New York City is practically built on hidden history, but it’s not every day you stumble upon a museum-worthy masterpiece that spent decades masquerading as a restaurant wall.
Tucked inside the historic American Thread Building at 260 West Broadway, an 8,000-square-foot Tribeca triplex has just hit the market for a whopping $25 million. And while its soaring ceilings and infrared sauna are fabulous features, the property’s real showstopper is something you can’t exactly find at your average open house: an original, authenticated Keith Haring mural painted directly onto the building’s walls, ceiling, and structural ironwork.
Even more fascinating? The artwork dates back to 1979, when Haring was still a student, and spent decades concealed behind drywall after the space was converted into a restaurant. Now, it’s front and center once again.
A piece of art history integrated into the architecture
Haring created the black-and-white mural in 1979, when he was around 20 years old and studying at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). At the time, the school operated a student gallery on the building’s lower floor, which is now part of the triplex.
Rather than working with traditional art supplies, Haring used a homemade mixture of black shoe polish and alcohol, painting his signature interlocking lines directly onto two walls, a structural beam, an iron column, and the ceiling. The unconventional materials make the artwork’s survival all the more remarkable, according to Artsy.
But the mural didn’t remain on display for long.
When SVA vacated the space in the early 1980s, it was converted into a restaurant and the mural was covered over with drywall. It remained hidden for decades until the building’s previous owners uncovered it during a 2007 renovation, finding the piece largely intact.
Although the mural is unsigned, the Keith Haring Foundation has since authenticated it as an early work by the artist.
Because Haring painted directly onto the building’s structural elements, the mural can’t simply be removed and sold as a standalone artwork. Its next owner will effectively become the caretaker of a piece of art history that’s inseparable from the property itself.
Current owner Adam Zoia purchased the loft in 2021 for $6.5 million and undertook a two-year, floor-to-ceiling renovation. Preserving the artwork was a major consideration throughout the project, leading Zoia to install a custom bar in front of part of the mural to prevent guests from accidentally touching it or splashing drinks on it.
Zoia has suggested that the mural alone, if it could somehow be extracted, would likely be worth more than the loft itself.
Inside the $25 million mega-loft
The seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom maisonette spans approximately 8,000 square feet inside the American Thread Building, a Renaissance Revival landmark built in 1896. Also known as the Wool Exchange Building, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
The main level revolves around a sprawling great room with 28-foot ceilings, massive arched windows, white oak floors, and custom lighting. A chef’s kitchen features double appliances and a dining area accommodating 22 guests.
A bespoke curved staircase leads to the upper floor, where you’ll find a home office with curved glass overlooking the great room, two guest suites, and a self-contained primary suite.
Downstairs, a 2,000-square-foot lower level operates as an entertainment and wellness zone. Features include:
- Three additional en-suite bedrooms and a secondary kitchenette for guests
- An eight-seat soundproof movie theater and game room
- A brick-walled gym outfitted with an infrared sauna and cold plunge
Residents of the American Thread Building also receive full-time doorman service, access to a building gym, and a private roof deck.
It’s certainly an extraordinary piece of New York City real estate. But for whoever eventually hands over the $25 million asking price, the biggest responsibility might not be maintaining the marble floors or keeping the sauna in working order.
They’ll also be taking on the role of caretaker for a rare, authenticated work by one of the most recognizable artists in New York history.
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