When walking past architecturally inspiring New York City buildings, it's fun to let the mind wander to the apartments inside. That's easier to imagine at some units - Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber revealed their Tribeca home to Architectural Digest, and Jennifer Aniston shares her fond memories of visiting a friend's West Village house as a teenager. In a similar spirit, we take a look behind the scenes of New York's top listings with celebrity connections to come on the market in the past month.
In this article:
1. Jeffrey Epstein - Reduced to $65,000,000
The Herbert N. Straus House on the Upper East Side underwent a renovation in the late 1980’s, but luxurious architectural details like 15’ oak entry doors, a limestone facade with meticulous carvings and sculptures, and ornamental ironwork remain. But for all its beauty, its previous owner, disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has cast such a shadow on it that The Wall Street Journal reports that his estate has been forced to the price by $23 million to $65 million. The listing suggests that it could stay “the largest single-family home in New York City,” but it could also work as a consulate, embassy, foundation, or museum.
From the listing:
The property is uniquely positioned as the perpetual and unobtrusive perspective overlooking the Frick Museum to Central Park can never be blocked by new construction, a rarity in the ever-growing New York City landscape. Upon purchase of the property in 1928 by Herbert N. Straus, heir to Isidor and Ida Straus, co-owners of renowned retailers R. H. Macy & Co., the mansion was commissioned to be built in 1930. Mr. Straus specifically chose “Society Architect” Horace Trumbauer, known for his particular adept proficiency in designing palaces for the rich.
From the listing:
The property is uniquely positioned as the perpetual and unobtrusive perspective overlooking the Frick Museum to Central Park can never be blocked by new construction, a rarity in the ever-growing New York City landscape. Upon purchase of the property in 1928 by Herbert N. Straus, heir to Isidor and Ida Straus, co-owners of renowned retailers R. H. Macy & Co., the mansion was commissioned to be built in 1930. Mr. Straus specifically chose “Society Architect” Horace Trumbauer, known for his particular adept proficiency in designing palaces for the rich.
2. David Weinreb - Listed for $49,995,000
When David Weinreb, co-founder and former CEO of Howard Hughes Corporation, purchased a “white box” penthouse at the Foster + Partners-designed 551W21 as a pied-a-terre in 2018, he was especially sold on the private roof terrace with a 61’ pool. Commitments in other parts of the country kept him from enjoying it, though, and he has listed it in the same condition. But that is not to say he has given up on New York - he told The Wall Street Journal, “There is only one New York in the world and I am confident that it will continue to thrive.”
From the listing:
Exceptional opportunity to conceptualize your very own Chelsea penthouse with a private rooftop and expansive 360 degree views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge and the brownstones of Chelsea. Offered as a “white box” with multiple detailed floor plans to choose from, one can create anything up to a five-bedroom home atop the renowned 551 West 21st Street. The entertainment-friendly residence features room for expansive living and dining, an eat-in kitchen, a library and den.
A double-sided fireplace and separate laundry room can also be accommodated with ease. This incredible home boasts impressive ceiling heights reaching up to 17’, and structural slab heights up to 19½’. In addition to the approximately 6,398-square-foot interior, there are two private loggias accessed through 10’ sliding glass doors providing unrivaled views of the city and beyond.
From the listing:
Exceptional opportunity to conceptualize your very own Chelsea penthouse with a private rooftop and expansive 360 degree views of the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge and the brownstones of Chelsea. Offered as a “white box” with multiple detailed floor plans to choose from, one can create anything up to a five-bedroom home atop the renowned 551 West 21st Street. The entertainment-friendly residence features room for expansive living and dining, an eat-in kitchen, a library and den.
A double-sided fireplace and separate laundry room can also be accommodated with ease. This incredible home boasts impressive ceiling heights reaching up to 17’, and structural slab heights up to 19½’. In addition to the approximately 6,398-square-foot interior, there are two private loggias accessed through 10’ sliding glass doors providing unrivaled views of the city and beyond.
551W21 has 6 available listings from $1.8M.
3. Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen - Sold for $36,800,000
As of this writing, it’s too soon to tell whether Tom Brady will triumph again at the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What we do know, though, is that he and wife Gisele Bundchen scored a $36.8 million sale on their Tribeca apartment. The New York Post broke the news of the sale and reported that the couple is not saying good-bye to the city - they are keeping a smaller residence in the same building.
