Finding a true loft in downtown New York City isn’t as easy as it once was. Many have been renovated so extensively that few traces remain of the industrial buildings they once occupied. A residence at 285 Lafayette Street is one of the exceptions. While it has been updated for modern living over the years, it still reflects the character of the late 19th-century factory building in which it is housed.

That’s fitting, considering the address has one of Lower Manhattan‘s more colorful histories. Built in 1886 for chocolatiers Hawley & Hoops, the building was once one of the country’s largest chocolate factories before eventually becoming one of downtown’s first full-service condominium conversions.

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Since its 1999 conversion, the Nolita building has become one of downtown’s most star-studded addresses. David Bowie and Iman owned a penthouse here until Bowie’s death in 2016, while other residents over the years have included Courtney Love, Studio 54 co-founder Ian Schrager, tennis star Patrick McEnroe, IBM heiress Olive Watson, and Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch.

One of the building’s larger residences, a corner loft that preserves its industrial character, has now come to market with Compass agent Marina Schindler for $9.7 million. The corner unit, spanning roughly 3,365 square feet, looks directly onto Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral and its tree-filled grounds.

The apartment retains many details that define a classic New York loft: original timber beams across the ceiling, stout wood columns, exposed pipes, and 16 oversized sash windows that bring in sunlight from two exposures. Rather than erase those features, the modern updates work around and enhance them, adding wide-plank oak floors, Venetian-plaster walls, and an updated chef’s kitchen finished with boldly veined Fantastico Arni marble countertops.

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Interior glass walls create an office space between the living and dining areas of the 45-foot-long great room, while the primary suite includes a spacious walk-in closet and a compartmentalized bath with a steam shower. A small den with a decorative fireplace and a second bedroom with a private bath occupy a separate wing off the entrance hall.

One of the more sought-after addresses on the border of SoHo and Nolita, 285 Lafayette offers residents an attended lobby with 24-hour concierge service, a landscaped roof deck, and a secondary entrance on Mulberry Street for discreet comings and goings.

Click here to see more photos of the New York City loft.