The biggest NYC celebrity moves of 2019 include homes purchased by Jeff Bezos, Giorgio Armani, and Jessica Chastain (Photo of the view from the penthouse at 212 Fifth Avenue purchased by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos)
In this article:
Ken Griffin via Wiki Commons, 220 Central Park South via Vornado Realty Trust
Ken Griffin's record-breaking purchase at 220 Central Park South took place in January, but no other purchases came close over the next eleven months. It remains the most expensive purchase in the United States and served as the impetus for New York's "mansion tax" that passed in July. The white-box apartment that sparked such debate spans floors 50-53 (notably nowhere near the top of this supertall), and a 649-square-foot private terrace looks out on city views to the north, south, and east.
Daniel Och via Wiki Commons, Central Park skyline via Flickr - incognito7nyc
If anyone could try to catch up to Ken Griffin's purchase (above), it was Daniel Och, billionaire investor and founder of hedge fund Sculptor Capital Management Ltd. (nee Och-Ziff Capital Management). He is moving into "the billionaire's bunker" from 15 Central Park West, where he listed his apartment for $57.5 million over the summer. The new condo is a four-bedroom home that spans approximately 9,800 square feet.
Jeff Bezos
Amazon may have backed out of its plans for a second headquarters in Long Island City, but founder Jeff Bezos is setting up a home base of his own in the heart of NoMad: Over the summer, he closed on a penthouse and two units directly under it at 212 Fifth Avenue, a neo-Gothic office building-turned-condominium. The penthouse alone spans three stories and features one 5,000-square-foot terrace and a roof deck with Empire State Building views. If the three apartments were combined into one home, it would measure over 17,000 square feet. Either way, the purchase sets a new record as the largest ever to close south of 42nd Street.
Sting via Wiki Commons; 220 Central Park South via Vornado Realty Trust
Rumors have swirled about Grammy-winning musician Sting's purchase at 220 Central Park South for years, and those were finally put to rest when he closed on a 5,800-square-foot penthouse in the "villa" portion of the building, where he will enjoy incredible views of Central Park. The purchase comes after he and his wife, Trudie Styler (not pictured), sold their duplex at 15 Central Park West for $50 million.
Aerin Lauder via Flickr - LushAngel; 960 Fifth Avenue via Sotheby's
Estee Lauder cosmetics respect the brand's history while staying current, and that attitude has spanned generations: Aerin Lauder, the founder's granddaughter and a lifestyle magnate in her own right, purchased a home at 960 Fifth Avenue, a Rosario Candela-designed cooperative on a tree-lined Upper East Side street. The five-bedroom, six-bath home comes with original period millwork, floor-to-ceiling windows, a storage unit, and access to the building's gym, in-house French chef, and celebrated Georgian Room.
The Plaza via Sotheby's
Auto mogul Terry Taylor (not pictured) owns the largest number of car dealerships in the world, an achievement that has allowed him to build an equally impressive real estate portfolio: a four-level Miami penthouse with two private pools, and, most recently, Tommy Hilfiger's penthouse at The Plaza, which was listed for $80 million at one time. The penthouse itself sold for $31.5 million, and Mr. Taylor paid an additional $2 million for some of Mr. Hilfiger's furnishings and art.
Giorgio Armani via Jan Schroeder; 91 Central Park West via Evan Joseph for Compass
In the spring, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved plans for a rejuvenated Giorgio Armani flagship store on Madison Avenue with 19 luxury apartments on top. Mr. Armani once announced plans to design the interiors and live in one of the units, but that may be subject to change: This December, he bought T-Mobile CEO John Legere's palatial penthouse at 91 Central Park West. This shares a floor with a home Mr. Armani already owns, and he plans to combine them into one magnificent home.
