Real Estate

Deal! Colin Powell Buys on West Side for $1.85 M. (Fancy Fridge? Hell No!)

This article was published in the August 13, 2007, edition of The New York Observer.

Instead of getting the condo upgrade package (with Sub-Zero, Viking, Bosch and Miele), the Powell family will ‘do their own thing.’
Getty Images
Instead of getting the condo upgrade package (with Sub-Zero, Viking, Bosch and Miele), the Powell family will ‘do their own thing.’

If Lawrence Eagleburger, Madeleine Albright or Condoleezza Rice bought one of the newly converted condos at 220 West 93rd Street, those secretaries of state would probably spring for the building’s $135,000 “upgrade package” to get a brand-name fridge, subway tiles and granite countertops.

But stoic, sensible Colin Powell and his wife, Alma, are different. According to city records, a trust in Ms. Powell’s name paid $1.85 million last month for a two-bedroom apartment at the 81-year-old building. They’re the first buyers in the 1,797-square-foot space, which had been a rental.

Though the listing broker, Louise Phillips Forbes, an executive vice president at Halstead Property, would not speak about the deal, she said, “There are many people who have opted to take our renovation package, and we’re doing new kitchens, three new bathrooms, washer and dryer, radiator covers and redoing floors.

Or,” she said, “there are people that actually wanted to do their own thing.” That’s what the Powells are doing—which means taking the place in “as-is” condition, to quote the listing. On the bright side, the family will get an A-line layout, original herringbone floors, French doors and 1920’s-era moldings.

“It’s one of those very elegantly well-appointed apartments,” she said.

It isn’t clear if the condo will be for Secretary Powell and his wife, or maybe their daughters or anti-indecency son Michael, who has two children. But there are two corner bedrooms with open city views in the apartment (“You get tops of the Park,” the broker said) plus an extra space for a maid or an office or a grandchild.

Most importantly, there are also seven closets to hold Secretary Powell’s two Presidential Medals of Freedom, Purple Heart, Ronald Reagan Freedom Award, Congressional Gold Medal, and Boy Scouts-bestowed Silver Buffalo Award.

  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine
  • Google
  • Yahoo
  • Technorati
  • Facebook
  • Stumble Upon
  • Netvibes
  • Windows Live

Comments
Post a comment

MarinePilot (not verified) says:

Colin and Alma - PLEASE BE OUR NEXT FIRST FAMILY!
Everyone knows that there is only one person the world trusts to be our next president. You have never failed to heed a calling, and this calling comes from on high: the souls of all those veterans and current soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines and their families who love their country and want to be able to once again truly respect the office of the commander-in-chief. Please do not fail to heed this calling.
Semper Fi!

Arion of Eleutheria (not verified) says:

He's *already* turned it it down. There may have been other reasons, but his wife reportedly nixed the idea, & he was too decent to differ.

Anonymous (not verified) says:

"to get a brand-name fridge, subway tiles and granite countertops"I just bought new appliance parts for my kitchen ,but $135,000...how can be so expensive?

careington dental insurance (not verified) says:
dissipates?compensations generality therewith beatitudes luminous reevaluates alder caustics.
cheap insurance for cars (not verified) says:
exponentiation,Zambia!Simla soaks?cycloid bordered:celebrations!.

Post a comment

The content of this field is kept private
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd><br> <p> <i> <b> <embed> <img> <blockquote> <span> <strikethrough> <u>
  • Use <!--pagebreak--> to create page breaks.

More information about formatting options

By checking this box you are giving permission for Observer staff to contact you to obtain contact information and permissions required for publication.