By Deborah Netburn and Tom McGevern Petra Bartosiewicz

January 27, 2002 | 7:00 p.m

When erstwhile Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro

decided to build a swimming pool on the property of her Fire Island summer home in 1988-claiming that, as a celebrity, she wasn't getting enough privacy at the local public beach in Saltaire-her preservation-minded neighbors in the small, exclusive community raised the roof. Ultimately, celebrity-and a good deal of wrangling on Ms. Ferraro's part-proved successful, and she got her way in 1990. Now, the feisty former Congresswoman from Queens is at it again on the Upper East Side. Ms. Ferraro wants to install three through-the-wall air-conditioning units in a Manhattan pied-à-terre she wants to purchase with her husband, real-estate developer John Zaccaro, on the 14th floor of the Beekman Hotel at 575 Park Avenue. Normally such an alteration would pose little problem, but the neo-Renaissance building-designed in 1926 by George Fred Pelham, once the home of actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and currently housing a ground-floor three-room editing suite used by director Woody Allen-is landmarked, meaning that before Ms. Ferraro starts drilling, she needs approval from the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission. Standing between Ms. Ferraro and a green light on the project is the terra-cotta trim lining the building's façade. Ms. Ferraro's application calls for drilling through the terra cotta, and although she's pledged to paint the exterior of the air-conditioners the same color as the tan façade, some local neighbors gave the plan a cold reception. "Whether they're just walking around on the street or some person of prominence, allowing anybody to destroy terra cotta sets a bad precedent," said a member of Upper East Side Community Board 8, which reviewed Ms. Ferraro's application on Jan. 16 and approved it by a 19-15 vote. "I'm a person who's been in politics a long time, and I can understand. The community-planning boards are doing us all a favor by trying to keep the buildings in this city beautiful," said Ms. Ferraro after the meeting. "Some did not agree with our position. Fortunately the majority did, and that's why we have these things." But the Landmarks Preservation Commission has the final say on the proposal. At its Jan. 22 meeting, the commission declined to make a ruling until 575 Park revisits the master plan and reconsiders the issue of messing with the terra cotta itself. The Beekman Hotel's master plan currently allows for through-the-wall air-conditioning units as long as they don't interfere with the façade's terra-cotta trim, and although numerous owners of those apartments have penetrated this sacred barrier, they were fortunate to squeeze their air-conditioners in before the building was granted landmark status in 1981. Landmarks Preservation chairwoman Sherida Paulsen said, "The ball is in their court." upper east side Sharpton's lawyer wants $11 million When the Reverend Al Sharpton was released from a Brooklyn jail last year-some 30 pounds lighter-after serving 90 days for protesting American missile-testing on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, he went directly to a Manhattan penthouse apartment on the 42nd floor of the Royale at 188 East 64th Street. He was greeted by Def Jam Records founder Russell Simmons, Representative Charles Rangel and a number of other supporters who'd paid between $1,000 and $5,000 to attend the event, as well as his lawyer, Sanford Rubenstein, who was hosting the party in his apartment. Several months later, Mr. Rubenstein-who also represented Abner Louima and Hisham Amer, the taxi driver who claimed he was beaten up by taxi inspectors and sued the city for $45 million last year-has put that apartment on the market for $11 million. According to city records, Mr. Rubenstein bought the five-bedroom penthouse-which has double-height ceilings in the living room, a fireplace and panoramic views of the city-in August of 1996 for $2.15 million. "It is ridiculously overpriced," said one source familiar with the building. "It's absurd." Mr. Rubenstein's broker, Rob Sussman of Goodstein Realty N.Y.C., said that the apartment hasn't been shown much, since he and Mr. Rubenstein are trying to ensure that only qualified buyers take a peek. Mr. Sussman wouldn't discuss whether or not Mr. Rubenstein is looking for another place in the city, but the lawyer does have homes in Bridgehampton and in Rockland County. upper west side 315 Riverside Drive Three-bed, two-and-a-half-bath, 