The lingering drama surrounding the potential asking price for the 778 Park Avenue duplex owned by the late, great conservative thinker William F. Buckley Jr. has been resolved. The listing for the 5,000-square-foot co-op has popped up on the website of Barak Realty, and brokers Tom and Cathering Holes—who have presided over a meticulous restoration of the four-bedroom apartment—will try to sell the legendary spread for $24.5 million. Thats slightly less than the $46 million sought for the larger 778 Park duplex that belonged to Brooke Astor, but still a hefty sum. The Buckley maisonette (private entrance at 73 East 73rd Street) certainly rivals the Astor pad in terms of over-the-top Park Avenue grandeur, as one glance at the famed "Red Room" library can attest to. The other rooms are equally opulent, and Buckley's office is preserved to look like he just stepped out for a minute. On Wednesday, an invite-only list of VIPs will gather in the apartment to celebrate the life of William F. Buckley Jr. at an event called "One Last Time." Then, it's open season. Maybe a Buckley confidante will honor the late aristocrat by buying his old stomping grounds?
· Listing: 778 Park Avenue [Barak Realty]
· Celebrating an Aristocrat [NYT]
1) On Friday, the Wall Street Journal's Developments blog reported that Julian Schnabel had lowered the price on Palazzo Chupi's available duplex from $32 to $29.5 million. Yes, the duplex seen above, in what must be the 75th time we've run that gallery (but can you blame us?). Was it a case of, as Developments put it, brokers convincing Schnabel to lower his Chupiriffic expectations? Not quite. If you recall, the same unit recently had its price raised form $27 million to $32 million, so the new asking price is really just in the middle of those two. Not quite a PriceChop, but anything related to the Chupster is news, especially when "pink unit" can be worked into a headline. [Developments/Emily Friedlander]
2) One of the Manhattan House apartments converted to a showroom for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House was most recently the home of CNBC "Money Honey" Maria Bartiromo. She and her husband left the penthouse for a $6.5 million townhouse on East 62nd Street just two weeks before the design event. [NYM/S. Jhoanna Robledo]
3) Friends and family of the recently departed William F. Buckley Jr. will gather in his 778 Park Avenue duplex one last time to celebrate his life before the 5,000-square-foot apartment hits the market. The Reaper has caused a bit of turnover in the storied co-op lately. There's Brooke Astor's duplex, of course, but Death also indirectly caused Vera Wang to move out. Does he collect a commission? [Big Deal/Josh Barbanel]
The Kentucky Derby may have been run over the weekend, but the real race is just getting underway. Once the jockey was selected we knew it was just a matter of time, and now the starting gun has fired and the gates have flung open (ctrl + alt + endmetaphor). Late grand dame Brooke Astor's legendary 778 Park Avenue duplex has hit the market at a $46 million asking price. Corcoran's Leighton Candler has the task of selling the 5BR, 5.5BA apartment on Floors 15-16, which is just above the full-floor spread recently purchased by rich guy William Lauder for $27.5 million. Surprisingly, the listing has several photos and complete floorplan pornage, and the apartment looks exactly like what you'd expect a classic Park Avenue duplex owned by a 4,000-year-old socialite to look like. We wouldn't pay a dime over $38.5 million, but that's just us.
