So the New York Post has now returned to 25 cents, after 10 days of selling for twice the price at newsstands.

And in an article in today's New York Times, Post editor Col Allan referred to the abrupt price drop as “part of a well-planned strategy.”

Strange.

On May 1, Mr. Allan was speaking about a quite different strategy in a phone interview with The Observer.

Mr. Allan was still beaming about the Post’s circulation numbers, which were released the previous day. Bucking the industry trend—yet again—the Post increased circulation, while continuing to beat the rival Daily News.

"Lachlan Murdoch said then that we would increase the price of the paper when we have passed the Daily News,” said Mr. Allan, of the increase.

“We have done that for two periods.”

That strategy had been discussed before—most notably by the Murdoch scion in a 2001 BusinessWeek feature. (That was still years before flying the Rupe’s coop back to Australia).

From the BusinessWeek article:

Lachlan Murdoch refuses to disclose the Post's annual loss—pegged by outsiders at $15 million to $30 million—but acknowledges that it widened when the weekday cover price was halved, to 25 cents, in 2000. It's all part of the plan, says Murdoch, who intends to restore the 50 cents cover price if and when the Post passes the Daily News in circulation. ‘We love the Post, but it's not a hobby,’ he says. ‘We very much care that it make money one day, and that it become as great a business as it is a newspaper.’

So what happened to the Lachlan Murdoch strategy that seemed to finally take effect last week?

A spokesperson for Mr. Allan did not immediately return calls or email seeking comment.

If there’s any response, we’ll update later.  read more »

Number 11 [Curbed]

Yesterday, the folks at Curbed ran a breaking story on Lachlan Murdoch's old 11 Spring Street semi-palace.

A special Curbed correspondent reports this morning that the building is going condo, with construction to begin in about a month. The rumored buyer? Malcolm Stevenson by name, a man about which we know precious little (no thanks to Google).

We don't know much about Malcolm Stevenson either. But according to The Observer's Michael Calderone, we do know that Mr. Stevenson is not the buyer. Check out Mr. Calderone's July article here, which names developer Mona Gora as the lucky new owner of the 14,000-square-foot former horse stables.

Back in Sept. 2003, Mr. Lachlan dropped $5.25 million on 14,000-square-foot building that served as a horse stable in the late 19th century. However, Mr. Murdoch's plans for extensive renovations were never fulfilled--especially since his public split with Rupert, and subsequent flight back to Australia.

"We were going to build what would have been the best family home in New York City," Murdoch said. "And yet we'd much prefer to raise our family in Sydney. We've been here some months now and we couldn't be happier with the decision. It is hard (to sell) and we are in no rush. But it's on the market and we're not moving back to New York."

Both Deborah Grubman and Carol Cohen, of the Corcoran Group, also have the listing with Mr. Nicholson. Ms. Grubman--who is also Rupert's broker--could not be immediately reached for comment.

Is this a rendering?

Lachlan Murdoch's epic project to transform a five-story, former stable building into his palatial residence is not happening. Mr. Murdoch is offering the 14,300-square-foot building--which he paid $5.25 million for in September 2003--for $14.75 million, listed with high-end Corcoran brokers, Deborah Grubman and Carol Cohen.

Like father, like son.

Lachlan Murdoch finds a renter for his Laight Street condo, according to New York magazine. But no word yet on his abandoned (and unfinished) Spring Street palace? Also, Frankie Muniz may soon be overlooking the NYU students from a perch in the Sculpture for Living.

Critics say that the Ratner-Gehry stadium wonderland in Brooklyn is a bait-and-switch.