A historic Tribeca loft in New York City is offering prospective buyers more than 8,000 square feet of luxury living space. Hidden within the triplex maisonette is an early, hand-painted mural by Keith Haring, created in 1979 when the celebrated artist was still a student at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts.
Located in the American Thread Building at 260 West Broadway, the four-bedroom residence is listed for $25 million. The property is represented by Ian Slater, Michael Koeneke, and Eduardo Martinez of Trove Partners at Compass.
An Early Work by an Iconic Artist
The mural is one of the property’s most distinctive features. Painted in black and white using a mixture of shoe polish and alcohol, the unsigned work covers portions of the walls, structural iron columns and beams, and part of the ceiling.
Haring created the piece while studying at the School of Visual Arts, which once used the loft’s lower level as a student gallery. The artwork has since been authenticated by the Keith Haring Foundation, adding historical and cultural significance to the residence.
The mural’s survival was not always guaranteed. After the school left the space in the early 1980s, a restaurant occupied the premises and concealed the artwork behind sheetrock. It remained hidden until 2007, when previous owners uncovered the remarkably preserved piece.
Architect Todd Ernst, who helped reveal the mural, likened the discovery to finding an Egyptian tomb.
A Renovation Designed Around the Artwork
The great room with living and dining areas, plus kitchen access.Tim Waltman/Evan Joseph Photography
Current owner Adam Zoia, co-founder of Glocap Tech and founder of Glocap Search, purchased the property in 2021. He subsequently undertook a two-year, full-scale renovation that prioritized preserving the mural.
Because the artwork is painted directly onto structural elements of the building, it cannot be removed without damaging its integrity. Instead, the renovation incorporated the mural into the home’s design. A custom bar now serves as a protective buffer around part of the artwork, allowing it to remain visible while reducing the risk of damage.
Zoia told The New York Times that the unusual artwork immediately caught his attention when he discovered the property. Its distinctive character became a central consideration in the renovation.
Contemporary Luxury Meets Historic Character
The completed residence combines its industrial heritage with modern amenities and refined finishes. The main level was substantially reconfigured, creating an open-plan arrangement that connects the living and dining areas with the kitchen.
The home offers four bedrooms, with the flexibility to accommodate as many as seven, alongside nine bathrooms. Additional features include a sauna, cold plunge, screening room, gym, and mezzanine.
Marble flooring and Venetian plaster bring a polished finish to the interiors, while an upgraded heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system supports modern comfort.
Throughout the property, the design balances contemporary luxury with the building’s original architectural character, allowing the historic mural to remain an integral part of the living environment rather than a separate decorative feature.
A Mural That Defies Conventional Valuation
Determining how much the Haring mural contributes to the asking price is complicated. Jenn Singer, founder of the New York gallery that bears her name, told The New York Times that assigning a monetary value to the artwork is almost impossible.
Works created specifically for a particular location and physically integrated into a building operate in a different market from conventional paintings that can be bought, sold, and displayed independently.
The mural’s immovable nature presents a unique challenge, but it also gives the property an identity that would be difficult to replicate. With careful preservation, the artwork could remain a defining feature of the residence and potentially enhance its long-term appeal to collectors and buyers interested in art and architectural history.
At $25 million, the Tribeca loft offers a rare combination of expansive living space, contemporary amenities, and an authenticated early work by one of the most recognizable artists of the 20th century. For its next owner, the appeal lies not only in the luxury residence itself, but also in the opportunity to live alongside a piece of New York’s art history.
