By: Hal C Clarke

New York Post Exclusive: In a city known for its stunning real estate, a Greenwich Village townhouse at 9 Minetta Lane is reaching for the sky—literally. The five-story, 4,200-square-foot property features what’s believed to be the tallest private rock-climbing wall in the world, according to the NY Post.

Architect and rock-climbing enthusiast Adam Kushner, who has owned the property since 2013, designed the 83-foot climbing wall that now serves as the centerpiece of this remarkable townhouse. This unique home, located just steps from the Comedy Cellar, has been transformed into a modern architectural wonder. While the building’s original 1925 façade remains intact due to the property’s location in a landmarked area of Greenwich Village, everything behind it has been completely reinvented.

“He basically built a whole new building inside of that landmarked façade,” Diane Wildowsky of Sotheby’s International Realty told Realtor.com. “There is nothing like it anywhere in the city, nothing. It’s really quite original.”

The transparent climbing wall, which extends from the courtyard all the way to the rooftop, offers climbers breathtaking views of Greenwich Village when they reach the summit. Initially, Kushner envisioned the wall as a tribute to his family history, but it quickly evolved into something far grander. “I was going to have this wall of family history, and you’d climb it to finally reach the top of the house,” Kushner told Bloomberg. “That morphed into a rock climbing wall.”

Wildowsky added, “When you get to the very top, you clear the roofline and the trees, and you have a lovely view of the village.” The unique feature has caught the attention of the rock-climbing community, with various climbing publications recognizing it as the tallest privately owned rock-climbing wall in the world, according to Wildowsky.

But the climbing wall is just one of the many standout features of this extraordinary home. The interior is flooded with natural light, thanks to retractable glass walls. The property also includes a glass-encased gym where residents can work out while surrounded by the elements. “You could be working out in the rain, you could be working out in the snow, you could be watching the sun come up in the morning,” Wildowsky noted. “It’s very nice up there and very bright.”

In addition to the wall and gym, the home features four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms, and a double-height living room that seamlessly connects the original façade with the new structure. Outside, a roof deck equipped with a plumbed kitchen and barbecue area offers an ideal space for entertaining. Solar panels also make the property eco-friendly. The townhouse is surrounded by vines and latticework, providing a sense of woodland tranquility amid the city buzz.

“You’ve got the buzz of the city outside, and when you walk through [the gates], you’re in an entirely different environment,” Wildowsky said.

Kushner admits the rock-climbing wall doesn’t see as much action as he originally anticipated. “I had some 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 shared with the NY Post.

Now listed at $20 million, Kushner and his wife are ready to move on. “It’s a lot of house, and it’s just my wife and me,” Kushner said. After years of renovations, he looks forward to a simpler next chapter, promising his wife that their future home will be move-in ready.