Friday, April 4, 2014

Friday Floor Plan Porn: 740 Park Ave

SELLER: France
LOCATION: New York City, NY
PRICE: $48,000,000
SIZE: 7,000+ square feet, 4+ bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms (plus extensive staff quarters)

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Thanks to a handful of the children it's come to Your Mama's floor plan loving attention that a suburban mansion-sized duplex at the impossibly tony 740 Park Avenue in New York City has popped up on the open market with a sky-high (but hardly unheard of) $48,000,000 asking price.

Your Mama's research—largely via Michael Gross's dishy and delicious real estate page turner 740 Park—indicates the 18-room B-line duplex on the 12th and 13th floors has been owned since 1978 by the French government to house their Permanent Representative to the United Nations, currently and since September 2009 lifetime diplomat Gérad Araud.

The French government purchased the palatial pad from Ann and Keith Barish, she a luncheon tossing socialite and he a financier, real estate developer, film producer (The Fugitive, Sophie's Choice, 9.5 Weeks), and co-founder of the theme-eatery Planet Hollywood. The Barish's bought the apartment in 1969 from (deceased) media mogul Gardner "Mike" Cowles and his nonagenarian art collector wife/widow Jan Cowles who picked it up in 1957 from the estate of the apartment's original owner, department store heir and publisher Marshal Field III.

Current digital marketing materials don't show the square footage of the apartment—Your Mama guesstimates based on floor plan measurements it's somewhere just shy of 7,500—but do show the 18-room spread has 4-6 principle bedrooms (depending on use) and 5.5 bathroom plus 3-4 staff bedrooms that share a pair of bathrooms. We counted five fireplaces, 38 windows, and at least 20 closets—many of the walk-ins. Listing details do show the common charges ring up to a knee-buckling $24,088 per month or, tabulated another way, $289,056 annually.

It's universally understood by property gossips and other interested parties that potential buyers of apartments at 740 Park Avenue must have four times the purchase price in liquid assets. That means for someone to financially qualify to acquire the residence of France's Permanent Representative to the United Nations the buyer would need nearly $200,000,000 in cash assets that they can access immediately and at will.

A semi-private elevator landing—it's shared with the A-line duplex that's currently owned by the German government to house the Consul-General—opens directly into an undeniably stately yet utterly banal, beige marble floored gallery. The original, elegantly curved staircase is rather oddly paired with a molded plastic La Chaise lounger by Charles and Ray Eames and a gilded rococo console that looks like it could have come from Manny's House of Eleganza Furnishings in Queens but probably once belonged to a French royal.

The colossal, sun-flooded corner living room—40 feet long and 21 feet wide—is actually, all by itself, significantly larger than the 600 square foot two bedroom Lower East Side tenement Your Mama lived before we married up and moved to a large duplex in Chelsea. Anyways, the wood floors are reddish and homey, the fireplace is mirrored—that's right, mirrored—and we're sort of in heavy decorative like with the unfussy, butter colored drapery.

At almost 600 square feet the scale of the formal dining room is practically royal even if the fireplace surround looks like it belongs in a sad, middlebrow hotel in Vladivostok. There are additional fireplaces in the library—where the butter yellow curtains are so much less successful than in the living room that they're an abject decorative failure—and a cozy if dowdy study where the dizzying floral wreath patter on the wall covering was also employed, in an haute Old Fashioned style that is almost chic again, for the curtain fabric.

The lower level service/staff wing, tucked up into the dark, northwest rear of the apartment, encompasses a roomy (if probably not light flooded) eat-in kitchen, an adjoining pantry larger than most kitchens, additional pantry storage, and a cell-sized staff bedroom with neighboring bathroom. An all but hidden rear staircase ascends discreetly to the upper level off the staff/service wing where floor plans show a good-sized windowed laundry room, a second cell-sized staff bedroom and a double-wide staff bedroom, and hall-accessed bathroom.

Along with the two-floor service/staff wing there's easy potential for six bedroom suites on the upper floor but the floor plan included with current marketing materials shows it's currently configured with three guest/family bedroom suites—one of them a double suite with small adjoining office—and a massive master suite comprised of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, three walk in closets plus additional closets, one fireplace (in the corner bedroom), and a slender planting terrace that, honestly butter beans, looks a mite narrow to even safely step outside for a post-coital smoke (or whatever).