1,800-square-foot co-op. Asking: $1.150 million. Selling: $1.075 million. Charges: $1,237; 30 percent tax-deductible. Time on the market: one day. RIGHTAPARTMENT,WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD "It was a great space in a wonderful building, but we were concerned it was in the wrong location," said broker Jim Perez of the Halstead Property Company, about this apartment in a 1930's building near 104th Street which had been renovated in the style of a Soho loft. Although three bedrooms had been sectioned off, the living room, dining room and kitchen were all part of one large living space. Mr. Perez said the loft-like feel deterred several people who came to the open house he held in August. "Most of the people who came to see it just couldn't get their heads around it, because it was so radical for the neighborhood," he said. One person wasn't deterred, however: An architect who'd had a few deals fall through on other apartments in the neighborhood made a full-price offer on the spot. After Sept. 11, he negotiated the price down a bit, but the loft-like feel may have really worked for the architect. According to Mr. Perez, he intends to keep the place-Central Park and Hudson River views and all-as is. upper east side 200 East 69th Street (the Trump Palace) Six-bed, five-and-a-half-bath, 3,417-square-foot condo. Asking: $3.65 million. Selling: $3.3 million. Charges: $3,702. Taxes: $2,356. Time on the market: eight months. WITH SIX YOU GET $3.3 MILLION In 1995, Société Générale, a French bank, bought two apartments on the 20th floor of the Trump Palace, at 69th Street between Second and Third avenues, for one of its senior employees. Altogether, the 3,417-square-foot, six-bedroom place-with an eat-in kitchen (the second kitchen was turned into a laundry room), three balconies and a large terrace-was almost large enough for his family. "They had six kids," said broker Carol Staab of Insignia Douglas Elliman. "And the oldest kid was 14!" When it came time to return to France, the place went on the market, but the six kids made it a little difficult to sell, said Ms. Staab. "The mother had very good control over them, but sometimes I would show up with a buyer when they were all in residence and it was pretty crazy, as you can imagine." The layout of the apartment also made things difficult. "It was awkward," she said. "Not too many people need six bedrooms." The couple with one child who bought the place are going to try to fill them, but they'll also reconfigure some of the bedrooms-at least for now. Who needs all that pressure? greenwich village 77 Bleecker Street (Bleecker Court) One-bed, one-bath, 750-square-foot co-op. Asking: $395,000.  Selling: $370,000. Charges: $1,038; 58 percent tax-deductible. Time on the market: seven weeks. HISTORY 101 Rosemary's Baby immortalized the Dakota, Simon and Garfunkel made the 59th Street Bridge musical history-and thanks to Jill Jones, whocouldeverforget77 Bleecker Street? Well, in her 1987 song about the large doorman building on the corner of Broadway, Ms. Jones-a former protégée of Prince-did her best. But she's obviously left the door wide open for the young couple who bought this place to carry on the legend-making. Alex Nicholas and Gabriella Winter, both of the Corcoran Group, brokered the deal. emeril kicks it up a notch buying instead of renting When Emeril Lagasse's sitcom was canned mid-season by NBC in December, at least the chef hadn't quit his day job. The spicy restaurateur turned Food Network celebrity-with-an-exclamation-point was wrapping up a batch of cooking shows-he hosts Emeril LIVE and Essence of Emeril -at his West 52nd Street studio when the bad news came from Hollywood. He was also signing a contract for a two-bedroom apartment on the 33rd floor of the Bridge Tower condominium at 401 East 60th Street, near the 59th Street Bridge, Guastavino's and the Bridge Market. "His two Food Network shows are in New York, and he spends a lot of time there now," said Mimi Rice, a spokeswoman for Mr. Lagasse. Since last spring, the chef had been renting an apartment in the building from a J.P. Morgan executive for $8,000 a month. Brokers familiar with the deal say that earlier this month, he signed a contract for just under $2 million. The doorman is thrilled. "He is much loved by the building staff," a neighbor said. "He makes great pork chops for the doorman." Correction An item in the Jan. 21 issue incorrectly stated that Eric Rothfeld had made an offer to buy an apartment from the British government at 4 East 66th Street.