November's top celebrity moves include NYC homes of President Obama, Leonard Bernstein, and Gwyneth Paltrow

High-profile names associated to recently listed or sold NYC apartments (The Marquand, #PHW via Douglas Elliman)

When watching a movie or television show set in New York, city dwellers often can't help commenting on the buildings and neighborhoods they recognize in the scene. Others might recognize their neighbors - bold-faced names from all industries have chosen to make New York their home. November was an exciting month, and we take a look at celebrities apartments, not to mention homes that have attracted attention in their own right.

The Marquand via Douglas EllimanIn 2013, HFZ Capital chairman and founder Ziel Feldman and his family moved into a triplex penthouse in The Marquand, a Beaux-Arts mansion that his firm converted to condos. Since then, the developer has been busy with The XI in Chelsea, The Bryant in Midtown, The Chatsworth on the Upper West Side, and 88 & 90 Lexington in Gramercy, to name but a few. The Real Deal reports that the Marquand penthouse is on the market, but didn’t mention where the family would be moving.

From the listing:
This palatial and dramatic triplex, perched at the top of the Marquand Condominium offers the discerning buyer the best of all worlds: location, scale, light, and multiple outdoor spaces. Every surface of this home is graced with exotic finishes and unique materials and is designed and executed to the highest standard. At approximately 6,200 interior and 2,600 exterior square feet, this stunning home is a rare find.

A private open landing welcomes you to a large gallery and a monumental sculptural staircase connecting all levels and crowned with a skylight bringing the light throughout the home. An open loft style entertaining space with corner living room impresses with city, skyline and park views and a dramatic stone clad fireplace. The living room flows gracefully into the dining room which comfortably seats 20 and features a wet bar.

The Marquand has 2 available listings from $650K. 8-East-63rd-Street-01

8 East 63rd Street via Sotheby's International RealtyNicole Kidman and Hugh Grant were the stars of acclaimed HBO mini-series The Undoing, and their characters’ Upper East Side mansion was practically another character in the show as well as its setting. Off-screen, the New York Post reports that its original owner was Joseph Hodges Choat, a lawyer and diplomat who led the US delegation to the Second Peace Conference at The Hague in 1907. It has since been divided into two rental units with a ground-floor commercial space, but offers the bones and original architectural details to be restored to its former glory.

From the listing:
Superbly located, this prime townhouse, which has an architecturally significant brick façade with limestone trim and a beautiful three-story rounded bay, is sited on a lovely tree lined street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue, off Central Park, an area known as the Gold Coast of Fifth Avenue, and on a street known for its architecturally significant limestone facades in the Beaux-arts and Italian Renaissance palazzo styles, architected by the great townhouse architects, including CPH Gilbert, John H. Duncan and D & J Jardine, and transformed by the prominent residents who once lived on the street with names such as Woolworth, Bloomingdale, Brokaw, and Oscar Hammerstein. The beautifully scaled and luminous interior is hallmarked by four floors of rounded bay windows, both on the façade of the townhouse and along the east side of the townhouse, bringing exceptional light into the rooms and a rare architectural grace and charm.

Leonard Bernstein via Wiki Commons; 895 Park Avenue via Warburg Realty“Peace and quiet and open air/Wait for us, somewhere.” The lyrics from West Side Story could very well apply to its composer’s home: Leonard Bernstein’s Park Avenue penthouse enjoys panoramic views from every window, not to mention about 700 square feet of private outdoor space. Moreover, as the composer’s “radical chic” event in support of the Black Panther Party demonstrates, the home is ideal for entertaining. The New York Times notes that the current owners purchased the penthouse from Mr. Bernstein in 1974 and kept the layout largely intact.

From the listing:
Perched atop one of New York City's most exquisite prewar buildings, this sprawling 14-room apartment has it all – 6 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, stunning views of the city and Central Park, unparalleled natural light, grand-scale rooms, and significant private outdoor space. An embodiment of old-world glamour, this special apartment features soaring ceilings and original architectural details such as the original wood-burning fireplaces and wide-plank wood floors. But perhaps even more impressive than its glorious bones are the panoramic views from both the indoor and outdoor spaces on both levels. Enter the residence from the private elevator landing which opens to a 34-foot grand gallery.

895 Park Avenue has 4 available listings from $925K. 35-North-Moore-Street-01

Deron Williams via Wiki Commons; The Merchant's House via Douglas EllimanNBA star and Olympic medalist Deron Williams has retired from basketball, but not left the headlines: His Tribeca penthouse entered contract in September and closed for $16.4 million. The New York Post observes that this is significantly less than the $33.5 million he listed it for in 2015, but it was nevertheless the top recorded sale of the last week of November 2020. It also comes in above the $15.8 million he paid for it in 2013.