740 Park Avenue, an austere, limestone edifice designed by high society architect Rosario Candela and built at the onset of the Great Depression in 1930, has always attracted high wattage residents with enough money and social clout to pass muster with the powerful and persnickety co-op board that approves and rejects applications for purchase and residency. (So the scuttlebutt goes, Barbra Streisand, Joan Crawford, Neil Sedaka, and Barbara Walters's applications for purchase were all resoundingly rejected.) Some of the building's earliest residents include John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (and both of his wives) in a high-floor duplex later owned by Saul and Gayfryd Steinberg and now owned by private equity multi-billionaire Stephen Schwarzman; Campbells Soup heiress Elinor Dorrance Hill Ingersoll (and both her husbands) who lived in a duplex now owned and occupied by fashion designer Vera Wang; Standard Oil heiress Mildred Bedford Vanderbilt who lived in an apartment now owned by the German government; and John and Janet Lee Bouvier—that would be Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwell's parents—in a mid-floor duplex now owned by hedge fund fat cat David Ganek.

Current residents/owners at 740 include industrialist and arch-conservative political activist David Koch; financier Howard Marks—he paid $52.52 million for education oriented philanthropist Courtney Sale Ross's titanic high floor duplex in the spring of 2012; beauty industry tycoon Ronald Lauder, Greek shipping magnate Spyros Niarchos—he was once married to the dee-voonly boho-chic beer heiress Daphne Guinness; and financially embattled real estate investor Kent Swig and his now estranged wife Liz who hoisted their contemporary art filled 16-room low floor duplex on the open market in January (2014) for $32,500,000.

exterior photo: Nicholas Strini for Property Shark
listing photos and floor plan: Brown Harris Stevens and Sotheby's Intternational Realty

31 comments:

Rosco Mare said...

I know very little about NYC apartments, co-ops, etc, which is one reason Mama Dearest's blog is fun to read. Would like to see this beauty after new day-core is installed.

Thanks for the afternoon floor plan porn delight, Mama Dearest. Now, the weekend can begin on a high (floor) note!

DC Guy said...

I live for New York floor porn. Those grand old buildings, the wealthy residents that have come and gone. And Michael Gross' book is an absolute must read if you love everything old NY apartments.

WASP said...

They are not "drapes", they are curtains. *shudder*

Anonymous said...

To the boring fat lady (or man) sitting in your mouldy Trenton trailer, YOU ARE WRONG, AGAIN.

Mama is correct in her use of the the term drapery within this context. Had Mama been referring to a variety of window coverings in one sweeping reference, I'm certain Mama would have said window treatments. Yes, curtains are a specific form of window treatment, including the Walmart polyesters you are most personally familiar with.

Now settle down and finish your box of Velveeta.

Anonymous said...

Re. 6:52 AM

I refer you to the work of the late Nancy Mitford concerning U and Non-U words and phrases. Don't know if "drapes" was one of her bete-noires, but wouldn't be surprised. Another very Non-U decorating term is "couch" as opposed to "sofa." Well bred old money always refers to that piece of furniture as a "sofa." "Foyer," especially when given the french pronunciation, is another one that is considered pretentious and laughable. For a Pierrepont or a Phipps, it would just be the "front hall." Though they love to name their properties, it's often followed by "house" (as in Westbury House") or "farm," regardless of how grand.

There are few rules to all of this. Sometimes, it is a matter of not using a pretentious or euphemistic term ("passed away" as opposed to "died"), but sometimes it's purely a matter of social
convention, and one just has to know the proper word/term. "Window treatments" are sold and bought at places like Lowe's. That term could well be met by blank faced non-recognition.

Anonymous said...

MY Walmart polyester draperies are to die for. 4:12 lives in Trenton? Egads. MY Newark trailer is a portable palace. NOTHING beats a Velveeta toasted cheese. Stop eating out of the box 4:12 *shudders*

Anonymous said...

Whose to say whether the window coverings are curtains are drapes from these photos?

From the internet, so it must be true...

Drapes are generally considered to be only heavy materials that are not made from sheer or see-through fabrics – these types of window treatments generally run floor-length and are made to block out light during the day and to seal in heat during cold or winter months. Drapes are known to be more expensive than traditional curtains, as they contain more fabric than their window counterparts; although they are sometimes of a higher quality than curtains and can help homeowners save on their heating bills throughout the year.

