upper east side

The Classicist: Ralph Lauren Re-Launches Famed Rhinelander Mansion in NYC

Filed under: Apparel, Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, The Classicist, Architecture & Design, Luxury Shopping

Ralph Lauren has relaunched his famed flagship in the historic Rhinelander Mansion on Madison Avenue in New York, transforming it into the world's foremost mecca of men's style. Spanning nearly 16,000 square feet, the Mansion, originally converted into an opulent retail palace by Lauren in 1986, now exclusively houses the designer's various men's collections with the company's first Women's and Home flagships due to open across the avenue later this fall. Originally designed in the 1890s by Kimball & Thompson, the the large French Renaissance Revival Mansion is an architectural treasure as well with a classic Beaux Arts façade exemplary of the the Upper East Side's grand architecture.

The new space showcases the Purple Label, Black Label, Polo, RRL and RLX Ralph Lauren collections of men's apparel and accessories, with an emphasis on the most luxurious elements. Service has been stepped up as well, with butlers to serve snacks and drinks on silver trays and a fleet of Mercedes-Benzes to chauffer important clients on shopping trips. The store features a full range of impeccably crafted made-to-measure suits, dress shirts, trousers, topcoats, sport coats and formalwear customized to exacting measurements, and made-to-order accessories and leather goods. Every room in the Mansion has been updated with cinematic decor in keeping with the neoclassical style of the original grand residence, from antiques and fixtures to furniture and art, including 18th- and 19th-century oil portraits and noteworthy photographs from Ralph Lauren's personal collection.

Gallery: The New Rhinelander Mansion

Tags: antiques, architecture, Beaux Arts, boutique, decor, designer, furniture, Gilded Age, Harvard, interior design, Ivy League, leather goods, luggage, luxury shopping, Madison Avenue, mansion, New York, photographs, Polo, Princeton, Purple Label, Ralph Lauren, retail, Rhinelander Mansion, store, suits, Upper East Side

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East 76th Street Townhouse, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is an elegant renovation of a townhouse on New York City's Upper East Side. The modern home has plenty of outdoor space and uses glass walls and open staircases to lighten up the interior. The townhouse opens with keyless entry pads providing access to the garden and stoop levels of the townhouse. The garden level leads to a vestibule with a second secured entry point to the front hall. This area has a slate floor, an oversized mud room adequate for bicycles and other outdoor gear and a staff suite with a full bath. The duplex garden uses existing bedrock on the land in its lower level. A bamboo fence and plantings surround the outdoor dining space and a steel staircase leads to the parlor floor terrace.

The kitchen has a SubZero, hooded six-burner range, two additional lateral refrigerator drawers built into the island and custom-built cabinetry. Beyond the kitchen is a media room and informal dining space. The south end of the media room has a glass wall with double doors leading out to the rear garden.

Inside, the floating stair leads to the parlor floor with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that creates a transparent barrier between the front door stoop entry and the library at the front of the house. Beside this room is a fully-stocked wet bar with refrigerator and custom shelving. The middle of this floor is dominated by a formal dining room with a large chandelier. At the south end, the parlor floor has a gas fireplace, seating space, and another floor-to-ceiling glass wall with door opening onto the terrace.

The third floor master suite includes a room-sized full bath done in white marble with an oversized shower, separate bathtub, twin sinks, floor-to-ceiling windows and radiant heat. There is a spacious dressing room off the master corridor and in the rear a large bedroom with a second closet and a door leading onto a deep setback terrace.

The fourth floor has two bedrooms and the fifth floor includes a front office or guest bedroom, a kitchenette with two-burner range, SubZero wine refrigerator, second lateral refrigerator and a fourth bedroom with a large steam shower. Stairs lead to the rooftop landing and the Ipe-wood planked rooftop garden. This home is listed at $8.95 million with Paula Del Nunzio of Brown, Harris, Stevens.

