I got a behind-the-scenes tour of a luxury building in NYC — and even though it’s still under construction, I could clearly see why buyers would drop $2 million or more to live there

• 40 Bleecker is an upcoming luxury residential building in downtown New York City.
• The 12-floor residence will include 61 condos, a 58-foot swimming pool, a sculpture garden, private underground parking, and lighting designed to be “selfie-friendly.”
• Prices start at $1.9 million for a one-bedroom and go up to more than $10 million for a four-bedroom penthouse.
• I toured the construction site and a model unit at the sales gallery, and it was clear the much-anticipated building will be a hotspot for celebrity buyers.

On a recent February afternoon, I headed to New York City’s NoHo neighborhood for a behind-the-scenes look at a luxury residential building set to open this fall.

The 12-floor residence at 40 Bleecker St. will include 61 condos that start at $1.9 million and go up to more than $10 million for a four-bedroom penthouse.

Read more: I toured the first residential building to open in Hudson Yards, NYC’s new $25 billion neighborhood – and it was clear it’s selling much more than just real estate

The condos were designed with “selfie-friendly” lighting, while the building’s amenities include a 58-swimming foot pool, a 5,600-square-foot sculpture garden, and private underground parking.

I got a tour of the under-construction building and a model unit in the nearby sales gallery. Sales are being handled by the "Million Dollar Listing" star Fredrik Eklund and his partner, John Gomes, both of Douglas Elliman.

Here's what it looks like now.

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40 Bleecker is a highly anticipated luxury building under construction in downtown New York City. The 12-story residence is expected to be finished this fall, though several condos have already been sold.

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It's in a neighborhood called NoHo, short for "North of Houston Street" — an area that, according to 40 Bleeker's press materials, channels "the prestige coursing down Park Avenue, the chic emanating from SoHo, the energy of nearby Washington Square, and the artistic history of the neighboring East Village."

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On a recent February afternoon, I went to get a sneak peek of 40 Bleecker. I took the train from my office in the Financial District to NoHo, getting off at the Bleecker Street station.

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The building is still very much under construction.

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I was given a hard hat to wear ...

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... and our group of journalists, developers, real-estate brokers, and publicists squeezed into a construction elevator.

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As we rode up to the 10th floor, I kept thinking this would not be a fun experience if I were afraid of heights.

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We stepped out on the 10th floor of the 12-story building.

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The floor will have three residences: Penthouse A, Penthouse B, and Penthouse C.

The only unit still available on the 10th floor is Penthouse C, listed for $10.1 million. Residents are expected to be able to move in sometime in the fall.

Source: 40 Bleecker

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I walked around the perimeter to take in the views of the neighborhood.

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NoHo is a pricey and coveted neighborhood, with a mixture of luxury buildings and side-street walk-ups.

Source: Compass

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Construction workers didn't pay us any attention as they went about their jobs.

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40 Bleecker was designed by Rawlings Architects. The firm's founder, Ed Rawlings, said the neighborhood was kept in mind when designing the building. "We were sensitive to the building stock around our building, the rhythm and depth, and shadows that play across building," he told City Realty.

Source: City Realty

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Rawlings, right, posed for a photo with other members of the 40 Bleecker team, including the interior designer Ryan Korban.

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We got back in the semi-open-air construction elevator to go up one more story.

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It was clear that the views from the building's penthouses will be stunning. One World Trade Center downtown is in plain view.

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The 11th floor will have Penthouse F and Penthouse E, which are already sold.

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It was hard to visualize a completed luxury building as I stood in a dirty, partially finished construction site. But when it's finished, 40 Bleecker will have 61 residences, ranging from one-bedroom to five-bedroom units.

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Each of the six penthouses will have private outdoor space.

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Amenities include a private underground parking garage ...

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... an exercise room and stretching studio ...

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... a 58-foot swimming pool ...

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... and a 5,600-square-foot sculpture garden with Zen waterfalls, reflecting pools, chevron-patterned pathways, and seating areas. The landscaping was designed by Edmund Hollander Landscape Design.

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As 40 Bleecker is still under construction, the developers built a sales gallery for buyers to get a sense of what the condos will look and feel like.

We walked down the street, to 65 Bleecker St., to check out a model unit.

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We stepped into the model of 40 Bleecker's lobby, featuring a black-marble fireplace with mirrors ...

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... and custom marble couches.

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40 Bleecker's interiors were designed by Korban, who is known for designing flagship luxury apparel stores including Balenciaga and Alexander Wang, as well as private homes for celebrity clients such as Kanye West and James Franco.

Source: Architectural Digest, Robb Report

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The condos and the lobby were designed with "selfie-friendly lighting" because "it's very important that you look good at all times," Korban told me.

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The lobby's coffee table is a slab of French limestone.

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There's also a miniature model of 40 Bleecker in front of screens showing renderings and floor plans of various units. John Gomes of Douglas Elliman told me it's shown to prospective buyers who visit the sales atelier and used it to help gauge what a person is looking for.

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From the lobby we stepped into the model unit, which had a spacious open kitchen and living area.

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A sleek sofa sat in the corner where a faux window displayed the view from 40 Bleecker's condos. The floors are French white oak — sourced from recycled wine barrels — in a chevron pattern because it's elegant and "a little European," Korban said.

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The "Million Dollar Listing" star Fredrik Eklund, left, is one of the Douglas Elliman team members handling sales at 40 Bleecker.

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The kitchens of 40 Bleecker have a neutral color scheme with plenty of marble, from the counters to the hood over the stove.

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Each kitchen comes with Miele appliances and Italian cerused oak cabinetry.

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The refrigerator was stocked with all the essential beverages.

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The next stop was the model bathrooms.

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They were as luxurious as I'd expected.

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The master bathrooms have deep soaking tubs ...

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... and separate walk-in showers.

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Lighting was clearly a priority in the bathrooms, with lights in nearly every possible niche.

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I was told I had to take a selfie to test the lighting, so I snapped a good ol' bathroom selfie. I think the soft lighting did have a nice effect on my skin.

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As I passed through the lobby on my way out, I felt sure that 40 Bleecker will be a magnet for celebrity buyers when it's finished, thanks to its trendy location, "selfie-friendly" lighting, lavish amenities, and modern yet elegant design. And, of course, the marble couches.