NY Observer > Bob Guccione

Bob Guccione's Old Mansion, Despite 'Odd Energy,' Closes for $49 M.

Max Abelson — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:12:35 -0500

When the double-wide townhouse at 14-16 East 67th Street (known as the Guccione Mansion until last year, when a smart broker changed the name to Milbank) went to contract last month, the New York Post sighed that the buyer, hedge fund titan Philip Falcone, managed to "whittle the $59 million asking price down to well below the current townhouse record of $53 million."

Still, according to city records filed this morning, Mr. Falcone and his wife, Lisa, paid $49 million--the third highest sum ever paid for a townhouse in New York City--for the 27-room house. It belonged to Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione until he essentially lost the house to foreclosure in 2006. (As it actually happened, he had to sell to investors led by Laurus Funds, who had bailed him out back in 2004 with a high-interest loan, the very day there was a moving van outside the pornographer's house.) read more »

Bob Guccione? Never Heard of Him. You’re in the Milbank Mansion

Max Abelson — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 19:35:13 -0400

How does an infamous pornographer’s $59 million mansion turn into a 1919-era townhouse for a Metropolitan Life kingpin? read more »

Penthouse Goes Upscale in March, But Can Anyone Beat the Internet?

Michael Calderone — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:00:00 -0500

What’s the difference between a skin magazine with articles for men and a men’s magazine read more »

Guccione's Penthouse Magazine Palace: Bids Are Out, $59 Million Is In

Observer Staff — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:40:26 -0400

Pretty in pink

The bidding for Bob Guccione's grand and gaudy and gorgeous Beaux-Arts townhouse at 14-16 East 76th Street is finally over.

But does the 17,000-square-foot mansion have a new owner? Nope.

According to Corcoran's website, the place is now being listed for $59 million--$14,000,000 more than the minimum bid.

If it seems like a hefty price tag, take solace in the memory of that original $99 million asking price. Furthur reasons to celebrate, via Wikipedia's bio of Bobby G:

In contrast to Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion, whose phenomenal parties are the stuff of legend, life at Guccione's mansion was remarkably sedate even during the hedonistic 1970s. Reportedly Guccione once had a party guest thrown out simply for jumping into the swimming pool fully clothed.

Stay tuned for updates from the listing brokers Leighton Candler and Lisa Simonsen...

- Max Abelson

AIDS Anarchist Farber Hops Back in Whirlwind

Sheelah Kolhatkar — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:00:00 -0400

On the night of Saturday, June 10, the controversial journalist Celia Farber was holding court at a read more »

Guccione Gulch: $45 M.

Michael Calderone — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 20:00:00 -0400

For Manhattan’s luxury townhouse watchers, a deal bigger than $45 million is big news, trumping th read more »

Guccione Gulch: $45 M.

Michael Calderone — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 20:00:00 -0400

For Manhattan’s luxury townhouse watchers, a deal bigger than $45 million is big news, trumpin read more »

Bob Guccione Leases New Headquarters

Observer Staff — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 11:20:35 -0400

Bob Guccione is acting like a magazine publisher again.

The cash-strapped founder of Penthouse and Spin is renting the 11th floor of the Forbes Building as the new headquarters for Discover magazine, which he bought in October 2005. read more »

Full press release after the jump. - Tom McGeveran

Showhouse Flipper Strikes Again

Observer Staff — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 06:54:27 -0500

Flip this!

Recently, it seemed that almost every townhouse on the block of East 67th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues was up for grabs.

Last month (yes, now that we've moved down to the Flatiron District we don't get up there as often as we should), The Real Estate strolled the tony block and found four townhouses currently on the market, with the least expensive located at No. 9. Since November, that limestone mansion had been listed for $29 million, with Shel Joblin and C.B. Whyte at Stribling and Associates.

But now the 12,400-square-foot residence has been temporarily taken off the market, according to a source with knowledge of the listing.

At the center of it all (isn't she always?) is the Upper East Side's notorious Showhouse Flipper. read more »

Zestimating Guccione's Block

Observer Staff — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 02:43:56 -0500

Zestimate This! Penthouse Founder Bob Guccione's Former Pad At 14-16 East 67th Street.

Yesterday, The Observer looked at Richard Barton's new project and whether it should worry Manhattan's elite brokers. But does it even work?

Let's try Bob Guccione's former palace. Since the Corcoran brokers involved wish to keep this a private sale, for serious bidders only, there is no asking price. (However, it was listed at $40 million a few years ago).

For wealthy buyers who are unsure about how much to bid, Zillow offers its easy-to-use Zestimate feature. That is, when the site is running.

According to Zillow, the massive double-wide townhouse at 14-16 East 67th Street is worth $10,690,818! Brokers should have put it up on the market in April, because for some bizarre reason, the townhouse was worth at least $17.3 million.

Next time some Upper East Side broker tries to hustle you, mention Zillow's claim that "99% of homes in the 10021 ZIP code have a value lower than this home." Uh huh.

And how does the rest of the tony block, between Fifth and Madison Avenues, stack up with Zillow. read more »