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Jason Blum via Flickr - The Geek Lens, 16 Sidney Place via The Corcoran Group
Last fall, Variety reported that Blumhouse Productions, best known for its low-budget but critically acclaimed horror movies, has hit more than $4 billion in box office revenue. That was more than enough for founder Jason Blum to shell out just under $10 million for a five-story, 22-foot-wide townhouse in the heart of Brooklyn Heights. The Federal-style home dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century, but modern upgrades include an elevator and custom staircase, radiant-heated buffed cement floors, chef's kitchen with deck and dining patio, full-floor master suite with spa-like bath, and open-air cabana with water wall.
Jessica Chastain via Wiki Commons; Central Park West block via CityRealty
Jessica Chastain has been nominated for two Academy Awards, but her talents are not limited to the silver screen. Two years after she beautifully updated a historically rich apartment in The Osborne, she purchased a 19th-century brownstone just half a block from Central Park. The exact address is not available, but we do know the home has seven bedrooms, restored original wood paneling, an original wood-burning fireplace, a private garden, an eat-in kitchen, and a Japanese-inspired studio with rice-paper doors and a hot tub.
Ronan Farrow via Wiki Commons; Lower East Side apartment via Douglas Elliman
As acclaimed journalist and human rights activist Ronan Farrow worked on his MSNBC talk show and coverage of Harvey Weinstein, the latter of which sparked the #MeToo movement, he used a two-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side as his home base. One Pulitzer Prize later, he has upgraded to a three-bedroom penthouse in a new development on the Lower East Side. A massive terrace looks out on views of the Lower Manhattan skyline, and interior features include 10' ceilings, an open layout, and a master suite with walk-in closet and bath with radiant heated floors.
Graydon Carter via Wiki Commons; 40 Fifth Avenue via Compass
Legendary editor Graydon Carter stepped down from Vanity Fair at the end of 2017, but that is not to say that he has been living in quiet retirement ever since. On the contrary, he has been very busy launching new media venture Air Mail, running West Village hot spot Waverly Inn, and, according to the New York Post, combining two co-ops on lower Fifth Avenue into a four-bedroom duplex with tall beamed ceilings, a wood-burning fireplace, and a kitchen with a breakfast bar.
Audrey Gelman via Flickr - Djego Dreygon; 685 East 18th Street via Rise Media/The Corcoran Group
In three short years, women's workspace and club The Wing has expanded to four New York locations and ten overall, which can be found in bustling neighborhoods. Perhaps unsurprisingly, co-founder and CEO Audrey Gelman chose a townhouse on a quiet Brooklyn street with husband Ilan Zechory (not pictured), co-founder of popular lyrics annotation site Genius. The six-bedroom Colonial Revival home was built in 1907 and is rich in historic details like Tiffany-style stained glass, a formal dining room with coffered ceilings, and a wraparound porch.
Great Jones Street via The Corcoran Group
Great Jones Street is a small stretch of Noho, but a surprising amount of star power has been packed into those two blocks. Comedian Jim Gaffigan and wife Jeannie call the street home, and, as of this spring, so do power couple Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Hilarie Burton. Their new co-op features a flexible floor plan, exposed brick, hardwood floors, and a large kitchen.
Amy Sedaris via Wiki Commons; The Hampshire via Douglas Elliman
While actress/comedian Amy Sedaris enjoyed a breakout moment in The Mandalorian earlier this winter, her work on Strangers with Candy, Bojack Horseman, and truTV show At Home with Amy Sedaris had already led to such success that she could buy not one but two apartments on a quiet Greenwich Village block. She brings her TV show's unique twists on design and entertaining to her own home, and it was speculated that she would combine the two into one apartment. However, she told the Los Angeles Times that she uses the upper-level apartment as a storage space/writers room/studio.
Vincent Gallo via Flickr - Celebs Journey; Trump Tower via Brown Harris Stevens
According to CityRealty's 2019 year-end report, the average sales price for Trump-branded buildings has dipped below the Manhattan average for the third year in a row. While the leader of the free world may not be happy to hear that, it did work in Vincent Gallo's favor: The actor/director closed a deeply discounted high-floor home over the summer. The apartment enjoys panoramic skyline views through floor-to-ceiling windows, but he will have to make this way through crowds of security and protesters alike to get upstairs to enjoy them.
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?
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
