2]

@@chicagonorthcoast I built my home in 2016 and I insisted on having bidets in the master and in my office bathroom. When the Covid toilet paper crisis hit us, I had my bidet and did not need toilet paper. Well, one little sheet for the drying after the bidet.

[@nicolasuribestanko]

@@chicagonorthcoast You know, there are bidet attachments for regular toilets that do the job great. I grew up with traditional bidets, but they are basically extinct now because they take up too much room.

[@anthonylangley8717]

I didn’t see any bedroom dressers/chests of drawers to hold clothing, unless all clothing is kept in closets. If there are only two elevators, and assuming they are nicely finished, then it seems like they could get easily damaged when somebody is moving in. The high-rise condominium that I used to work at was only 41 stories tall, but had four passenger elevators and two freight elevators. Of course, the freight elevators were for taking care of the unsightly business that needed to be kept hidden, which included residents moving in, and grocery deliveries. All elevators opened into a lobby or utility hallway, not a private residence, but space was not a scarce commodity. The concierge/ doorman in me can’t help but wonder what kind of nightmare this would be during high-traffic social times such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

[@Tchild2]

This is a different class of buyers than those who live at your 41 story building. They are not there 24/7. They are there temporarily (or never). If they do visit, those inconveniences will hardly be noticed in the short term.

[@PrimusInvictus]

I was hoping for more insight in the structural details of the swaying and such, but other than that comprehensive video! I enjoyed it, earned a new subscriber. Can’t wait to catch up on your videos, when I have time

[@limyrob1383]

They are selling a multi million $ property on door handles, shower heads and shoe shine. They know their buyers. Nothing about wind movement, lift (elevator) reliability, fire evacuation times, foundation inspections or what % of units will be left empty so that maintenance charges are impossible to collect. The sales pitch implies that buyer will sit for hours looking a the view, if they do ever move in my bet is they spend hours looking at the wide screen TV with the curtains (drapes) closed.

[@azspotfree]

I'm tearing up just watching this, these billionaires just can't catch a break in this world.

[@chicagonorthcoast]

😆Yes, I can hear the tiniest violin in the world playing Hearts & Flowers for them.

[@Tchild2]

Yep, those poor billionaires, not having fast elevators that plebes in their broken down buildings in Harlem need.