Service and security at Mandarin Oriental’s first branded residence
It’s a traveler’s nightmare: a water leak at home while on vacation abroad. And when it turns out to be in the walk-in closet, near a curated designer wardrobe? Disaster. But, at The Residences at Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Circle, it’s under control, according to Adelina Wong Ettelson, global head of residences marketing at Mandarin Oriental. “One of our residents was traveling in Europe, and we were alerted to the problem,” she says. “This resident was very particular about her wardrobe, so the crew went in, photographed everything in the closet before removing it, and fixed the leak,” she says. “Then they put everything back and even filed the insurance claim. When she got back, she said, ‘I thought you said there was a leak?’” That’s the kind of white-glove service owners expect from the international brand. “We take care of all life’s problems so you can have the time to do what you want,” Wong Ettelson says. “That’s true luxury.”
One of two towers hovering above the Shops at Columbus Circle, a luxury shopping center at the Deutsche Bank Center — formerly known as the AOL Time Warner Center — the residences start on the 65th floor of the north tower, above the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Opening in 2004, this was the company’s first foray into branded residences, one of the largest growing sectors in luxury housing. The company has since opened several similar projects worldwide, including a second property in Manhattan, the Mandarin Oriental Residences Fifth Ave, in 2023. The glass-and-granite towers were designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and offer views of Central Park, the Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline, plus Columbus Circle, which was revitalized as part of the development. Residents get all the benefits of hotel living, from 3 a.m. room service to signing privileges at the spa, as well as the convenience and security of a fully staffed building. “People can just lock up and leave,” says Wong Ettelson, who worked on the launch of the towers when she worked for Related, the developer. “There’s so much security here, starting with the hotel and then extending into the inner sanctum of the residences.”
Hotel services from the comfort of home
There are 64 residences, each with walls of windows, herringbone hardwood floors, 10-foot ceilings and open living and dining rooms. Many offer marble bathrooms and kitchens with top-of-the-line appliances throughout. Since the building is more than 20 years old, finishes vary from unit to unit, with owners having put their own design spin on their spaces. But the level of service remains consistent. Residents have access to regular maid service, a 24-hour concierge, valet parking and, of course, maintenance and security. When residents return from a trip, they can have the staff stock the fridge and handle any issues so everything is ready upon arrival. At the start of the third quarter of 2024, there were just two residences on the market, both two-bedroom units asking $5 million. A six-bedroom home on the 74th floor sold for $25 million in 2021, while a five-bedroom residence on the 76th level sold for just under $40 million.
Signing privileges at the Mandarin Oriental Spa and its restaurant, the MO Lounge
The Residences at Mandarin Oriental is an older development, although the common spaces have been updated to keep them fresh. Unlike a new branded residence that would have exclusive residents’ amenities, it shares the amenity spaces with the hotel. Residents can stop for a meal at the 35th-floor MO Lounge overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park, which offers a curated local and sustainable menu and wine and cocktail list. It’s open all day — and all night for room service — and afternoon tea is served from noon to 5 p.m. Residents can charge meals and services to their rooms, and many use the lounge “like a canteen,” Wong Ettelson says. The hotel’s five-star spa provides massages, facials and specialty treatments, plus outdoor fitness classes in the summer, an indoor pool and a fitness center. Other amenities include conference rooms, workspaces and a terrace overlooking the park. “Residents also love being so close to Whole Foods,” Wong Ettelson says, referring to the grocery store’s location at the Shops at Columbus Circle. And they don’t even have to unpack the bags; there’s staff for that.
Revamped Columbus Circle
The arrival of the Deutsche Bank Center was instrumental in the redevelopment of Columbus Circle, which is now a dynamic neighborhood. The complex replaced the New York Coliseum, a convention center demolished in 2000. In addition to the towers and the shopping center, Related partnered with the city to restore the park and statue at the center of the circle. The Philadelphia-based landscape architecture firm OLIN helmed the project, adding a new fountain around the statue of Christopher Columbus, as well as seating and rings of trees. “OLIN’s redesign of Columbus Circle is based on concentric rings of movement and light, transforming what was once an inhospitable traffic circle into a refuge where people stop, meet and relax in the hub of a swirl of traffic late into the evening,” according to the firm’s website. Today, the circle is bustling, with new additions like the Museum of Arts and Design, which opened in 2008, as well as stores and restaurants at the Shops at Columbus Circle.
One block from subways at Columbus Circle
The A and C; B and D; and 1 trains all stop at Columbus Circle, and the station is about a block from The Residences at Mandarin Oriental. The M57 bus offers crosstown services, and drivers can be on the West Side Highway in under 10 minutes, traffic depending.
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Quantarium
Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
Moderate Crime
Crime Score®
6/ 10
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
85/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
99/ 100
Rider's Paradise
Transit Score®
100/ 100
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Powered by CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks. Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Environmental risk data is provided by First Street Foundation® and is designed to approximate risk and not intended to include all possible scenarios.
Parks in this Area
Dante Park
4 min walk
Picnic Area
Damrosch Park
6 min walk
Picnic Area
Events
Richard Tucker Park
6 min walk
Picnic Area
Events
Samuel N. Bennerson 2nd Playground
10 min walk
Basketball
Playground
West End Park
12 min walk
Trails
Playground
Grand Army Plaza
12 min walk
745 Plaza
13 min walk
Picnic Area
Matthew P. Sapolin Playground
13 min walk
Basketball
Picnic Area
Trails
Ramon Aponte Park
15 min walk
Playground
Waterpark
Schools
Source:
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