From the listing:
A showplace of private perfection awaits you in this extraordinary trophy penthouse atop the prized Merchant House loft condominium! This enviable penthouse paradise on one of Tribeca's most fabled and coveted streets boasts a massive 7,200-square-foot interior where every inch has been meticulously renovated. Enhancing the allure is an incredible 3,000 square feet of split outdoor space with views that are inarguably among Manhattan's best. One 1,500-square-foot terrace offers a tranquil fireplace and generous seating area, while the other has a BBQ and dog house.

The Merchant's House has 1 available listing for $7.65M. 81-Pierrepont-Street-01

81 Pierrepont Street via Douglas EllimanActivist investor Behzad Aghazadeh has made a name for himself with his pharmaceutical acumen, and is raising eyebrows in the real estate sector as well: His purchase of a Brooklyn Heights townhouse and carriage house has set a new record for the most expensive townhouse sale in Brooklyn. The New York Post notes that he was revealed as the buyer of the properties when his architect submitted plans on his behalf to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The august body approved them at the beginning of November, thus clearing the way for him to combine the two into a mega-mansion.

From the listing:
Impeccably renovated to the highest standard, executed with exemplary style and craftsmanship, this sprawling, landmarked 25-foot-wide, five-bedroom brownstone has been utterly transformed by The Brooklyn Home Company. This home, with over 8,000 square feet, is both a work of art and may be your turnkey dream home in coveted Brooklyn Heights.

Design throughout this exceptional residence highlights a delicate interplay between rustic and refined, modern and reverent. Fine architectural details and ornate millwork add grandeur while organic finishes embrace and amplify natural light. Exposed reclaimed Douglas fir timbers and white oak floors infuse living spaces with texture and warmth, and light-hued marble creates a smooth narrative throughout.

Several blocks east of the infamous Sex and the City townhouse, power couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick once owned a Greenwich Village townhouse near Fifth Avenue. They sold the townhouse in 2015; since then, the townhouse has sold for $15.85 million, down from its last asking price of $18.25 million. The New York Post identified the buyers as Scott Sullivan and Anna Mars. The couple made headlines for their London garden, and the townhouse offers a private garden and two terraces for their next outdoor masterpiece.

From the listing:
The most magnificent 25-foot-wide Greenwich Village Gold Coast mansion offers unparalleled location, width, depth, light and height. Built in 1864, this perfectly placed mid-block tall and handsome home offers voluminous rooms with green terraces on the Parlor and Master Levels and a deep lush garden. The sale also includes AD architect Steven Harris plans to add an additional Penthouse Level with a roof terrace, elevator, and full or partial basement excavation to create an amenity level with wine room, full gym, treatment rooms, theater and pool if one desired.

Gwyneth Paltrow via Wiki Commons; 9 East 92nd Street via Brown Harris StevensAccording to The Wall Street Journal, Gwyneth Paltrow was able to draw on real-life inspiration for her role in The Royal Tenenbaums: As a teenager, she and her family, which includes actress Blythe Danner and producer Bruce Paltrow, lived in a grand Upper East Side townhouse much like the one in the film. It is just around the block from Spence, where she graduated.

From the listing:
This house was built in 1890-1891 by the architect, Walter Reid, Jr. for his father in the Renaissance Revival style. It has an unusual curved full height bay extending to the top floor of the townhouse, which allows an exceptional amount of light to flood into the building. Low townhouses to the south and north further facilitate the abundant interior light.

This townhouse contains approximately 7,205 total interior gross feet, which includes a basement of 1,285 gross feet. The exterior space includes the front area, the garden, the deck, and the terrace and comprises approximately 934 gross feet.

The original details have been meticulously maintained. There are six fireplaces, all of which are wood-burning. Lastly, there is a magical orange tree in the garden that bears fruit all year long!

Paulina Porizkova via Wiki Commons; 140 East 19th Street via Sotheby's International RealtyAt the height of their time together, supermodel Paulina Porizkova and Cars frontman Ric Ocasek purchased a Gramercy townhouse for $2.5 million in 1989. Twenty years later, in the wake of their separation, they listed it for $15.25 million. The townhouse entered contract in August, and Architectural Digest identified the buyer as artist Rashid Johnson.

From the listing:
Built in the 1850's and remodeled in 1919 by Sterner and Wolfe, the centerpiece of this gracious home is a spectacular 20-foot high Candela-built living room. A wall of windows face the private and secluded south-facing garden, and a mezzanine study overlooks this dramatic living space.

