The listing for the much-talked-about Brooke Astor apartment has hit the market. Mrs. Astor, who died at the age of 105 last year was one of the grand dames of New York society. Her home at 778 Park Avenue is considered to be an exceedingly prime New York co-op. The five-bedroom apartment has high ceilings, six terraces and five wood-burning fireplaces. A reception gallery with a wet bar, leads to a living room with a wood-burning fireplace and views up and down Park Avenue. The famed corner library has gleaming red laquer walls (the Real Estalker Mama chillingly described them as looking as if they are "dripping the blood of the under-privileged"), a wood-burning fireplace and French doors opening onto two terraces. The formal dining room also has a wood-burning fireplace and French doors leading out to a terrace. The kitchen includes a pantry, service hall, and three maid's rooms, a set-up which worked well in Mrs. Astor's days but might now be reconfigured into a large eat-in kitchen and family room for today's owner. There is an additional bedroom that can be used as a maid's room or reconfigured to be a second bedroom with ensuite bath. The private quarters include a sitting room with terrace, a separate powder room, and guest bedroom. At the end of the hall is in a corner room with a lovely wood-burning fireplace, terrace, and views toward Central Park. There are 20 closets. This co-op is listed at $46 million.Only the very, very wealthy can apply to get into the Rosario-Candela-designed 778 Park Avenue co-op. As Max Abelson of the NY Observer pointed out, any potential owner will have to put 100% down and show more than enough cash to pay the steep monthly maintenance of $17,251.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-09-2008 @ 1:57PM
JXG said...
It's a shame this can't be preserved "in toto" because it will surely never be repeated--these interiors and homes are slowly evaporating and the legacy alone warrants its being preserved, but alas, it will continue on in a different manner. I mean for example, the maids rooms--such a touch of another era, the back passage ways, it's all so interesting.
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5-09-2008 @ 2:03PM
C.K. Dexter-Haven said...
Seventeen K for monthly charges is pretty inexpensive for NYC. Apparently this building is well managed...which is not universial.
Albert Hadley decorated the apartment...that is pretty much the apex of decoration, especially in NYC. Even though it was done a long time ago...
The general ratio for owners is 10 times the price in liquid assets...
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5-10-2008 @ 11:18AM
Catherine said...
Ridiculous to live like that, in such luxury while there are people out here starving. No one can afford rent anymore and then they have places like this.
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5-10-2008 @ 1:19PM
travisd said...
That's an amazing comment, Catherine, considering it's about a woman who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to charitable causes and was 100% dedicated to philanthropic pursuits, particularly the New York Public Library. Indeed, she left the bulk of her fortune to charity. Your ignorance is showing.
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5-10-2008 @ 7:22PM
Phil said...
Catherine almost touched on something... it wasnt awful that "she" lived that way. it's awful the asking price and the extreme waste for what amounts to an apartment. I think its a shame what people charge for apartments and pretty stupid what people pay to live in NYC (mostly Manhattan), its nothing to do with supply and demand.. but everything to do with greed, lust and vanity (sins). It truly is a shame we admire this while people starve to death and die in the streets and park below.
5-10-2008 @ 7:15PM
Jack said...
Wow, that's really lavish. I wish I was her grandson.
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5-11-2008 @ 12:55AM
James Di Pietro said...
LAVISH, LUXURIOUS, OPULENT, RICH, DECADENT LIFESTYLE.............SOUNDS GREAT ! BUT THIS WOMAN WAS NOT AN IVORY TOWER SHUTIN. SHE GAVE TONS OF MONEY TO CHARITIES AND THE PRESERVATION OF KNOWLEDGE. VERY UNSELFISH AND SMART.
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5-12-2008 @ 4:18AM
gloria said...
If I could I would live in it as is and not change a thing and also continue to send lavish amounts of money overseas to my pooer relatives and have few come to live with me as well.It deserves to be kept as a landmark to a gracious woman.
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5-14-2008 @ 12:24PM
JXG said...
Living in NYC is one of the greatest privileges one could ever have. To characterize it as a land of greed and sin is just missing the scope of the city. Magic happens in NYC--taxing down Fifth Ave during the Christmas holiday going under the large snowflake suspended at the intersection of 57th Street; rowing in Central Park and finding turtles bathing on the rocks; the majesty of the Chrysler Building lit at night; the splendor of the Met Museum (which can be entered for free if you ask)--it's an incredibly warm and generous city. Everyone should have a chance to live there or visit at least.
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5-14-2008 @ 2:42PM
Patricia Alber said...
Frankly, I think it's all ugly. Give me downhome America anyday over that gaudy garbage.
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5-14-2008 @ 5:14PM
JXG said...
Grandmotherly maybe, but it could never be called ugly. It's about as Americana as you can get.
5-14-2008 @ 6:38PM
Patricia Alber said...
I've lived all over the US (I originate from NY) and spent 2 years traveling Europe. I was invited into hundreds of European homes. That is not Americana. That is European. The only home in America that I have been in that was anything remotely like that was in New Mexico. A Cuban & Puerto Rican couple who had grown up poor and came into money later tried to dress up there 4000 sq. ft home in that "style" because they thought that is what was meant by "making it". Maybe a very small part of America lived that way quite a while ago when the connections to Britain were much stronger, but I still would disagree that the average American (though strangely ignorant in history)would call that Americana.
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