The impressive mansion at 1009 Fifth Avenue on the southeast corner at 82nd Street across from the entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art has reportedly been acquired by Carlos Slim, a wealthy Mexican, for about $44 million, according to a report yesterday by Josh Barbarnel at wsj.com.

The building was built in 1901 on speculation by W. W. and T. Hall and its first owner was Benjamin N. Duke. It was designed by Alexander Welch of Welch, Smith & Provot.

A confection of facade details, this red-brick building has large curved bays on its avenue and side-street frontages topped by balustraded balconies, a very handsome rusticated limestone one-story base, limestone quoins, a handsome fenced moat, and a delightful mansard roof capped with finials that were replaced in 1985 when the building was renovated and subdivided into apartments.

In his excellent book: "Streetscapes, Tales of Manhattan's Significant Buildings and Landmarks," (Harry N. Abrams, 2003), Christopher Gray devotes a chapter to this building and notes that "it was actually one of a group of four houses, 1006-1009 Fifth," adding that "In late 1901, the critic Montgomery Schuyler ridiculed this building and others in an article in the magazine Architectural Record entitled "The Architecture of the Billionaire District.' Schuyler conceded some competent touches in the house but generally dismissed 1009 Fifth Avenue (and other mansions on Fifth), singling out the sheet-metal cornice painted to imitate stone."

Mr. Gray also wrote that it is not clear why Benjamin Duke "bought 1009 Fifth Avenue instead of building a house of his own design. In addition, census, city directories , and other sources list no occupant of the house until 1907, when Benjamin Duke moved in from the old Hoffman House Hotel. He moved to the Plaza Hotel in 1909, and his brother replaced him at 1009 Fifth. In 1912, James built his own mansion at 1 East 78th Street, now owned by New York University, and Benjamin built one on the southeast corner of 89th Street and Fifth Avenue that was demolished years later for the Guggenheim Museum. Other family members moved into 1009 Fifth; they were followed in 1922 by Anthony J. Drexel Biddle Jr., and his wife, Mary, Benjamin's daughter. Mrs. Biddle died in 1960, and her daughter, Mary Biddle Semans, took over the home."

The building, which has a 27-foot-wide frontage on the avenue, was owned by Alex Sapir who acquired it for about $40 million. It was recently put on the market for about $50 million.

Mr. Barbanel's article noted that Mr.Slim "built a telecommunications empire in Mexico and now tops Forbes magazine's list of the richest people in the world," adding that he acquired the townhouse "through a limited liability company, a technique used by many wealthy buyers," adding that "the deed documents were signed by a lawyer at Grupo Financiero Inbursa, Slim's financial services company, and the closing was handled by the same New York lawyer who handled Slim's closing" recently on a Fifth Avenue office building.