5 bedrooms, 4 1/2 baths, a charming eat-in kitchen, wood burning fireplaces, a sky-lit writing alcove and a recording studio in the finished basement render this 5,760-square-foot property a magical family home. An ample elevator provides direct access to every floor.

19 Powers Street via The Corcoran GroupSteve Burns shot to fame for his role on the colorful Blue’s Clues, but his off-screen home would attract further attention: After purchasing a converted Williamsburg garage for $770K in 2007, he teamed up with MESH Architectures to transform it into a modern design masterpiece that would be featured in New York Magazine. He has been living in the Catskills over the past few years, but told Gimme Shelter that he’s in the market for a pied-a-terre in the West Village or Greenpoint.

From the listing:
A prized jewel with tremendous wow-factor, 19 Powers makes a striking impression with its 2 stories of meticulously-finished interiors, and phenomenal outdoor space comprised a huge secluded courtyard, and large upper northern and southern roof terraces. With approximately 2,180 interior square footage, living here makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a luxury retreat where you can hideaway in solitude or entertain to the hilt!

An abundance of unique and one of a kind features must be seen to be appreciated. Among them is an entire eastern wall of wood milled from the roof joists of the original structure, an industrial metal rail system in the hallway for hanging just about anything, and Nanawall glass systems that blur the lines between indoor-outdoor living space. These innovative walls of windows and doors, found in the living room as well as main-level bedroom and spa bath with Jacuzzi sunken soaking tub, fold to expose both sides of the courtyard to create an open paradise! This is an amazing haven for lounging and hosting parties, with an ironwood deck from salvaged Coney Island boardwalk material, brick wall draped in ivy that was part of the original garage, and professionally-installed artificial turf.

Alan Rickman via Wiki Commons; 321 West 13th Street via CompassThe late Alan Rickman is well remembered for his screen roles, but he was also a star of stage with Broadway credits that included Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Private Lives. When he was in New York, he lived in a beautifully renovated pied-a-terre on the cusp of the West Village and the Meatpacking District. Following his death in 2016, 6sqft announces that his estate has listed the apartment.

From the listing:
Located on the top floor of The Gansevoort, a boutique condominium, with 5 south-facing windows and open city views, this impeccably renovated loft has a beautiful open kitchen with caesarstone counter that seats 4, glass front cabinets, panelled subzero refrigerator with freezer drawers, Miele cooktop and oven, Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers, and abundant storage. There is a sizable dining area and an elegant living room with wood burning fireplace and attractive metal mantle. A hallway leads to the east-facing bedroom which has a wall of closets with built-in drawers and to the very pretty bathroom, situated just outside the bedroom. The spacious bathroom has a clawfoot tub, double glass walk-in shower, linen closet, and the washer/dryer with additional storage above.

President Obama via Wiki Commons; 622 West 114th Street via Brown Harris StevensAfter graduating from Columbia University in 1983, President Barack Obama worked in New York for two years and lived in a Morningside Heights walk-up. Since then, 6sqft notes that the apartment has been updated with new plumbing, new electricity, LED lighting, and high-end appliances in the kitchen. Additionally, he is not the building’s only famous resident - as a plaque outside the building states, filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille also lived there.

From the listing:
Designed to maximize entertaining and living space, features include a oversized, windowed eat-in-kitchen with high-end appliances, where white cabinetry draw in the light, and glass-tiled back splash and custom countertops make for a simply stunning effect. The master bedroom features a wall of closets, an en-suite bathroom with double sink, and windowed shower stall. The secondary bath also features marble floor tiles and soaking tub.

Generous second and third bedrooms also offer spacious custom closets, while the hallway closet also enables maximum access and flexibility to store just about anything. Additional items include a full size washer and dryer, over-stove vent to the outside. All new plumbing, electrical and LED lighting throughout.

622 West 114th Street has 2 available listings from $499K. 251-East-32nd-Street-01

Riverview East via Warburg RealtyWho would have thought the most romantic scene of The Real Housewives of Orange County would take place in New York? Reality star Kelly Dodd got engaged to her now-husband, Fox News correspondent Richard Leventhal, on the terrace of his Kips Bay bachelor pad. The couple now lives in California; before their departure, she shared a video tour of the apartment with her social media followers. Most recently, the New York Post reported on its sale.

From the listing:
Every aspect of this apartment has been renovated this year – including the floors. All appliances are brand new in the efficient open kitchen. The entire apartment is flooded with light and the walk in closet is sure to accommodate any wardrobe. Temperature can be controlled digitally through HVAC, so no need to sacrifice window space with a clunky AC unit. The immaculate windowed bathroom is the cherry on top.

Riverview East has 4 available listings from $749K.

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