Curtains are usually made out of lighter fabrics like cotton or sheer and translucent materials and are cheaper to buy as they are less expensive to produce than heavy drapes. Curtains, unlike drapes, are not usually lined and so they provide less privacy when used alone but are light enough to be paired with blinds or shutters without making windows appear bulky.

Anonymous said...

I always use 'passed away' simply because it's less harsh sounding. 'Died' has such a hard finality to it, which I know is what death is, but why drive the point home when there's another option, particularly when speaking to those emotionally affected by it.

I prefer 'foyer' if that's what it is, and 'front hall' to indicate a hallway without including a vestibule. What's really pretentious is over thinking mundane stuff. Common sense rules. Let others think what they want.

Anonymous said...

In a house, a foyer, front hall (sometimes called an entrance hall) and vestibule all refer to the same thing. I don't know what this additional vestibule is, that when added to a front hall becomes something called a foyer.

Now a foyer can also refer to a grand fully furnished room preceding another more important space, often in a theatre, a private club or a palace. But that then supports the notion that when referred to in the context of a house, it's pretentious.

Anonymous said...

Who is this person talking to him/herself about room names and what to call dead people?
Just look at the floorplan and shut it

Higher Ground said...

Velveeta 7:50 through 8:16, you are on a fucking roll.

There are those of us bred to know proper terminology and protocols without hesitation for checking sources.

Then there are people like you, from the low flood table lowlands, who resort to Google defenses with pedestrian attributions.

Desperate people require desperate measures. Nonetheless, you are entertaining fodder for ladies who lunch.

HENCE, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE MISINFORMED.

Anonymous said...

That would be me -- 8:56 AM. Why do you care what I have to say? And please do tell us exactly why you are in the comments section here? Have something to bring to the table besides being a jackass? Of course not.

Since you asked me to shut it, I'm going to add another one: "house" vs. "home."

Anonymous said...

Looks like great bones in desperate need of a makeover.

And please don't feed the troll(s).

Anonymous said...

8:52, when I reference the larger greeting area directly in front of the front door, I call it the foyer. If I'm referencing the narrower hallway leading from it to the powder room, basement stairway, and rear area of the home, I call it the front hall.

8:56, nothing like trolls imposing their misery loves company negativity. Despite what you may think, it's no substitute for medication and therapy in treating depression.

Anonymous said...

9:56. 9:17:
I agree with 7:50 points. You are embarrassing yourself, bitter and insecure, hence your attempts to appear worldly. You are also very shallow.

Anonymous said...

I respectfully request that those who comment before their Friday night hangover wears off, to please stop doing so, effective immediately. Thank you!

(This has been a Public Service Announcement)

Enjoying the comments from those not in a bad mood today!

Anonymous said...

Need to be worth 250 million plus to afford this property. Others need not apply

Anonymous said...

10;23, in your effort to be clever, funny or impressive, you have failed, further implicating yourself as deeply insecure. It is you who are in a bad mood and hung over as a force of habit.

Beach yourself substantial carcass somewhere and sleep it off your ill tempered bad form.

Anonymous said...

Wow, so many comments and so little substance.
Where's LGB and Hedda?
Let's talk about those dining room ceilings!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, kinda sucks for all of us, but 9:17 AM is right. It's best not to feed the trolls. It only incites them to further abuse which you can obviously see now.

Anyways, thanks for the floor plan porn Mama. Love it!

Anonymous said...

Where's lard ass Hedda, she asks? Here all day correcting Mama on curtains as an anonymous. Now the bitch writes in to ask where "Hedda" is, like it's being written a nonexistent fan. Bring it on, troll.

Anonymous said...

Shavua tov Kinderlach,

With its pale limestone facing and marble trim, minimal ornamentation and cubistic setbacks, 740 Park Avenue presents a deco-moderne aesthetic outstanding in contrast to earlier palazzo and Georgian-style buildings on the Avenue. However, it is the Rabbi's opinion the undeniably grand and luxurious apartments within did not optimally rise to the extraordinary level of Candela's highly successful and original exterior design.

Anonymous 3:04 p.m., the Rabbi cannot clearly discern the comparatively minuscule plaster garlands (?) applied at the lofty juncture where the dining room walls meet the very high ceiling. And what's a dining room without a chandelier? Gornisht! (Nothing!)