Gallery: East 76th Street Townhouse

Tags: estate of the day, new york city, new york city townhouse, upper east side

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Four Reasons Optimism Was Seen at New York's Armory Week Art Fair

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

For the past week, the art community has focused on New York City's annual Armory event, in which artists put their best pieces forward, dealers and galleries are on the prowl and collectors look for new finds that will someday redefine their portfolios. Momentum from the contemporary art auctions at Christie's and Sotheby's was certainly present, as all in attendance seemed focused on opportunity rather than window-shopping. The efforts at the Armory were consistent with a marketplace that's active, not the crushing fear that characterized the art market through the second half of 2008 and most of 2009.

1. Koons went bare
What was expected to be the most controversial event of Armory Week turned out to be subdued, though well attended. Jeff Koons offered a tribute to open sexuality with an exhibition that opened last Tuesday. Protesters weren't in sight, but musicians Cyndi Lauper and The Edge (guitarist for U2) checked out the show.

2. Solo booths were back in style
According to ArtInfo, "Solo artist booths were everywhere you looked." Individuals were ready to put themselves out into the market. Collectors had the opportunity to focus on specific artists as a result, rather than see disparate artwork crammed together by galleries and dealers managing inventory as if they were grocers. The good news, however, is that this shift isn't indicative of an art market slump. Rather, it's a sign of optimism. There's a belief out there that art collectors are ready to buy, especially given what we've seen at auction so far this year.

Tags: armory, art, art collecting, art collection, art collector, art dealer, art fair, art galleries, Art Gallery, art market, art show, artist, Artists, Christies, contemporary art, galleries, gallery, Jeff Koons, manhattan, new york, new york city, sothebys, upper east side

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Has Bernie Madoff's NYC Apartment Finally Sold?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping, Crimes and Misdemeanors

Could another of Bernie Madoff's properties finally be heading for sale? The Real Deal reports that Madoff's former penthouse at 133 East 64th Street on New York City's Upper East Side may have found a buyer. Brokers have been told there is an accepted offer on the property. It is currently listed $8.9 million and the listing at Sotheby's still shows up as active. The Real Deal quotes a spokesperson for the US Marshals Service who says that the property is still being shown and that no firm deal has been reached yet. Madoff's Montauk home sold last year for $9.4 million. His Palm Beach, Florida home remains on the market, listed at $7.9 million.

Gallery: Bernie Madoff In New York City

Tags: bernie madoff, BernieMadoff, new york city, NewYorkCity, upper east side, UpperEastSide

Remaining Madoff Homes Already Discounted

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Bernie Madoff's last home may have sold strong, but it looks like the momentum is fading. His home in the Hamptons beat the listing price and ultimately moved for more than $9.4 million. Unfortunately for his victims, interest in his Manhattan penthouse and Palm Beach estate isn't as strong. The prices for both have been cut, as the Ponzi schemer moves from news to history. Both homes have been on the market for only two months.

The Manhattan home, on the Upper East Side, offers 4,000 square feet which the broker, Sotheby's International Realty, says is "perched atop a distinguished white-glove prewar cooperative." Originally offered at $9.9 million, the asking price has been slashed by $1 million. So, if you're looking for some new digs in the city, this should be perched atop your list. A 10 percent price drop after only two months in the game means that you could probably work the price down a little bit further. If you were a Madoff investor, think of it as recouping some of what was so wrongly taken from you.

The situation in Palm Beach, Florida isn't much better. The discount is only 7 percent, with the price plunging from $8.49 million to $7.9 million according to the Corcoran Group, which is handling the sale. This home is billed as "a return to classic Florida island living ... when Palm Beach was a less manicured tropical paradise." What does that mean? Does classical Florida island living have anything to do with defrauding the neighbors?

Madoff, now a resident of Butner, North Carolina, believed that the Manhattan apartment was worth only $7 million. He pegged the Palm Beach residence at $11 million.

