Penthouse in Nomad’s historic Gilsey House has Empire State Building views

A penthouse apartment in Gilsey House, the gorgeous 19th-century building at the corner of Broadway and 29th Street, just hit the market, and it’s quite a beaut.

The onetime hotel itself is one of the neighborhood’s most iconic buildings—a “Victorian pile of cast-iron decadence,” as we previously referred to it, and a precursor to the area’s current swank hotel boom.

It opened as a hotel in 1872, attracting celebrities (Oscar Wilde and Mark Twain both stayed there) and tony New Yorkers alike; it was basically the Ace of its day.

But the hotel closed in 1904, and—you know the story—fell into disrepair until the 1980s, when it was redone as a co-op building. It became a New York City landmark in 1979, and was refurbished in the early ’90s. (Says the AIA Guide to New York City: “O happy the day it was in 1992 when the facade was restored and painted cream!”)

Which brings us to today, and the penthouse that’s currently for sale. Situated over two floors within the lovely building, the apartment comes with an unbeatable view of the Empire State Building, both from the living room (which has huge windows) and from a 500-square-foot roof deck.

There are also four bedrooms located on the duplex’s lower floors—and a boatload of closet space—along with three bathrooms, a nice (if somewhat bland) kitchen, and in-unit laundry. But let’s be real: it’s all about the building, and the views. For that, you’ll pay just about $5 million, along with a hefty maintenance fee of $6,601/month.

• Listing: 1200 Broadway #7/8D [Corcoran]
• The Grand Hotel, Gilsey House, and the Evolution of Broadway [Curbed]