A gold-domed New York City penthouse first listed for $25 million has sold for $9 million after 530 days on the market, with owner Greg Carr directing the sale proceeds to his conservation project
A historic Manhattan penthouse set inside a gold leaf dome has sold at auction for $9 million, ending a 530 day stretch on the market that saw its original asking price cut by 64 percent. The landmark home atop the historic Sohmer Piano Building in the Flatiron District was first listed for $25 million in November 2024 by technology entrepreneur and philanthropist Greg Carr. After failing to find a buyer through traditional channels, the unit was sold through Concierge Auctions as part of its live “America 250” sale in New York City, according to real estate reporting by the New York Post and CityRealty. Carr, a co-founder of Boston Technology, pledged to send all net proceeds from the sale to the Gorongosa Project, a conservation effort focused on restoring Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park and supporting the surrounding communities.
A landmark architectural footprint
The penthouse sits atop the 13-story Beaux-Arts Sohmer Piano Building at 170 Fifth Avenue, originally designed in the 1890s by architect Robert Maynicke. Spanning about 5,777 square feet across two main levels, the home has five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms. The apartment’s standout feature is its octagonal gilded dome, which holds a two-story private room with 360-degree views across Manhattan, including landmarks like the Flatiron Building, Madison Square Park, and the Empire State Building. Inside, the home features wide white oak floors, tall ceilings, 40 oversized windows, and a grand limestone staircase beneath an 80-foot glass skylight. The upper floor opens onto a private rooftop terrace with a fire pit for outdoor dining. Public property records cited by CityRealty show that Carr originally bought the duplex penthouse in 2007 for $7.22 million.
Funding wildlife conservation in Africa
Carr has spent more than two decades putting his personal fortune toward philanthropy following his success in the tech industry. Through his foundation, he has personally committed more than $100 million to habitat restoration, wildlife protection, and community development programs in Mozambique. Explaining his decision to sell the Manhattan property, Carr pointed to his changing routine and work commitments overseas. “I work in Africa, and I go home for holidays in Idaho,” Carr told reporters, as cited in marketing coverage published by property blog Francis York, “so it wasn’t leaving a lot of time for New York.” Listing details provided by Sotheby’s International Realty agents Claire Groome and Lawrence Treglia, who co-marketed the home alongside Concierge Auctions, confirmed the auction bidding closed on July 29, 2026, landing the final sale price at $9 million.
Auction dynamics in the Manhattan luxury market
The steep price cut reflects wider shifts in Manhattan’s high-end property market, where unique or highly customized luxury homes often sit on the market for a long time before reaching a realistic price through competitive bidding. By taking the property to live auction, the seller secured a firm sale after 530 days of a static listing, freeing up funds for the ongoing conservation projects in Africa. The identity of the buyer who purchased the gold-domed penthouse has not yet been made public in official deed transfer records.
