Eitan Gamliely for Sothebys International Realty
Greg Carr, the tech mogul behind Boston Technology and former Prodigy chair, is saying goodbye to his glam New York penthouse after almost a quarter century. And it comes with one rare, and shiny, perk that literally sets a gold standard.
The coveted 5,000-square-foot gem at 170 Fifth Ave., crowned by a 40-foot gold dome, asks $25 million — a significant jump from the $7 million he shelled out in 2001.
“I love architecture, and I love New York City,” he told Bloomberg. “I thought to myself, ‘OK, there’s a building with a 40-foot gold dome on Fifth Avenue — is it going to get any better than that?’”
For nearly 25 years, Carr’s golden aerie was a hotspot for gatherings that brought together artists, human rights advocates and A-listers.
“I danced with Lauren Bacall under my gold dome,” he said, adding that she was spry at 80. But the tech tycoon’s heart now lies elsewhere — on the other side of the globe, in fact.
Carr has poured more than $100 million into wildlife conservation at Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, and splits his time between Africa and a home base in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Spanning two floors of the historic Sohmer Piano building, the penthouse exudes a general old-school Manhattan luxury.
On the lower level, four spacious bedrooms offer a perfect city backdrop, with the primary suite boasting a direct line of sight to the Empire State Building from its bed and bath. Upstairs, a sweeping limestone staircase leads to an entertainer’s dream — an open-plan living and dining area under the dome.
“The light is incredible on that upper floor,” Carr noted, adding that the view even includes a rare peek at the gargoyles on the Flatiron Building.
Still, maintaining a residence in Manhattan no longer fits his life.
“I work in Africa, and I go home for holidays in Idaho, so it wasn’t leaving a lot of time for New York,” he said.
Proceeds from the sale will go toward Carr’s ongoing conservation efforts, ensuring that even as he leaves behind his New York chapter, he’s continuing to make a global impact.
“If life is a three-act play, that was act two for me, and it was a magnificent act. I loved that place and got a lot of use out of it,” he said.