Billionaires' Row (Manhattan) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billionaires' Row
Development
part of Billionaire's Row and Central Park (background)
Country	United States
State	New York
City	New York City
Borough	Manhattan

Billionaires' Row is a group of very fancy, tall apartment buildings in New York City. These buildings are found near the southern edge of Central Park in Manhattan. Many of them are called supertall because they are over 1,000 feet (300 meters) high. Some are even among the tallest buildings in the world! Because many of these thin, tall buildings are on 57th Street, that street is also sometimes called Billionaires' Row.

What Makes Billionaires' Row Special?

This area is known for having some of the most expensive homes anywhere. For example, in 2015, the top two floors of a building called One57 sold for over $100 million. This was a record for the most expensive apartment ever sold in New York. Later, another apartment at 220 Central Park South sold for $238 million. This set a new record for the most expensive home sold in the United States!

Why Are These Buildings Being Built?

Many people buy these expensive apartments as investments. Sometimes, buyers from other countries put their money into these homes. They might do this to keep their money safe or to invest it in a stable place. Many of these apartments are not lived in all the time. They are often used like a "safe deposit box" for money.

Some people worry about these very tall buildings. They are concerned about how these towers might change the neighborhoods around them. They also worry about the long shadows these buildings cast over Central Park.

Early Luxury Buildings

Even before the name "Billionaires' Row" became popular, there were already luxury buildings in the area. The Time Warner Center, built in 2003, is one example. Many people who bought apartments there chose to keep their names private. Another famous building is 15 Central Park West. Many well-known billionaires have bought homes there.

Changes in the Market

In 2016, the United States government started looking closely at who was buying these very expensive homes. They wanted to make sure the money used for these purchases was legal. New rules in some countries, like China, also made it harder for people to send large amounts of money out of their country. These changes have made the market for the most expensive apartments a bit slower. Some people even say the "Eight Digit Boom" (meaning homes costing tens of millions of dollars) on Billionaires' Row has slowed down.

Famous Buildings on Billionaires' Row

The first supertall building in this area was One57. It is 1,004 feet (306 meters) tall and was finished in 2014. After that, many other even taller skyscrapers were planned or built along 57th Street. Because of the incredibly high prices of apartments in these buildings, the news media started calling this area "Billionaires' Row." The name now includes other supertall luxury buildings near Central Park, even if they are not exactly on 57th Street.

Here are some of the buildings that are part of Billionaires' Row:

Street address	Building name	Construction started	Completed date	Architectural height	Image
157 West 57th Street	One57	April 2009	2014	1,005 feet (306 m)
432 Park Avenue	432 Park Avenue	September 2011	December 23, 2015	1,397 feet (426 m)
252 East 57th Street	252 East 57th Street	2013	2016	712 feet (217 m)
111 West 57th Street	111 West 57th Street	2014/15	Expected 2021	1,438 feet (438 m)
225 West 57th Street	Central Park Tower	2014	Expected 2021	1,550 feet (470 m)
220 Central Park South	220 Central Park South	2015	2019	952 feet (290 m)
53 West 53rd Street	53W53	2014	2019	1,050 feet (320 m)
520 Park Avenue	520 Park Avenue	2015	2018	781 feet (238 m)

See also

In Spanish: Billionaires' Row para niños