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During the months of lockdown when many New Yorkers were confined to small apartments, some speculated that this would lead to rising demand for townhouses. Indeed, July 2021 has seen a large number of townhouse sales, several of which were previously owned by big names in business and politics. Even the celebrity-owned apartments bought or sold in the past month were especially oversized - no small pied-a-terres this time around!

In this article:

137 Waverly Place
137 Waverly Place Greenwich Village
118 Riverside Drive
118 Riverside Drive Riverside Dr./West End Ave.
30 Beekman Place
30 Beekman Place Beekman/Sutton Place
Windsor Tower, 5 Tudor City Place
Windsor Tower, 5 Tudor City Place Turtle Bay/United Nations
Franklin Tower, 90 Franklin Street
Franklin Tower, 90 Franklin Street Tribeca

Bette Midler - Sold for $45,000,000

1125-Fifth-Avenue-01
Entertainer Bette Midler’s accolades include two Tony Awards, three Grammys, three Emmys, a BAFTA, and New York’s highest-priced real estate sale for July 2021. The impressive triplex in an Emery Roth-designed building was transformed into “a country house in the city” over the years she and her family lived there, and the windows and terraces look out on spectacular views of Central Park. However, now that Ms. Midler and her husband, performance artist Martin von Haselberg (not pictured) are empty nesters, they have sold the apartment with the intention of downsizing to another New York City unit.

From the listing:
This magnificent and impressive 14-room penthouse occupies the top three floors of one of Fifth Avenue's finest full service prewar cooperative buildings on Carnegie Hill. The residence offers spectacular views of Central Park, the Reservoir and the iconic Manhattan skyline. Abundant sunlight streams in throughout the day from all four exposures.

Upon arrival, a private elevator landing opens onto a large open gallery flooded with southern light. The gallery flows into an impressive and vast 70 foot sweep of entertaining space with exceptionally high ceilings. This ideal entertaining space includes a double living room, large open dining room, and a sun-drenched renovated eat-in-kitchen.

Robert Herjavec - Purchased for $31,900,000

157-West-57th-Street-01 One57 via Compass
One57 set new standards for the stretch of 57th Street that would be dubbed Billionaires Row, but newer buildings like 220 Central Park South, 111 West 57th Street, and Central Park Tower have stolen its thunder (and some of its potential buyers) in recent years. However, the building is not passe for entrepreneur and Shark Tank regular Robert Herjavec: He bought a furnished apartment in the building, and told The Wall Street Journal that “I look out those windows and I see possibility and opportunity.”

From the listing:
Welcomed by a key-locked elevator and impressive private landing, this commanding residence features a large 26ft wide foyer, leading to a spectacular grand salon with approximately 58ft of linear frontage on Central Park with 11’8” ceilings and floor to ceiling windows that perfectly frame incredible, unobstructed views of Central Park and the skyline. Contemporarily appointed by an internationally renowned interior designer, the grand salon features beautiful textured walls crafted and finished by the hands of expert artisans with impeccable Venetian plaster ceilings and elegant herringbone Brazilian wood floors that seamlessly flow throughout the entire residence.

Designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen and crafted by Smallbone of Devizes, the eat-in chef’s kitchen is equipped with an appliance package by Miele and Sub-Zero (dual refrigerator/freezer, stovetops, wall ovens, dishwashers, wine cooler, convection oven, and warming drawer). Other features include beautiful open river views, a large separate breakfast area with custom lacquered millwork, and a waterfall marble kitchen island.
One57 has 12 available listings from $3.6M.

David Edelstein - Entered contract with asking price of $23,000,000

116-East-70th-Street-01 116 East 70th Street via Douglas Elliman
In November 2016, real estate investor David Edelstein purchased an Upper East Side townhouse for $19 million, or a $12 million discount from the $31 million it sold for just two years prior. More recently, if his townhouse closes at the last asking price of $23 million, he stands to make a profit on it. The luxury market was experiencing a downturn when he purchased it, but is on an upswing at the moment.

From the listing:
Located on one of the best town house blocks on the upper east side, this historic single-family home has been newly renovated and is ready to move in. Built in 1869, and reimagined in 1899 by master builder Michael Reed, this home is a jewel. All mechanical, electrical, HVAC, plumbing and windows were recently replaced, in addition to the floors on the top 2 levels, resulting in a truly mint home which offers every modern convenience in a classic space which retains many original details.

At 20 feet wide, with a distinctive stucco facade and 2 story copper bay windows, the house stands 5 stories with a full basement and elevator which services the first through the fifth floors.

