Historic NYC home with world’s highest private rock climbing wall lists for $20 million

The New York real estate market is no stranger to stunning listings, but one home in Greenwich Village is literally climbing to new heights — boasting what’s believed to be the world’s tallest private climbing wall rocks in the world.

The sprawling, 4,200-square-foot, five-story townhouse at 9 Minetta Lane, just steps from the Comedy Cellar, is the creation of architect Adam Kushner, an avid rock climber who took his passion to the next level by including an 83 – climbing wall with feet in home design.

Kushner, who has owned the property since 2013, transformed the circa-1925 structure into a modern marvel.

The building’s original facade had to remain intact due to the property’s location in a landmarked Greenwich Village area.

But once you walk through the door, the house tells a completely different story.

“He basically built a whole new building within that landmark facade,” Diane Wildowsky of Sotheby’s International Realty told Realtor.com.

“There is nothing like this anywhere in the city, nothing. It’s really quite original.”

The centerpiece of the house, of course, is the colossal rock climbing wall that rises from the patio to the roof.

Kushner, who has been climbing since the 1980s, originally envisioned a wall of family history that visitors would climb, but the idea quickly evolved into something much more epic.

“I would have this wall of family history, and you would climb it to finally get to the top of the house,” Kushner told Bloomberg. “It turned into a rock climbing wall.”

Now, climbers can climb the transparent wall and, after reaching the top, enjoy stunning views of Greenwich Village.

“When you get to the top, you clear the roof line and the trees and you have a great view of the countryside,” Wildowsky adds.

The climbing wall is so unique that it has caught the attention of the climbing community.

“Various rock publications have said that as far as they know, it’s the tallest privately owned rock wall in the world,” Wildowsky said. While the wall steals the show, the house itself is a work of architectural ingenuity.

Inside, the home is bathed in natural light, with retractable glass walls and a gym encased in a glass structure that lets you work out while watching the rain or snow.

“You can train in the rain, you can train in the snow, you can watch the sun come up in the morning,” Wildowsky said. “It’s very nice up there and very bright.”

Kushner didn’t stop at the climbing wall and the gym. The property also boasts four bedrooms, 4 ½ bathrooms and a double-height living room that connects the original facade to the new building.

The townhouse also features a roof deck with a fully equipped kitchen and barbecue area, along with solar panels.

For those seeking tranquility amidst the cacophony of the city, vines and nets surround the house, creating a sense of being in the woods.

“You have the noise of the city outside and when you walk through it [the gates]you’re in a completely different environment,” Wildowsky said.

As for the future of the townhouse, Kushner admits his climbing wall isn’t seeing as much action as he originally anticipated.

“I had a guy knock on my door and say, ‘Hey, can I use your wall?’ And I’m, like, “Well, I don’t really know you,” he said.

However, for a buyer who loves nature but doesn’t want to leave the city, this unique home could be the ultimate escape.

Now listed for $20 million, Kushner and his wife are ready to pass the torch.

“It’s very much home, and it’s just me and my wife,” Kushner said.

After more than a decade of renovations, he’s looking forward to his next chapter — but promises his wife that their next home will be move-in ready.