Walker Tower

212 West 18th St., located between 7th and 8th Avenues in Chelsea, was built in 1929 and once functioned as a call center for the New York Telephone Company.

It’s known as “Walker Tower” in honor of Ralph Thomas Walker, the renowned architect known for designing Depression-era skyscrapers like One Wall St.

JDS Development, which purchased the building in 2007, teamed up with Property Markets Group (PMG) to transform the site into pricey luxury condos in 2012.

The $200-million renovation (overseen by New York architecture firm CetraRuddy) brought forth some 50 units, with one buyer picking up two combined penthouses for approximately $34 million — one of downtown Manhattan’s largest purchases on record that year.

JDS, PMG and CetraRuddy maintained much of Walker’s original design details, including the tower’s Art Deco ornamentation and unique brick facade (Walker used nine shapes of brick in different hues).  

Walker Tower reportedly has 18-inch thick walls and floors so thick they can bear 100 pounds per square foot. Residents may also enjoy 14-foot ceilings, oak flooring, large foyers, spacious master bedrooms, tremendous kitchens, marble bathrooms, large tilt-and-turn windows, floor heating and massive living rooms that give way to outdoor spaces with unobstructed 360 degree views.

The firms also packed it with various amenities expected of an upscale NYC residence: a 24-hour doorman, concierge service, library lounge with pantry and bar, childrens playroom, fitness center with yoga room, sauna and landscaped common roof deck with dining area, sun lawn, observation area and covered cabana room.

Actress Cameron Diaz, TV host Ryan Seacrest, Kayak.com CEO Steve Hafner and Barnes & Noble chairman Len Riggio are among Walker Tower’s famous residents.