This stunning home features 5 or 6 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms and 5 half baths. Prized outdoor space includes a 12' deep entry courtyard, a newly landscaped 26' deep south-facing garden off the breakfast room, and two southern terraces (off the second-floor dining room and fourth-floor bedroom), which bring exceptional light and air into the home. The house is accessed by 2 entrances leading to an entry gallery which leads to the cozy den area and top of the line chef's kitchen.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones - Listed for $21,500,000

151-Central-Park-West-01 The Kenilworth via Sotheby's International Realty
Less than two years after downsizing their home in Westchester, Hollywood power couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have listed their home on Central Park West. The New York Post did not give a reason for selling, but noted that it came around the time of their 20th wedding anniversary.

From the listing:
Central Park views abound from this very special apartment in a most desirable Central Park West location. Impeccably combined with interior design by Thierry Despont, this 15 into 9 room apartment offers enviable entertaining space and four large bedrooms. Occupying the entire front of this historic 1908 Central Park West building and wrapping both the north and south corners, this quintessential New York City apartment is further distinguished by period details, high ceilings, and marvelous grand rooms, while also offering the open space coveted for modern living.

It is the only apartment in the building to enjoy this expanded sweep of frontage, and the stunning and endless Central Park vistas are a constant delight. The gracious and abundantly sunny living room is flanked by a large handsome wood-paneled corner library with the first of two wood burning fireplaces. It offers extraordinary Central Park views to the east, with the addition of a corner window with southern exposure. Opposite is the beautifully proportioned Dining Room with gorgeous Central Park views and boasting the second wood burning fireplace.
The Kenilworth has 2 available listings from $5.45M.

John D. Rockefeller Jr. - Entered contract with asking price of $17,950,000

163-East-70th-Street-01 163 East 70th Street via Compass
In 1944, John D. Rockefeller Jr. converted an Upper East Side townhouse to an automobile garage with chauffeur’s quarters. It is now configured as a single-family home with a medical office on the ground floor, but the possibilities for its new buyer are endless - the basement is large enough to accommodate a gym, media room, wine cellar, spa, AND indoor pool!

From the listing:
Currently configured as a single family home with a ground floor medical office, with separate entrance, and delivered vacant, the ground floor presents buyers with incredible possibilities. Incorporate the office into the residence, rent as a separate medical office for an estimated $240k in annual rental income, keep as a private home office, expand the garage, use as private gallery space for an important art collection, create windowed staff suites, family recreation space, or any combination thereof.

163 East 70th Street was completely gut renovated in the 1970s to a very high standard, with steel and concrete construction. It combines the elegance and charm of a 19th century townhouse with proportions only found in the very grandest downtown lofts or pre-war Park or Fifth Avenue apartments. While in need of updating, with the potential to enlarge the house with a re-built 4th-floor rooftop addition, it has an ideal residential layout and features that many buyers would retain, including an exquisite sky-lit sculptural staircase that floods the center of the house with natural light, and a central elevator shaft. Upon entering the house, one is immediately drawn upwards by the light pouring in from the central stair, leading to the parlor level. An enormous but gracious living room opens on one end to an elegant library, with wood burning fireplace, and on the other to the formal dining room (which easily seats 20). A hall leads to a massive eat-in kitchen at the rear, with large glass doors open onto a terrace with lovely townhouse garden views. Two guest powder rooms complete the entertaining space.

David Bowie - Entered contract with asking price of $16,800,000

285-Lafayette-Street-01 285 Lafayette Street via MW Studio/Michael Weinstein for Corcoran Group
For all his glamorous looks onstage, rock star David Bowie kept a low profile when he lived in Nolita: He counted McNally Jackson Books, Bleecker Street Records, and Dean & Deluca among his favorite haunts, and bought a loft in a converted chocolate factory. Fans left flowers and tributes outside the building following his death in 2016, and The Wall Street Journal announced that his apartment entered contract after less than a month on the market.

From the listing:
Located in a premier full service building in Soho/Nolita, is a grand yet intimate condominium residence measuring 5,090 square feet with 3 perfectly situated terraces measuring an additional 1,025 square feet. The interior was beautifully crafted by one of Europe’s most renowned architect/designers. Direct elevator access to the apartment’s entrance gallery leads to a 56 × 22 foot great room with 3 exposures and a western terrace. 11 foot ceiling heights, a fireplace, adjacent library (w/bath), and open kitchen add to the space’s character and function. The main bedroom suite measures over 1,000 square feet and features a fireplace, dressing room, oversized bath and terrace. There are an additional 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, and a powder room.
285 Lafayette Street has 2 available listings for rent from $25,000/month.

Perry Ellis - Entered contract with asking price of $16,500,000

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37-West-70th-Street-01 37 West 70th Street via Sotheby's International Realty
The most recent buyer of 37 West 70th Street has not yet been revealed, but it counts some illustrious names among its previous owners: Decades after financiers Bernard Baruch, Samuel Goldman, and Marcus Sachs lived there, fashion designer Perry Ellis brought his sense of classic style to the Upper West Side townhouse, renovating it while restoring all original architectural details. Jann Wenner, co-founder of Rolling Stone, purchased it with his then-wife Jane from Mr. Ellis’ estate for $4.2 million in 1987; Jane Wenner later sold it for $17.95 million in June 2015.

