Gianni Versace

Yvette Clarke may have played up the female angle in last year's congressional election, but that was nothing compared to this.

From a piece on Clarke in The Hill:

Clarke isn't your typical half-lost, conservatively dressed freshman. More runway than House floor, upon arriving at lunch she unwraps a thick, multicolored scarf and removes a long, pretty beige overcoat to reveal an animal-print Gianni Versace suit -- a mid-thigh-length skirt accompanied by a short blazer. A beige fur cap covers a sleek new hairdo. "Now that my hair's so short I can feel the breeze," she says, explaining that she recently removed her hair weave. She says people in Congress have been doing double-takes at her fur cap. She doesn't care. She stands tall in black wedged heels.

Now I ask you, if the election had turned out differently, would anyone be writing this way about Chris Owens or David Yassky?

-- Azi Paybarah

John Ruskin, the English art critic, never consummated his marriage because on his wedding night, he  read more »

In 2005, six Manhattan townhouses sold for over $20 million, with one of the most notable being the former home of the late Gianni Versace, at 5 East 64th Street.

Last September, The Observer reported that investor Thomas Sandell had purchased the five-story mansion for $30 million, through a corporate entity.

At the time, Mr. Sandell wasn't saying whether the five-story landmarked townhouse would serve as a private residence, or was purchased as an investment.

Considering that Mr. Sandell bought billionaire widow Lily Safra's full-floor condo at 838 Fifth Avenue for $13.6 million in January, 2005, and then tried flipping it the same month as the Versace mansion was purchased, a quick turnover seemed a definite possibility. (Currently, the 4,165-square-foot apartment remains on the market, listed for $19.75 million.)

But over at the Versace mansion, work is now being done on the house, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission on March 14 approved an alteration of the facade. The change is not too substantial: A large window will replace a garage door.

Aside from the palatial, East 64th Street spread, Mr. Sandell's got other deals going on the Upper East Side.

His other apartment at 610 Park Avenue--which was listed for just under $5 million--recently went to contract.

The three-bedroom, three-bath corner apartment features pocket doors and herringbone floors. The 2,208-square-foot apartment also includes a dining room, laundry room, and walk-in closet.

It first came on the market in July 2005, listed with broker Penny Toepfer, of the Trump Organization. After a price reduction, a contract was signed in early March.

Both Mr. Sandell and Ms. Toepfer declined to comment.  read more »

- Michael Calderone

For 17 years, the neo-Federal townhouse at 54 East 64th Street served as the headquarters for this publication. Since being sold about a year ago, the 25-foot-wide building took on another form. After the old newspapers got tossed, and the well-worn, ink-stained rugs were hauled out, the decorators arrived. And they came full-stocked with fluffy pillows!

In 2005, the townhouse became the Kips Bay Decorator Show House and was later put on the market for $20 million, listed with Stribling’s C.B. Whyte and Shel Joblin. And now a contract has been signed, according to the company website. Calls to the brokers have not yet been returned.

Over the past few months, three big deals occurred on East 64th Street. Gianni Versace’s former home (Number 5) sold for $30 million; Prudential Douglas Elliman broker Linda Schlesinger sold her townhouse (Number 16) for $23.5 million; and a contract was recently signed at interior designer Joanne de Guardiola’s $27.9 million place (Number 20).

Although the buyer of Number 54 is currently unknown, it seems a fair guess that they will not be publishing a weekly newspaper amidst all the linen and ruffles.  read more »

-Michael Calderone

Battery Park City is nice, but Williamsburg is ... Schaefer! Michael Calderone takes a look at Schaefer Landing, 55 Berry Street, and all the other new developments that are transforming the Brooklyn waterfront into Battery Park City. Second item: He reveals the identity of the man who spent $32 million to buy Gianni Versace's Upper East Side palazzo. Meanwhile, Matthew Schuerman inspects the status of the new World Trade Center site and the Nets arena planned for downtown Brooklyn. Result? They could both end up being Superblocks, just like the old Trade Center. How'd this happen?  read more »

Most people think it all started with Madonna.  read more »

It was the party of the season, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Dec.  read more »

When you enter the Gianni Versace exhibition in the lower depths of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's  read more »