Duke Semans

Without William Neuman's "Big Deal" column, it seemed like a slow weekend on the luxury real estate front. But turning to the weekend Metro section, there was the huge news that Mayor Bloomberg is planning to buy a $45 million townhouse on the Upper East Side to use as a charity headquarters.

Mr. Bloomberg has not yet closed on the sale of the six-story building at 25 East 78th Street, on the corner of Madison Avenue, but he has signed a contract to do so and last week sent in a check for the full price, according to the person with knowledge of the deal, who was granted anonymity because the sale has not yet been completed.

What's strange is that the listing on the Sotheby's site says the Stanford White-designed townhouse costs $50 million (which is the same asking price since The Observer first reported on it in May 2005). Either way, $45 or $50 million would be a record-setting price for a townhouse, trumping the $40 million paid for the Duke Semans mansion.  read more »

- Michael Calderone

• After the Duke Semans mansion entered the market last summer, several other pricey properties came on with a $50 million asking price, including this one. Now, former WorldCom director Francesco Galesi is cutting the price of his River House co-op down to $39 million. "Baronial Grandeur" aside, isn't it worth it to share the neighborhood with Henry Kissinger? (New York Post)
• When Charles Grodin went before the board for his Riverside Drive apartment, they never even brought up his co-op bashing play. (New York Times)
• In the past year, two grand spreads have moved at 998 Fifth Avenue--Manhattan's first luxury apartment building. However, one more remains: Anne Slater's "classic fourteen." Check out the slideshow! (New York)
• Although this was posted a couple days ago, considering that The Observer has reported previously on Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons' difficulties selling their Liberty Street spread, we couldn't resist. Now, it remains to be seen where all these properties will end up after the divorce. (A Socialite's Life)

- Michael Calderone

Although the Plaza’s new ceiling is certainly newsworthy, what's more exciting is that the state attorney general’s office just approved the conversion plan, which had been expected about two months ago. The 6,300-square-foot triplex is being offered at $32.5 million.

After famously battling De Beers, how tough could Manhattan’s condo world be for billionaire Lev Leviev? Now, alongside Shaya Boymelgreen, the developers go beyond Downtown by Starck with the conversion of http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/realestate/11deal.html ">20 Pine Street.

Speaking of downtown luxury condos, Bruce Willis is heading for a penthouse at Cipriani’s 55 Wall Street for $10 million, according to the New York Post. And contrary to The Times star witness, there seems to be more evidence that Lenny Kravitz is not dropping $50 million on the Duke Semans mansion.

Staying nearby her Strokes beau, Drew Barrymore buys a Bleecker Street duplex for about $2.5 million, according to New York magazine.  read more »

And even though the G Train “smelled like a sewer,” an intrepid grad student moves to Greenpoint anyway. See you at the Pencil Factory, dude!

-Michael Calderone

After putting her Fifth Avenue penthouse on the market over a year ago, Julia Roberts is finally closer to selling, according to the New York Post. Also, whatever happened to Lenny Kravitz buying the Duke Semans mansion? Could the ice-cream man have been wrong?

Hank Azaria dropped $4.75 million on Cindy Sherman’s Soho loft, according to the New York Times. Mr. Azaria will now bask in the downtown co-op’s “sensual elegance,” which The Real Estate last visited in July.

In the New York Times. Charles Bagli looks at the the possible move of Madison Square Garden to a location a few blocks. If built, the future home of the Knicks and Rangers would follow a familiar trend in recently-built arenas--additional luxury boxes! So the West Side Stadium gets struck down and a new MSG could rise up. It looks like those feisty Dolans knew what they were doing all along.

In New York magazine, S. Jhoanna Robledo looks at changes in the co-op approval process, like increased transparency. Also, Barnes and Noble exec Steve Riggio bought a $5.75 million Hamptons home, "according to sources." One of those sources might have been The Observer, which already reported the deal in mid July.  read more »

Also, could mega-developer Gary Barnett and his friends at the Carlyle Group already flip part of the land they bought last June from Donald Trump? According to Crain's, at least two bidders are interested in a $1 billion swath.

-Michael Calderone