70 Vestry Street has 1 available listing for $12.9M.
4. Vincent and Theresa Viola - Sold for $25,500,000
A short time after Behzad Agazadeh’s purchase of a $16 million Brooklyn Heights townhouse and carriage house set a new borough record, a sprawling mansion elsewhere in Brooklyn Heights shattered it with a price of $25.5 million. The New York Post says the townhouse was built for a sea merchant in 1875; The Real Deal, though, identified its most recent seller as Vincent Viola, founder and CEO of Virtu Financial. He is also owner of the Florida Panthers, and is presumably selling his New York real estate as his firm prepares to set up an office in Palm Beach Gardens.
5. Sidney Kimmel - Sold for $20 million
Sidney Kimmel has made a name for himself as a fashion magnate and film producer (Crazy Rich Asians, Moneyball, and The Kite Runner, to name a few), and is now committed to fulfilling his pledge to give away $1 billion before he dies. He and his wife Caroline (not pictured) are working on that from a Beverly Hills home base, and have just sold their full-floor home on Central Park. The apartment entered contract with an asking price of $24.5 million in mid-January; a few days later, the New York Post reported that it sold “for around $20 million.”
From the listing:
As seen on the pages of Architectural Digest, this exquisite full floor home has panoramic views showcasing Central Park and the New York Skyline. Rarely does a home of this quality and caliber become available. Thoughtfully designed by internationally acclaimed architect Thierry Despont, this stunning home spans over 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living. The private landing leads to an impressive bronze entry and artistically designed gallery featuring beautifully crafted Lalique windows. The gallery connects each wing of the residence and offers an elegant welcome to your guests for large-scale or more intimate entertaining.
The living room is centered on the antique marble fireplace and is connected to a wood paneled library through a bar, with Lalique panels, making the combined spaces perfect for entertaining. These rooms face north with a wall of French doors that lead to the grand terrace overlooking Central Park and the iconic skylines of the Upper East and Upper West Sides. The awe-inspiring 53' terrace is one of the features unique to this home, and the front and center view of Central Park is gorgeous in every season, day or night.
From the listing:
As seen on the pages of Architectural Digest, this exquisite full floor home has panoramic views showcasing Central Park and the New York Skyline. Rarely does a home of this quality and caliber become available. Thoughtfully designed by internationally acclaimed architect Thierry Despont, this stunning home spans over 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living. The private landing leads to an impressive bronze entry and artistically designed gallery featuring beautifully crafted Lalique windows. The gallery connects each wing of the residence and offers an elegant welcome to your guests for large-scale or more intimate entertaining.
The living room is centered on the antique marble fireplace and is connected to a wood paneled library through a bar, with Lalique panels, making the combined spaces perfect for entertaining. These rooms face north with a wall of French doors that lead to the grand terrace overlooking Central Park and the iconic skylines of the Upper East and Upper West Sides. The awe-inspiring 53' terrace is one of the features unique to this home, and the front and center view of Central Park is gorgeous in every season, day or night.
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50 Central Park South at the Ritz-Carlton has 2 available listings from $21M.
6. Hedi Slimane - Sold for $19,500,000
With such fashion credentials as Dior Homme, Yves Saint Laurent, and Celine, designer Hedi Slimane’s sense of style is unparalleled. According to the New York Post, it also applied to his choice of New York homes - a “sleek, chic, all-black Gramercy Park townhouse.” Mr. Slimane purchased the townhouse in 2014, but never moved in. More recently, he has sold it for $19.5 million, a reduction from the $23.5 million it was originally listed for in 2018.
From the listing:
A true masterpiece, 65 Irving Place is an unsurpassed townhouse commanding coveted corner placement on one of the most historic and iconic blocks in Gramercy.
From the listing:
A true masterpiece, 65 Irving Place is an unsurpassed townhouse commanding coveted corner placement on one of the most historic and iconic blocks in Gramercy.
7. Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker - Sold for $15,000,000
I couldn’t help but wonder...what was there to know about Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker’s Charles Street home? The property was quietly shopped as a whisper listing last year, and recently found a buyer. The Real Deal notes that the $15 million price is five times what the power couple paid for it in 2000, and that their family lived there while work was being done on their mega-mansion a short walk away. It’s also not far from that townhouse.