Along with Bentley, the Rabbi experiences ambivalence concerning 740's interior staircases, through which Candela appeared to be continuing a newly streamlined sensibility. Unfortunately, these staircases seem small and almost insignificant within their vast galleries.

The Rabbi refers the Kinderlach to J.R.R. Carpenter's earlier 812 Park Avenue for a je ne sais quoi of 1920s interior domestic staircase style. Each of the five duplex and triplex lines feature elegantly curved and masterfully carved neo-colonial stairways in five different designs.

The Rabbi is posting post-Shabbos from her very own and highly elegant triple-wide, with its mock Med exterior, triple-wide menorah, and triple-wide chandelier. She prays the Trentonian Trailor Terrace Mobile Homeowner Association will approve her plans to add a setback second story, connected within by a new elliptical staircase.

Rabbi Hedda LaCasa
Trenton NJ

WrteStufLA said...

It's vaguely comforting to know that German and French diplomats can at least share an elevator landing.

Sandpiper said...

Rosario Candela's floor plans are always so amazing, but (and there always is one), he could never have predicted today's desire for more closets, larger bathrooms and fewer if any maids' "chambers". I'm sure he'd bless a few deliciously unavoidable tweaks to that end. As for what aesthetically happens next, it's a beautiful blank canvas for the new owner's wants and imagination.

For me, the kitchen could be brighter, larger and more catering trolley friendly. I'd begin with terminating all non-load-bearing walls, including the one jutting out from stairway, the silly air lock passage and the shared wall to the first butler's pantry. Upstairs closets could open into bedrooms rather than out onto the gallery. Et cetera.

Here's some fun.

A NYT piece about the 740 Park by Michael Gross described how this unit came to be acquired via an "approval seeking gambit [executed] by legendary broker Alice Mason".

The NYT explained: "When the French embassy sought a higher-floor apartment, [Mason] advised the embassy to ingratiate itself (through party invitations) with every board member save the one she had learned was hostile to her client's cause. She waited until the unsympathetic member went on vacation before proposing the sale, which was approved."

Freaking brilliant!

tom said...

why didn't they fix the curtains to make them all look the same. the most amazing thing about real estate incompetence are the terrible pictures. there is no excuse for these pictures.

Sandpiper said...

Hi 7:45,
That's something I always wonder about too. I have several "theories" (lol) and they all boil down to photo styling experience (please pardon the redundancy):

- the agent doesn't have styling experience and also takes the pictures;
- the agent accompanies photographer to shoot and neither of them have styling experience;
- or the photographer is alone at site and doesn't have styling experience.

You'd think that for such a pricey listing (or any listing) they'd take marketing pics more seriously.

Do you think any of my guesses make sense?

bentley said...

Sandpiper, I like your thoughts around re-working the kitchen. It's a shame that when these building were erected there was little thought given to kitchen design beyond function and proximity/access to the 'formal' dining area(s) of the apartments. To Mama's point, the lack of pics (well taken or otherwise!) leads me to believe it must be quite grim with it's two wee little windows.

Talk about potential, though, wow. Could be a stunner. Nowhere to go but up really. The gallery pictures alone make me want to find a sofa (ahem) and curl up for a nap. What a yawn.

Sandpiper said...

My friend Bentley,
Ahh, yes, I should have remembered you're a kitchen man, too ,,, among other things!
S

Marcus said...

This unit is in the B(corner) line-the grandest in the building-these apartments are 8000 SF, although some realtors give the 9-10,000 SF range.
Besides the trio of public rooms, there is also a bonus reception room facing the Avenue.Upstairs 6 bedrooms, all planned by Candela(no combined maids rooms).How many buildings can boast 6 bedrooms?most top out at 4-5 .Ceilings are 12 feet on the lower floor and 10 feet upstairs.
As for the decor, it's average at best.The foyer is the worst though...
The apartment was owned for over two decades(mid 30s-late 50s) by Marshall Field III, who moved after only 5 years in RiverHouse's fabled triplex tower penthouse...
Others who quit RiverHouse for 834 this time, the Gutfreunds in the mid 80s of course...
Aparently RiverHouse has been losing popularity with the cream of Society for a long time now....despite being as expensive as 740,834(among others) in the early 30s...

Anonymous said...

Libertarian? Bwahahahahaha. You must have been the one ditching high school political science.

Anonymous said...

So true.