From the listing:
A garden entry leads to a center hall which opens to spacious bedroom/Office with a full bathroom, a powder room and a spectacular eat-in chef’s kitchen with fireplace, center island, walk-in pantry, six-burner professional Garland range, oak millwork, aged white Carrera marble countertops and elevette/dumbwaiter. A light-flooded corner breakfast room enjoys garden vistas through floor-to-ceiling arched French doors. Brick walls detailed with arched cornices rise 6 feet to surround a sunny landscaped garden.

The parlor floor entry boasts an extraordinary paneled vestibule with a coffered ceiling and is ornamented by original doors, paneling and a stairway of gleaming light mahogany. French doors open to charming Juliet balconies, providing pleasing southern light and air. The well-proportioned reception rooms each enjoy a fireplace with French limestone mantelpiece, original pocket doors and a wet bar. A study/game room overlooks the lush garden and is wrapped by floor-to-ceiling French doors.

Upstairs, a primary bedroom suite includes a sunny library with a fireplace, lighted bookcases and a kitchenette. The primary bedroom overlooks the garden and features a fireplace, a luxurious Art Deco primary bathroom and an original dressing room. The upper floors include as many as 5 bedrooms with 3 fireplaces, original dressing rooms, marble bathrooms, a kitchenette and a lovely terrace. A full basement with utility, boiler, storage rooms and a climate-controlled wine cellar complete this spectacular home.

Eleanor Roosevelt - Entered contract with asking price of $13,490,000

55-East-74th-Street-01 55 East 74th Street via Compass
During the last years of her life, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt lived on the parlour floors of a townhouse on the Upper East Side, where she entertained the likes of John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Prince Edward, and Leonard Bernstein. Since then, the townhouse had its infrastructure overhauled and was converted to a single-family home. A few weeks after the price was discounted 16 percent, it entered contract.

From the listing:
Have it all with this historic townhouse designed by Buchman and Deisler in 1898 and once home to Eleanor Roosevelt, the expansive limestone landmark has played host to New York’s most notable and remains an entertainer’s dream today, comfortably accommodating up to 500 guests. Located in a super-prime location among a row of eight equally well-maintained townhomes, this six-bedroom, 5.5-bath residence offers the best version of Manhattan living, now and tomorrow.

After arriving outside a gated entry and distinctive two-story bowed facade, step inside a columned portico and two sets of twin iron grille doors to a grand scale entertaining space with 12-foot ceilings and a Louis XIV chandelier. Beyond, a modern, sun-filled kitchen features a banquette and oversized center island for casual dining, with a media room bathed in natural light from 10-foot skylights and rear garden following. In fact, most of the townhouse’s five floors offer functioning outdoor space, often with iconic views of The Carlyle Hotel and Central Park.

Isabel Rose - Sold for $10,000,000

90-Franklin-Street-01 Franklin Tower via Douglas Elliman
Rose Associates manages properties in New York’s most in-demand neighborhoods, and even family members not in the business have their fingers on the city’s pulse: Isabel Rose, an actress/singer and third generation of the Rose real estate family, bought her Tribeca apartment in 2000, saying, “I understood it was going to be a hot spot very quickly.” While The Real Deal notes that the $10 million closing price is less than the $14 million she initially listed it for in November 2015, it is nevertheless five times what she paid for it.

From the listing:
Offering five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, this enormous-feeling 5,027 square foot full-floor condo loft gives you the voluminous space and historic character of Tribeca, plus a bird’s-eye view of the Empire State Building, the city’s skyline and beyond! Perfectly situated on the 11th floor and boasting all four exposes, light fills the home. The convenient layout is both open and private and the finishes are classic yet modern. The home offers approximately 10’ high, beamed ceilings, beautiful mahogany floors, and a brilliant floorplan that maximizes room sizes AND separation of space. Enter through your own enormous, private, windowed, elevator landing, and then through your front door into a sprawling entrance foyer that leads past an ocean of storage space, to a rambling great room and a sea of west and north-facing windows. Past the large dining area, the incredible windowed, eat-in chef’s kitchen has a 6 burner Wolf range, an additional convection oven, an over-sized Fisher & Paykel dishwasher, a gigantic Sub-Zero refrigerator, a built in Miele coffee/expresso maker, wine storage and stunning custom cabinets. Continuing through the home you’ll find 5 bedrooms, a luxurious primary suite with a spa-like bathroom (with separate deep soaking tub, shower and water closet) a windowed den/office, a recreation area, an over-sized laundry room, and storage space fit for a house. This convenient home also boasts a Savant Smart Home system.

