Duke Semans Mansion for Sale at $50 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Jan 13th 2010 at 7:01PM

Cab driver-turned-fertilizer king Tamir Sapir has just listed his palatial New York abode, the famed Duke Semans mansion on Fifth Avenue, for sale at $50 million with Brown Harris Stevens. The billionaire bought the historic seven-story Beaux Arts mansion (which we first mentioned back in 2005) across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Doris Duke's heirs for $40 million in 2006 after a single walk-through, and announced plans for a $10 million renovation project with the intention of turning it into a museum for his world-class collections; as we reported last year, Sapir's fondness for exotic animal trophies has gotten him into trouble with authorities. The 20,000-square-foot mansion, built in 1901, currently has a doctor's office in the basement, a five-story main residence, a penthouse duplex on top, 12 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, and 11 wood-burning fireplaces.

Gallery: Duke Semans Mansion

[via Curbed]

Tags: Duke Semans mansion, DukeSemansMansion, Fifth Avenue, FifthAvenue, New York, NewYork, Tamir Sapir, TamirSapir

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

attack.attack Jan 14th 2010 12:16AM

That image is not actually the Duke Semans Mansion, that is the Neue Gallery at 86th and fifth avenue

JPS Jan 14th 2010 8:16AM

Thanks for the catch. Got the right one now.

kenny17995 Jan 14th 2010 5:50AM

I would love to see interior pics of this home!

my real estate blog - http://www.homesoftherich.net

Patti Jan 17th 2010 12:22AM

Wow, how did a "Taxi Cab Driver " afford to buy that ?????? Hell my boyfriend is a cab driver and he's just getting by. Most people bargan shop befor hopping into a cab, trying to get a cut on the fare. Hell you tell them you run the meter they dont call you back ! What a joke, with the price of gas and they want a fee ride.
Years ago taxi driving was good money, not any more, people dont relise the cost the driver has to pay.

james Jan 16th 2010 9:32PM

If i was going to pay 50 million for some place to live it sure wouldn't be in NYC!

Tim Jan 17th 2010 12:31AM

James, then you're a moron. Go pay $50 million to live in Cleveland, instead of the greatest city in the world.

Robert Jan 16th 2010 10:21PM

If I had $50Mil to spend on housing, I would spend $1 million on a fabulous log home and $49Million on a valley with a nice lake and open space to enjoy with friends and family. New York City, no way.

Ron Jan 17th 2010 1:03AM

Greatest city in the world? No thanks, you can have it. Give me a nice chunk of property on an island or in the country with a nice huge log house with room to play outside with my rich toys and the wife can have her horses. The insanity of NYC is just a little too much to handle for me.
Oh yeah, a place where it doesn't snow!
Now I'm just waiting for the wife to hit it big in the lottery.

barbie Jan 17th 2010 3:58AM

Its such a shame that the comments are so negative about living in NYC. You all obviously don't live anywhere near NYC so that you didn't grow up going into NYC. Its the most fascinating place on earth. What a deprivation of not knowing the beauty of New York !

barbie Jan 17th 2010 4:03AM

Was it me or did anyone else notice that on some of the apartments they have newspapers covering the windows. Thats weird, why would someone want to live in the dark when you have the action looking right out your window.

dlpgirl911 Jan 17th 2010 5:14AM

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love NYC..... to visit, but I would never live there. So before we start insulting people by calling them names or telling them there opinion is wrong remember everyone has their likes and dislikes, neither right nor wrong.

Warren Ward Jan 17th 2010 7:55PM

Will he take a check?

pooky3215 Jan 17th 2010 6:17AM

I would love to go to NYC never been there, I live in New Mexico, yes it it part of USA for those of you that won't believe it, hopefully I can go there someday, but me wouldn't need a big all house happy with friends and a home to call mine. laters folks