Luxury sans commitment: Here are NYC’s priciest rentals

For the cash flush and commitment-averse, renting in New York doesn’t require sacrificing extravagance or exclusivity.

From a private, members-only condo on Fifth Avenue to a townhouse in Chelsea with a rooftop Jacuzzi, Manhattan’s ultra-luxurious rentals are teeming with amenities and coveted outdoor space. The market has only grown since the start of the pandemic, according to Jonathan Miller, CEO of real estate appraiser Miller Samuel.

In January — a typically sluggish month — Manhattan’s luxury rental market was tighter than usual, Miller said.

One in five luxury rentals resulted in a bidding war, and the median rent for luxury properties continues to rise, according to Miller Samuel’s monthly report for Douglas Elliman.

“The frenzy for rentals was more intense when you skewed higher in rental price,” Miller said.

As high interest rates and low inventory continue to cripple home sales, many would-be luxury buyers returning to the city are opting for rentals to ride out a turbulent economy, according to Adjina Dekidjiev, a broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg.

“Wall Street bonuses weren’t as high as expected, and some of those [potential] buyers are preferring to rent,” Dekidjiev said.

Other renters are finance and technology executives moving to the city.

“I see a lot of people relocating from California that have to be in the New York City time zone to maintain contact with business relations in the East,” Dekidjiev said.

Though they’re not ready to buy, these folks aren’t looking for a crash pad. Amenities — such as outdoor space, gyms and business centers — are a must, Dekidjiev said, and other features like high-end appliances, in-unit laundry and supertall ceilings are expected.

Here’s a list of New York City’s priciest rentals on the market. Asking rents are per month:

815 Fifth Avenue Residence-2 | $140K

If exclusivity is king, then this Lenox Hill rental wears the crown. Housed in Fasano Fifth Avenue, a private club founded by Rogério Fasano, the 3,600-square-foot unit and its sweeping views of Central Park are only available for club members or select local and international partners.

Fasano Fifth Avenue is the first of Fasano’s New York City properties. It features a private dining room and cocktail bar in addition to residences and clubhouse suites. Fasano sold some of his business to luxury hotel developer JHSF in 2014.

357 West 17th Street | $115K

The list of amenities at this 11,000-square-foot Chelsea townhouse reads like that of a Billionaire’s Row tower. A commercial-grade glass elevator transports residents from the climate-controlled wine cellar to the rooftop Jacuzzi six floors up.

Other features include a gym, resistance swimming pool, sauna, laundry room, home theater, glass-enclosed garage, enclosed dining terrace with a grill, free-standing soaking tub and walk-in, multi-jet shower.

20 West 53rd Street PH 48/49 | $100K

This 7,400-square-foot duplex combines the convenience of a hotel with the privacy of a personal home. Sitting at the top of the Baccarat Hotel & Residences in Midtown, the penthouse includes a gallery with 20-foot ceilings, an outdoor terrace and expansive views of the city. Residents have access to the hotel’s amenities including room service, fitness center and heated pool.

The unit downstairs formerly belonged to Venezuelan TV executive Raul Gorrin, who purchased the 47th-floor apartment for $18.8 million in 2017. Gorrin was linked to a $2.4 billion currency exchange scam in 2019, and the city auctioned off the unit last year.

15 Central Park West Units 18 & 19B | $100K

This five-bedroom penthouse duplex offers 400 square feet of outdoor space overlooking Central Park. Two sets of French doors, one from the library and the other from the living room with a wood-burning fireplace, open to the private terrace.

The Lincoln Square building has attracted a number of controversial international buyers, including billionaire Russian oligarch Dmitry Rybolovlev and Italian cosmetics mogul Piofrancesco Borghetti, who was convicted of embezzling millions of euros from his perfume company in 2014.

301 East 80th Street Apt Ph 30 | $95K

This Upper East Side penthouse spans 5,500 square feet and has six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. The full-floor unit includes three private terraces, 12-foot ceilings, a private elevator landing and a windowed, eat-in kitchen.

Mets pitcher Justin Verlander and his wife, model Kate Upton, are in contract to purchase a penthouse in the building, known as the Beckford Tower.

10 East 62nd Street Units 1L/1/2/3/4 | $90K

This listing includes two townhomes available for rent separately or together. One maintains its Gilded Age-style interiors with ornate gold detailing and marble halls, while the other has a modern, sleek design.

66 Ninth Avenue Residence-6 | $85K

Known as the Porter House, this boutique condominium has 10 floors and 19 residences. Built as a wine warehouse in 1903 for wine importer Jules Wile, it was converted into a luxury residential building by developer Jeffrey Brown and architect Gregg Pasquarelli about 100 years later.

Residence 6 spans 5,400 square feet and has five bedrooms and six bathrooms. It features 10-foot ceilings, a playroom, a library, custom home automation and an eat-in kitchen.

293 Lafayette Street Ph 2 | $85K

This 5,200-square-foot penthouse in Soho’s historic Puck Building has four bedrooms and five bathrooms. In line with the building’s loft-like style, the unit features barrel-vaulted ceilings, cast iron columns and a landscaped terrace with skyline views.

1 North Moore Street Apt 1 | $80K

Perks at this three-story condo in Tribeca include a two-car garage, private outdoor garden, movie theater, wine storage and pool table. Designed as a townhouse with the amenities of a luxury building, 1 North Moore Street includes a 24-hour doorman, five bedrooms and four bathrooms.

432 Park Avenue Apt 66B | $79K

This 66th-floor unit on Billionaire’s Row advertises unparalleled views. The corner living room, dining room and kitchen overlook Central Park unobstructed, and a free-standing soaking tub in one of the master bathrooms offers a view of the Hudson River.

Harry Macklowe and CIM Group’s 96-story tower has a private restaurant, 75-foot indoor swimming pool, fitness center, spa with a sauna and steam room, library, conference rooms, yoga studio and room service.