8. Michael and Elin Nieremberg - Purchased for $14,000,000
Delos Residences via Douglas Elliman
It’s strange to think of a $14 million triplex penthouse as a steal, but that is a fraction of the $50 million price the penthouse at the Deepak Chopra-developed Delos Residences was originally listed for. Kim Kardashian once toured the penthouse, but she will not be embarking on her next act here - the New York Post identified the buyers as financier Michael Nierenberg and his wife Elin. The couple appears to have a weakness for Greenwich Village real estate - their portfolio has also included a penthouse once owned by Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker.
From the listing:
Located on a tree-lined street in the heart of historic Greenwich Village, 66 East 11th is a boutique condominium featuring just six residences, with this one-of-a-kind 7,693-square-foot triplex penthouse and colossal 2,300-square-foot rooftop oasis sitting at the top. Complete with open southern, eastern, and northern exposures, this incredible home offers fantastic light, enormous proportions, and beautiful views of both uptown and downtown landmarks. The residence features four bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, two living areas, an open chef's kitchen with scullery, rooftop featuring a solarium with the potential for a pool, a powder room serving each floor and full wiring and home-automation systems. A minimal material palette of rare, durable components is used throughout the penthouse but treated differently depending on location and application, resulting in a sustainable and artful space.
From the listing:
Located on a tree-lined street in the heart of historic Greenwich Village, 66 East 11th is a boutique condominium featuring just six residences, with this one-of-a-kind 7,693-square-foot triplex penthouse and colossal 2,300-square-foot rooftop oasis sitting at the top. Complete with open southern, eastern, and northern exposures, this incredible home offers fantastic light, enormous proportions, and beautiful views of both uptown and downtown landmarks. The residence features four bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, two living areas, an open chef's kitchen with scullery, rooftop featuring a solarium with the potential for a pool, a powder room serving each floor and full wiring and home-automation systems. A minimal material palette of rare, durable components is used throughout the penthouse but treated differently depending on location and application, resulting in a sustainable and artful space.
9. Robert Frank and Rebecca Patterson - Purchased for $11,500,000
Rebecca Patterson is a journalist-turned-leader in investor research, and her husband Robert Frank is the host of “Secret Lives of the Super Rich” on CNBC. However, the couple is well situated to make an appearance - they just purchased a sprawling Park Avenue apartment in an off-market deal! A source told the New York Post that extensive renovations are in order, but a similar duplex in the Rosario Candela-designed building features a private elevator, dramatic staircase, and wood-burning fireplace.
1021 Park Avenue has 3 available listings from $5.5M.
10. Andrea Bendewald - Listed for $10,950,000
Actress Andrea Bendelwald is known for her roles on Suddenly Susan, The Morning Show, and a guest spot on Friends. The exterior of the latter show is only three blocks from her family's longtime home, which has recently been listed. Fellow Friends alum Jennifer Aniston is a longtime friend of Ms. Bendelwald, and said, "That brownstone...will always have a special place in my heart" in a statement to the New York Post.
From the listing:
Located between West 10th and Charles Street sits 526 Hudson Street a 24’-wide, mixed-use townhouse situated in Manhattan’s most desirable neighborhood, the West Village. Originally built circa 1832 as a three-story row house and later expanded to five-stories, 526 Hudson Street has been carefully maintained throughout the years.
The building features prime retail space, an expansive owner’s duplex on the second and third floors, and an additional four units spread out between the fourth and fifth levels. The southeast-facing landscaped garden and terrace offers privacy as well as multi-level outdoor spaces. Other amenities include grand ceiling height, wood-burning fireplaces, an underground wine cellar, beautiful western views, abundant sunlight, and functional well-appointed apartments.
From the listing:
Located between West 10th and Charles Street sits 526 Hudson Street a 24’-wide, mixed-use townhouse situated in Manhattan’s most desirable neighborhood, the West Village. Originally built circa 1832 as a three-story row house and later expanded to five-stories, 526 Hudson Street has been carefully maintained throughout the years.
The building features prime retail space, an expansive owner’s duplex on the second and third floors, and an additional four units spread out between the fourth and fifth levels. The southeast-facing landscaped garden and terrace offers privacy as well as multi-level outdoor spaces. Other amenities include grand ceiling height, wood-burning fireplaces, an underground wine cellar, beautiful western views, abundant sunlight, and functional well-appointed apartments.
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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