When both properties move, the proceeds will go to Madoff's victims. Of the $65 million, roughly, that he took, $1.4 billion is said to have been recovered. Even when compared to the investor losses identified, $21.2 billion, it's but a drop in the bucket. The auction scheduled for Saturday may help a little bit, with Bernie's Mets jacket and Ruth's golf clubs going under the gavel.

Gallery: Bernie Madoff In New York City

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Tags: bernard madoff, BernardMadoff, bernie madoff, BernieMadoff, butner, florida, hamptons, hamptons real estate, HamptonsRealEstate, madoff, madoffponzischeme, madoffscandal, manhattan, manhattan real estate, ManhattanRealEstate, new york, new york new york, NewYork, NewYorkNewYork, north carolina, NorthCarolina, palm beach, PalmBeach, ponzi scheme, PonziScheme, real estate, RealEstate, sothebys international realty, SothebysInternationalRealty, upper east side, upper east side apartment, UpperEastSide, UpperEastSideApartment

Blue Bloods Meets Burlesque at Book Bash

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Books, Wealth

There are those who think all rich people are bloodsuckers. The ones in author Melissa de la Cruz's Blue Bloods books certainly are. The bestselling series centers on a secret society of socialites within New York City's most elite families, whose ancestors sailed on the Mayflower - and who happen to be vampires living in luxury on the Upper East Side. De la Cruz (right) celebrated the publication of the fourth installment in the series, The Van Alen Legacy, due to be released today, with a book bash at Meet at the Apartment in Soho the other night. Sexy burlesque star Veronica Varlow (left), who has been featured on MTV and hailed as the next Dita Von Teese, performed a vampire-themed routine at the event, as guests sipped cocktails, enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and indulged in mini-cupcakes from Crumbs Bake Shop. The Blue Bloods series, which has over a million copies in print, has topped the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.

Tags: burlesque, Crumbs Bake Shop, CrumbsBakeShop, Melissa de la Cruz, MelissaDeLaCruz, New York, NewYork, party, Upper East Side, UpperEastSide, vampires, Veronica Varlow, VeronicaVarlow

Madonna Buys $40 Million Mansion in NYC

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Madonna has signed a contract to buy a four-story brick townhouse on East 81st Street in NYC for about $40 million, sources tell the New York Post. Reminiscent of a London townhouse, the 12,000-sq.-ft., 26-room classic Georgian residence (above) is notable for its extraordinary 57-foot width, making it one of the widest houses on the Upper East side. It features 13 bedrooms, 14 baths, a 3000-sq.ft. garden bordered by tall trees, rhododendron bushes and roses, and has a double-car garage, another Upper East Side rarity.

The historic mansion features a 38' x 22' drawing room with tall south windows overlooking the garden, a paneled dining room off the garden terrace, an intimate library, 11' ceilings, 9 fireplaces, a Georgian staircase, an elevator, a wine cellar with a grotto, and space for a rooftop garden. A portion of the townhouse, which currently functions as separate living quarters with its own entry, can be combined with the main residence and probably will be.

Madonna plans major renovations including significant security upgrades. "The townhouse is perfect for Madonna," a source tells the paper. "She's trying to recreate London in New York City, and this is in the style of a London townhouse." Meanwhile, the pop star is said to be searching for an English country house-style estate in the horse country of the East End of Long Island or Westchester, north of the city. As we reported recently, she has also been renting a mansion in Palm Beach.

Gallery: Madonna's New Mansion

Tags: celebrity, Madonna, Manhattan, mansion, New York City, NewYorkCity, townhouse, Upper East Side, UpperEastSide

The Upper East Side's Latest Luxury Development

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

New York's Core Development Group previewed Lux 74, its newest high-end development the other night. The "Full Service Luxury Residence" at 429 East 74th Street will be ready for occupancy this summer; there are only 12 units in the building, ranging from studios to five bedrooms, priced at $685,000 to $8.2 million. With a focus on modern design, the fully-finished units feature Viking, Sub-Zero and Miele appliances, hand mitered Giallo Elena limestone counter tops, Italian Stone and mosaic accents, walnut paneling, Lava stone clad fireplaces, thermostatically controlled radiant floor heating in all bathrooms, oversized air jet bath tubs, three fixture laundry rooms, and Panasonic plasma TVs and Bose hi-def surround sound A/V systems. Many also include private outdoor space, and the building boasts a 24-hour concierge to cater to residents' every whim. See the gallery for more.

