It isn’t often that we come across a circular room in New York City, much less a circular room housed in a turret designed to resemble a chateau in the French countryside.

But New York is full of surprises and this bit of wonderment at 455 Central Park West warrants a spot in our “One Room” series.  Located on the lower floor of a 3800 square foot duplex,  this grand living space offers a ballroom-like setting for those who desire a bit of whimsy. The circular room, which at first reminded me of the oval office, stretches 37 feet in diameter and offers a cathedral ceiling that soars 37 feet at its peak.  The room measures some 1100 square and is split between living and dining areas. Windows ring the space and offer open views of Central Park to the west and to the south.

The building in which LM-20 is located was part of the property’s original blueprint, a design which dates back to the late 1880s.  Originally built as the country’s first cancer hospital, the French Chateau design was intended to attract wealthy patients in need of treatment.  The circular shape, as the story is told, was favored over four-cornered rooms so that germs and dirt would not collect.

This renovated grand duplex offers four bedrooms and 4.5 baths across 3800 square feet.  A beautiful winding staircase connects the two floors.

455 Central Park West, located between West 105th Street and West 106th Street, sits directly across from Central Park.  The condominium essentially consists of two components, the original structure dating back to 1887 and the post-war tower which was added in 2002, the time of the conversion to residential ownership.   The condo has 100 units in total; there are 81 apartments in the tower and 19 residences in the chateau portion of the property.  

Apartment LM-20 is available through Karen Kelley and Kendra Kolker of Compass.  The asking price for this dramatic residence is $5.75 million, about $1513 per square foot..  Remember, there are no corners to clean in the living room.  To learn more or to just take a voyeuristic peak, visit Linecity.com.