· Listing: 778 Park Avenue [Corcoran]
· 778 Park Avenue coverage [Curbed]
1) You know what the best thing about Ricky Martin closing on his 40 Bond unit at a slightly discounted $6.3 million? The LLC he formed to purchase it is called "40 Bonbon." By the way, we'll have much more on 40 Bond later today. [Braden Keil/Gimme Shelter]
2) The NASCAR invasion of Manhattan continues! OK, it was just Jeff Gordon before. But hot shot youngster (or so we're told) Brian Vickers just plunked down $4.6 million for a penthouse at 92 Greene Street, also known as the Andres Escobar-designed Mercer Greene. As to whether or not he'll live there, unclear. [M'hattan Transfers/Max Abelson]
3) You want to know how Vera Wang can afford to sell her crap at Kohl's for cheap prices? Because her $35 million 778 Park apartment just went to contract. [The Real Estate]
4) What good is an Insanity Palace without a little insanity? Mariah Carey has been renting a furnished two-bedroom condo at 15 Broad Street for a respectable $8,000 per month. [Keil]
5) The Real Deal looks at the "new rules of celebrity real estate," which is just a fun excuse to get brokers to share their celeb war stories. Like Dolly Lenz: "Lenz took Barbra Streisand for a second look at a beautiful penthouse owned by a local meatpacking mogul. When Streisand entered the house, he fell to his knees and began singing 'People Who Need People.' 'I can only tell you that she did not buy that apartment,' said Lenz. [TRD/Adam Piore]
1) The buyers of Britney Spears' Silk Building apartment in the East Village have washed away the stink and put the penthouse loft back on the market as a $32,000/month rental. Yes, this is the same apartment that languished on the market for what seemed like an eternity. Previous inhabitants include Russell Simmons, Cher and Keith Richards. [S. Jhoanna Robledo/NYMag]
2) 778 Park Avenue may not be as celebrated as 740 Park Avenue, but man, this old co-op can demand some coin. We already know that Vera Wang—who is ditching 778 for the cozy confines of 740—wants $35 million for her old place, and now Estee Lauder CEO William Lauder is buying into 778 for a cool $27.5 million. That'll get him the entire 14th floor, which is 11 floors above Wang's place. It has one less bedroom though. [Braden Keil/Gimme Shelter]
3) Have you heard the Hair soundtrack? It'll change your life! While that scene in Garden State didn't quite go like that, if it had, Zach Braff would probably be looking at a much better deal on the 2,500-square-foot apartment he wants to buy at 840 Broadway. It's currently owned by Tom O'Horgan, the original stage director of Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. 840 Broadway houses both Heather Graham and, more importantly, Forbidden Planet. [Max Abelson/Manhattan Transfers]
4) Shunning conventional wisdom, publishing power-couple Gay and Nan Talese don't need your Hamptons or Connecticuts for a little summer r & r. Nope, instead they head to Ocean City, New Jersey, the dry beachside town south of Atlantic City where Gay Talese was born. Have a look around, won't you? [Julia Lawlor/Away]
1) There's no need to continue the speculation on when the 740 Park Avenue duplex owned by Vera Wang's late parents will hit the market. It's not hitting the market, because the celebrity dressmaker is moving in herself. That's a slightly morbid way to wind up in one of the city's most famous co-ops. Her current six-bedroom spread in nearby 778 Park Avenue will soon be listed for around $35 million(!). [Braden Keil/Gimme Shelter]
2) The One Madison Park juggernaut continues. Now nearly two-thirds sold, the 72-unit building might now welcome Hollywood power couple Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts into the fold. The pair may buy neighboring units and combine them, and in fact, Schreiber has reportedly already bid on one apartment. The average hotness rating of One Mad's future residents just shot up a few points. [WSJ]
3) Ranger great Brian Leetch is packing up the skates and heading out of the Bromley on the Upper West Side. The combined-unit apartment went for $3.718 million to a neighbor, in a deal featuring a bidding war and a broker who has pulled some shenanigans in the past. The building also houses current Ranger goalie Henrik Lundqvist. [Max Abelson/Manhattan Transfers]
4) Word on the street is that Alex Rodriguez has been checking out a $25 million estate in Greenwich, Conn. He currently lives in the Trump Park Avenue. Begin wild speculation about his future ... now. [NYP]
5) Remember on The O.C. how Marissa Cooper's dad Jimmy Cooper came back to town after his scandal and started sleeping with his ex-wife again after she already got married to Caleb Nichol? Why can't Tate Donovan's life be that exciting? Instead, he's just enjoying some family time in a summer rental on Fire Island. [S. Jhoanna Robledo/Movers]
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