Gallery: Lux 74

Tags: Bose, Core Development, CoreDevelopment, Lux 74, Lux74, Sub-Zero, Upper East Side, UpperEastSide

Upper East Side Carriage House, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

This Upper East Side carriage house is a skinny slice of NY life in seven pieces. The lower level is a separate suite with a bedroom, kitchen, bath, gym, storage, etc. The second level is the first floor that is open space which is currently an art gallery/three car garage, the next level has the family room and a bedroom suite, the level after that, the fourth, is the main family living space with the living room, dining room and kitchen. The fifth level includes two additional bedroom suites and the sixth level includes another bedroom suite with a fireplace and dressing room and the seventh level is the roof terrace. It sounds like life here would involve a lot of stair action but there is also an elevator. The home is currently filled with art that has displayed in every room of the house even the kitchen and bathroom. The vertical life will cost you $22.5 million.

Gallery: Upper East Side Carriage House

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Tags: carriage house, CarriageHouse, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, new york city, new york city real estate, NewYorkCity, NewYorkCityRealEstate, upper east side

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Prewar Coop, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

I've come to think of September 11 as New York City appreciation day, a time to honor the sorrow and the past but also to celebrate the unique spirit of the city. Today's home, a prewar coop on the Upper East Side embraces both the grandeur and the spirit of this unique city. The home has a grand living room with 18th Century lightwood paneling and a French marble fireplace framed by two bookcases and a view overlooking 72nd Street. The dining room also has a fireplace and the library is lined with bookcases of red laquered wood paneling. The slim kitchen is equipped with a professional Viking stove and Traulsen refrigerator. There are four bedrooms total including a corner master bedroom overlooking James Church. The design scheme is whimsical in places and perhaps a bit fabric-centric but that's one of the things that is most endearing about New York City, it delights in eccentricity. This home is listed at $8.25 million. Pics after the jump or supersized in the gallery.

Gallery: Prewar Coop

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Tags: estate of the day, new york city, prewar coop, PrewarCoop, upper east side

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Woolworth Mansion, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

The department store F.W. Woolworth built some pretty impressive homes in the early 1900s. While his own home, the beautiful Winfield Hall in Glen Cove, New York, has fallen on hard times, the home he built for his daughter Edna on the Upper East Side has fared better. This 14-room residence is in a 25' x 94' townhouse designed by C.P.H. Gilbert.The home is in mint condition and has five bedrooms, a formal dining room and a dark and sumptuous paneled library. It is listed at $23.45 million. After the jump, be sure to look up while eating in the dining room.

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Tags: estate of the day, mansion, new york, upper east side, woolworth

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John Duncan Townhouse, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Our estate of the day has a fireplace so large that unless you are Shaquille O'Neal, you will feel tiny. The home is a Beaux Arts limestone townhouse on the Upper East Side of Mnahattan. The townhouse was created by John Duncan, the designer of Grant's Tomb. The home was built in 1902 and has nearly 15,000 square feet of space on six levels. Things to love about this home include the fireplaces, a large wrought iron staircase, ornate moldings and endless echoing marble. There are 17 foot ceilings in some areas and a living room you could throw one hell of a party in. The dining room overlooks public gardens and has floor-to-ceiling windows. It is listed at $31 million. After the jump, is that a tree in the library?

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Tags: beaux arts, luxury real estate, manhattan, new york real estate, new york townhouse, real estate, upper east side

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