Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Tall Poppy Syndrome

Asking price for America’s tallest single-family residence – a 124-foot tall tower in Phoenix, Arizona – slashed by 74%; it is somewhat dated but costs nearly nothing to heat and nearly nothing in property taxes either

 

They say “the bigger, the better” but in the case of Falcon Nest at Prescott in Arizona, it seems as if the tallest single-family residence in America has little appeal given its asking price has been slashed by nearly two thirds during the two years it has been on the market.

 

Reduced in price from £2.2 million ($2.8 million, €2.6 million or درهم10.3 million) in 2015 to £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million or درهم5.5 million) this year, 124-foot tall Falcon Nest is to be auctioned by Concierge Auctions for a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May. For that, a buyer will not only get a truly unique structure but also views that range over 120 miles as far as the San Francisco Peaks.

 

Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994
Sukumar Pal, AIA faced some opposition when he decided to construct Falcon Nest but the resulting building he designed is certainly striking
Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994
Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303 is situated at the head of a cul-de-sac and the base of Thumb Butte
Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994
It is priced at just $242 per square foot (at $1.5 million) and enjoys long-reaching views
Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994
An aerial view of the extraordinary structure

 

Built to the designs of Calcutta born Sukumar Pal, AIA for his own occupation, Falcon Nest took four years to build and was completed in 1994. This was in part due to high winds making it difficult to use cranes on a site that was already at 5,920-foot at its base on the slopes of 6,514-foot tall Thumb Butte – a prominent geographical feature of the Sierra Prieta mountain range – but also because Pal was so stringent about creating a residence that was not only striking architecturally but also one that was energy efficient.

 

Featuring a tubular tower portion that causes heat to rise and ventilate the residence in the summer but capture it in the winter, Mr Pal, in a video interview, claimed that “heating and cooling [the building] is automatic and without any cost”.

 

Accommodation in the 24-foot by 24-foot square base, ten-floor residence – linked by a staircase with 144 steps and a hydraulic elevator that provides access to six levels – includes three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Living space is primarily located on a central floor known as ‘the solarium’ that is mostly built of glass so as to catch as much sun as possible and centres around a vast entertaining area described as a ‘great room’.

 

Falcon Nest stands on a 1.08-acre plot that offers potential for further development and of the existing “multi-functional structure” itself, selling agents Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty suggest there is potential to turn it into a bed and breakfast, ham radio tower, event space or even a ranger station and museum connected to the Prescott National Park.

 

Of this “architectural and engineering treasure”, which is defined as a ‘palsolaral house’, Mr Pal commented:

 

“I chose the height, for several reasons: I wanted to enjoy the views but I didn’t want to cover vast areas on the ground as open ground separates the tower from the neighbouring buildings”.

 

“[But the most] important [reason] is the tax. The tax is proportional to the ground cover of the building. If this building was flat like tortilla, it would have a tremendous tax burden. This building does not have that. It is 6,200 square foot but I’ve been paying much less [tax] because the ground print is so small”.

 

In a feature on Falcon Nest in March, Lauren Ro of property blog Curbed rather curtly remarked: “Time has not been kind to this property, which feels like it was left behind in the ugly part of the ’90s”. She has a point but anyone wanting to live like the ultimate super-villain could indeed do a lot worse.

 

 Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994 Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994 Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994 Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994 Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994Tall Poppy Syndrome – North America’s tallest single-family residence – Falcon Nest, 2365 Skyline Drive, Prescott, Arizona, AZ 86303, United States of America – £1.2 million ($1.5 million, €1.4 million million or درهم5.5 million) through Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty and to be auctioned with a minimum price of £581,000 ($750,000, €688,000 or درهم2.8 million) on 25th May by Concierge Auctions – Designed by Sukumar Pal, AIA in 1994

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9 COMMENTS

  1. The driveway looks very unstable and dangerous. It would not suit a pesnioner (like me) but I love the views and the cleverness of the design. I watched Mr Pal’s interview on the Sotheby’s website and what a charming chap he seems. Plainly a visionary and before his time in the innovative methods he used to heat and cool this structure. I hope he gets a good price as I see it cost him $3.5 million to build (well, so says Wikipedia – but who’d believe anything written there). This article was, for me, a welcome break from the General Election news.

  2. Amazing. What a find! I remember seeing this place on a TV show years ago and your article about it really is fascinating. I love it but guess it is has a very limited market due to its location and eccentricities.

  3. Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For once you’ve got it right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This would make the perfect WESTERN WHITE HOUSE for the man who is MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The good old U S of A should buy this as a gift for their GREATEST EVER PRESIDENT, Donald Trump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. I really like it and am surprised that it has not sold already. Someone with vision could transform the interior and to quote the tiresome Rod: ‘MAKE IT GREAT AGAIN’

  5. A complicated one for me. I don’t know the location but it seems very, very cheap at £93 psf. With a modern makeover, what an amazing property. It certainly could make the world’s best Airbnb given it is the tallest actual single-family home in the world (the rival in Mumbai is essentially a tower block)

  6. It resembles a Nazi Flak Tower or one of our Maunsell Forts. Come to think of it, it could also be a converted oil rig. I suggest Rod’s wrecking ball and to build a decent house out of the scrap metal money.
    Junk, absolute junk as reflected in its price.

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