Edgar Allan Poe - Entered contract with asking price of $6,500,000

137-Waverly-Place-01 137 Waverly Place via Douglas Elliman
In Greenwich Village, the home where Edgar Allan Poe composed “The Raven” was demolished to make way for New York University’s Furman Hall, but incorporated into the new building along with a plaque and room dedicated to him. This famously caused an uproar among Village preservationists, but a building he lived in on Waverly Place still stands. It was recently sold as a single-family home.

From the listing:
Edgar Allen Poe once lived in this historic Waverly Place home.. This attractive four-story red brick building is filled with grace, charm and a lot of history. It is in the heart of Greenwich Village and is bordered between Gay Street and Avenue of the Americas. Conveniently located close to New York City's fabulous restaurants, charming boutique stores and near many Village Parks such as Washington Square Park.

Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara - Listed for $5,000,000

118-Riverside-Drive-01 118 Riverside Drive via Douglas Elliman
“New York is always changing. As you walk down the street, your life is a new ballgame.” So said comedy legend Jerry Stiller, and he and his wife Anne Meara would know: When the comedy couple first moved into their Upper West Side home in 1965, it was a rental where they were paying $220/month. They bought their home after the building went co-op, and it is now on the market following the death of Ms. Meara in May 2015 and Mr. Stiller in 2020. Their children, actors Amy Stiller and Ben Stiller, grew up in the apartment and shared their memories with The New York Times.

From the listing:
This home expresses the ideal of Upper West Side living. It is in a grand pre-war building, with beautiful park views in the summer and river views in the winter. It has been owned and enjoyed by the same family for over half a century, and possesses recognizable provenance. It holds within it the memories of lives well-lived. Figures literary, comedic and renowned have passed through and enjoyed these rooms. 27 windows frame the apartment, with four exposures and wonderful light. Restored oak floors in herringbone, parquet, and straight-plank patterns are throughout, and restored oak trim adorns the windows.

The ceilings are over nine feet, elevated by their pre-war beams. One enters through a private elevator foyer into a 32-foot-long gallery. To the left is the magnificent corner great room with perennial Riverside Park views and an open chef's kitchen. Off of the great room is a foyer leading to one of the home's voluminous five bedrooms, overlooking this historic, tree-lined block of West 84th Street and replete with a sauna and windowed full bathroom with jacuzzi tub. Also off of the great room is a powder room.
118 Riverside Drive has 2 available listings from $2.5M.

Green Goblin's Lair - Listed for $1,990,000

5-Tudor-City-Place-01 Windsor Tower via Compass
Marvel fans might recognize this triplex penthouse in Tudor City: It appeared in all three Spider-Man movies as the Green Goblin’s lair. Features include 18’ ceilings, a 1920s-era wood-burning fireplace, wrapping cast-iron staircase, recently renovated kitchen, and private roof terrace - but sorry, no hidden lab or Pumpkin Bombs.

From the listing:
Do not miss out on the opportunity to become the proud new owner of this exceptional, one-of-a kind, triplex penthouse with its very own private roof terrace! One of the current owners is an acclaimed award winning interior designer that has poured her soul into perfecting and curating this home since 2015; bring your bags and move right into this turn-key home.

The Great Room features dramatic proportions of 18-foot ceilings and soaring 15-foot casement windows that overlooks the landmarked, unobstructed midtown skyline as well as the renowned Chrysler Building. There is a 'speakeasy' powder room hidden behind a beautiful custom European wall mural doorway and the mural extends and is perfectly matched throughout the room. The oversized 1920s era wood-burning fireplace was remodeled to match the original mantel mirror and original molds, and the herringbone floors were recently completely refinished.
Windsor Tower has 10 available listings from $299K.

Gloria Vanderbilt - Listed for $1,125,000

30-Beekman-Place-01 30 Beekman Place via Brown Harris Stevens
Socialite and fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt has said, “Decorating is autobiography,” and the decor of her Beekman Place classic five contains many stories. She lived there for 23 years, and her son, Anderson Cooper, told The New York Times that she enjoyed redecorating the home. The infrastructure is another story, though - it has not been renovated since Ms. Vanderbilt moved in in 1997.

From the listing:
The apartment at 30 Beekman Place, one of NY's most highly regarded and intimate locations with tree-lined streets, river facing townhouses and elegant pre-war beautifully maintained apartment buildings, is an oversized 2/3 bedroom light-filled home with 2 1/2 baths and a large oversized windowed foyer. The eastern view of the river facing townhouses across the street is charming and reminiscent of a bygone era. The rooms are spacious and the ceilings high in this stunning, highly serviced building constructed in 1931, which enjoys a newly completed fitness center, bike storage, easy access to a river promenade and proximity to all the special restaurants, shops, and activities for which the city is an allure. The ground floor apartment, used as an artist studio with its own special history, is also being considered for sale.

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Would you like to tour any of these properties?