At $25M, Chelsea’s most expensive townhouse will set a new record

This four-story townhouse at 334 West 20th Street, asking $25,000,000 set a neighborhood record when it changed hands in 2021 for $22,500,000, according to the Wall Street Journal. Chelsea’s priciest townhouse is on track to outdo its previous record if it fetches its current ask. From the cellar gym to the elevator to the sprawling rooftop terrace, AD100 firm Gachot made use of every inch of usable space in a redesign that turned the home into a modern Manhattan mansion while preserving its historic elegance.

The 7,000-plus-square-foot Greek Revival property now offers five floors of townhouse living with four outdoor spaces. The home is filled with light from massive skylights, tall townhouse windows and double French doors; its layout follows the traditional mansion style, with the kitchen on the garden level and the formal dining space and gracious living room on the parlor floor.

On the grand parlor floor, 11-foot ceilings, chevron-patterned wide-plank white oak floors, and a wood-burning fireplace frame a bright and beautiful south-facing living room. A large dining room features triple French doors that open onto a terrace leading to the private garden below. A well-appointed butler’s pantry is a modern-day upgrade from the traditional version, with an electronic dumbwaiter to convey necessary items and food from the kitchen below.

And what kitchen it is: Anchored by a dining and prep island topped with Danby marble, this picture of practical elegance features Absolute Black granite counters, a Lacanche Savigny range, Miele and Sub-Zero appliances, and custom Valli & Valli hardware. A cozy family room opens onto a landscaped, paved garden. A gas fireplace makes the space perfect for all seasons.

On the next floor are three bedrooms with clean-lined, tranquil en-suite baths. An additional large room makes a perfect media or music room; there is also a windowed office on this floor.

The home’s top floor is occupied by a peerless primary bedroom suite. These royal quarters contain a mahogany wet bar, extensive closets, an additional dressing room or office, and a private terrace in addition to the bedroom and sitting room. The marble-clad primary bath features a freestanding Duravit Luv bathtub and a steam shower.

Even the home’s cellar has been optimized for convenient modern living with a screening room and wet bar, laundry facilities, a home gym, and a powder room, with space for a wine cellar or sauna. A tally of the home’s garden party-ready outdoor spaces includes a landscaped yard, a rooftop terrace with city skyline views, a private bedroom terrace, and a balcony on the parlor floor. In addition to the stunning visible updates, all mechanical systems are new, including hydronic radiant floor heat, automated shades, and Lutron lighting controls.

Built in 1836, this enviable Manhattan residence has a storied history: As of 2015, the townhouse was comprised of four units–including a duplex that one-time owner, artist Karl Mann, rented out for $9,000 a month. Real estate investment company Sterling Equities purchased it for $8.5 million in 2015, according to the Wall Street Journal, before its debut in 2021 as Chelsea’s priciest townhouse sale.

[Listing details: 334 West 20th Street at CityRealty]

[At Brown Harris Stevens by Nadine Adamson, Kelsey Hall, and Maeve Crispi]

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Photos: Brown Harris Stevens