18 East Fourth St., 1201, downtown, $925,000
Wedged between the Westin and Renaissance hotels in downtown’s central business district is the former Second National Bank Building, constructed in 1905. The lobby is relatively unchanged from its working days, shiny brass elevators and all, but the rest of the building was converted from 11 stories of office space to 21 high-end condos in 2005. This penthouse unit—on the market today fully furnished for $925,000—belonged to the project’s developer, Roger Thesing, and his wife Noel.
Walls of windows in this three-bedroom unit provide expansive views of the Roebling Bridge, Carew Tower, and everything in between, but the home’s interior finishes are captivating, too: rolling, wavy ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace in the great room, a sleek stainless steel backsplash in the kitchen, and a cluster of sparkling pendant lights hang from a spiral fixture above the dining room table.
Each of the building’s first 10 floors holds two condominiums apiece, but this unit occupies the entire 11th floor; the extra living space allows for amenities only a high-rise dweller can appreciate—in-unit access to both the elevator and the trash chute. The unit also comes with access to the rooftop deck, plus a parking space on the building’s lower level to fit a scooter or moped (no need for a car with a streetcar stop just around the corner).
The real star of this condo is the family room’s wet bar—a giant steel cylinder set on a low platform at the unit’s northwest corner. The structure was once a water tower on the building’s rooftop; it’s been retrofitted to include a sink, glass shelving, and four bar stools.
Rumor has it this feature helped attract the attention of Robert Redford, who spent several weeks in Cincinnati this spring filming a movie. He considered renting the place during his stay, says listing agent Denise Guiducci, but opted for a different location instead. (Redford wanted to smoke indoors; the current homeowners said not while the property’s on the market.) His loss, in our humble opinion; that view alone is worth at least a few cartons of Camels.
Facebook Comments