Our collection of recent celebrity transactions this week includes King Charles on Billionaire’s row, Sylester Satallone upstate sale, Jimmy Buffet, The house where it all started for The Grateful Dead, Benihana, “Girl” star Jemima Kirke, and handbag creator Brandon Blackwood! Click on the images for the full articles…
This article originally appeared in the NY Post, and while it doesn’t immediately pertain to real estate per se, this square, like the Beastie Boys, will always hold a spot in NYC’s heart.
Beastie Boys celebrate renamed NYC intersection: ‘Why do they get a square?’
The Beastie Boys were immortalized in New York history Saturday when the street corner featured on the cover of the hip-hop group’s 1989 album “Paul’s Boutique” was christened “Beastie Boys Square,” reports NME.
Speaking at the ceremony, former band members Ad-Rock, 56, and Mike D, 57, thanked their fans for making their dreams come true.
“Thank you [to New York] for teaching us what to look at, what to listen to, what to wear, how to love, how to live,” said Rock, born Adam Horovitz. “It makes me really happy to know that some kid on the way to school 50 years from now is gonna look up and say, ‘What the f–k is a Beastie Boy? Why do they get a square?’”
Mike D, born Michael Diamond, added that “we could not have become what we became without growing up in New York City.”
“As many of us know, once the Beastie Boys hit the scene, it really changed the hip-hop game,” council member Christopher Marte said last year.
“I see it as a celebration. A celebration for the Lower East Side, a celebration for hip-hop, and especially a celebration for our community who has been organizing for a really long time to make this happen.” —NY Post
Director Baz Luhrmann’s NYC townhouse returns to market for $17.99M
The extravagance of Baz Luhrmann films — from “Elvis” to “The Great Gatsby” and “Moulin Rouge!” — is visible in the Gilded Age townhouse he shares with his Oscar-winning wife, costumes and production designer Catherine Martin.
At 8,500 square feet, it boasts six bedrooms, five baths, two powder rooms and five fireplaces. It’s the only Anglo-Italianate home in the area that wasn’t originally part of a row of narrow, uniform properties, according to listing broker and reality television star Steve Gold, of Corcoran. —NY Post
Former host of ‘The Daily Show’ Trevor Noah sells NYC penthouse for $9.5M
Trevor Noah — the former host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” — has closed on the sale of his chic Hell’s Kitchen penthouse.
He sold it for $9.5 million, according to records filed with the city on Thursday. The gut-renovated duplex at Stella Tower — which comes with its own private plunge pool — was last asking $10.99 million, and it entered contract at the end of July, according to StreetEasy.
Noah bought the three-bedroom, 3½-bathroom penthouse at 425 W. 50th St. for $10.18 million in 2017 and listed it last fall for $12.95 million, not long before he left the seat of the show. —NY Post
Longtime owner of Pee-wee Herman’s real playhouse tells all
1846 Oxley St. in South Pasadena, Calif
Pee-wee, played by the late Paul Reubens, first appeared as the memorable character in the late ’70s. But it was the 1985 film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton, that catapulted him — and this particular home — into stardom.
Little did the real owners of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom property — at 1846 Oxley St. in South Pasadena, Calif. — know that the home’s association with Pee-wee would bring fans far and wide to pay homage to the quirky character. —Read full article on NY Post
Bob Dylan parting ways with longtime Scotland estate
In 1997, Bob Dylan once professed his love for Scotland, writing his hit song “Highlands” with the lyrics, “Well my heart’s in the Highland, I’m gonna go there when I feel good enough to go.”
Not only did he feel good enough to go to Scotland, he bought a place there. In 2006, Dylan, now 82, alongside his brother, purchased what’s known as the Aultmore House for $2.9 million.
Made up of 16 bedrooms and 11 baths, the home — situated on 24 acres of land — is now on sale for $3.9 million. —Read full article on NY Post
Broadway Legend Stephen Sondheim’s Manhattan Townhouse—Where He Wrote Tony-Winning Musicals—Is Selling to the Tune of $7 Million
246 East 49th Street, Turtle Bay, Manhattan
It’s where he composed ‘Sunday in the Park with George,’ his Pulitzer Prize–winning musical based on George Seurat.
The renowned composer bought the five-story building in the 1960s, following the success of his Gypsy theater production in 1959. He resided in the house—located in Turtle Bay Gardens, among only 20 historic homes that make up the tony Manhattan neighborhood—for decades until his death, in 2021.
Sondheim said he was inspired to invest in real estate after receiving an economics lesson from a friend. Using the royalties from Gypsy, he managed to afford the down payment. In the beginning, he rented out the top three floors of the townhouse to help pay the mortgage.
But it’s the preserved music studio, complete with wood-burning fireplace, that will be the property’s highlight for fans of Sondheim’s works, which includes a combination of music and lyrics for not only Gypsy (1959) but also West Side Story (1957), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Follies (1971), Sweeney Todd (1979), and Into the Woods (1987). And there was, of course, Sunday in the Park with George, Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize–winning musical of 1984 based on the post-Impressionist artist George Seurat’s life and work—in particular his pointillist painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte—as seen through a contemporary lens. —Read full article on Artnet.com
“Devil Wears Prada” Townhouse On Sale for a casual $27,500,000 USD
129 East 73rd Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan
Made famous by the undeniably iconic film, The Devil Wears Prada, the townhouse was previously home to the fictional character (and fashion royalty) Miranda Priestly — played by Meryl Streep. The 22-foot wide townhouse is located on East 73rd Street and is priced at a casual $27,500,000 USD. First showcased in the film as Andy (played by Anne Hathaway) sheepishly enters a hallway entrance to deliver “the book,” the opulent home became a window into the otherwise mysterious life of Priestly. – this hallway was also used for a scene in the show Gossip Girl. —Read full article on Hypebae.com
Michael Rubin — the CEO of Fanatics, the “world’s leading provider of licensed sports merchandise” — hosted a celebrity packed July 4th party at his over 8,100 square-foot oceanfront manse that may have rivaled your own BBQ! Tom Brady, Robert Kraft, Kim Kardashian, Usher, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kenny Chesney, Jack Harlow, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, Kevin Hart and French soccer player Kylian Mbappé were some of the big name stars in attendance.
The e-commerce retailer purchased the four-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in 2020 in an off-market deal from Ziel Feldman, the founder of the real estate development company, HFZ Capital Group.
Situated on nearly two acres of land, the property boasts an oceanfront view on one side and a view of Mecox Bay on the other.
Features include a pool, spa, sauna, tennis court and upper-level deck for al fresco dining. There is also a separate viewing deck with a jacuzzi. The home has also been adorned with solar panels.
Read full original article at NY Post
God Bless America!
This week’s CelebEstate brings more awe-inspiring deals!
Her lucky star came through.
Like a prayer, Madonna has successfully flipped her California compound for a very pretty penny.
The queen of pop, 64, listed her 3-acre mansion in Los Angeles’ gated Hidden Hills community in April 2022 for an ambitious $25.9 million.
The initial asking price was knocked down to $23.5 million, and she has now found a taker for $23 million, according to TMZ, which reported that the songwriter sold the property to a buyer who got her to take an extra half-million dollars off the last ask.
That’s a $3.7 million profit for the “Material Girl,” as she paid Canadian R&B star The Weeknd $19.3 million for the 12,000-square-foot estate in April 2021.
The 33-year-old “Can’t Feel My Face” singer, in turn, paid $18.2 million for the nine-bathroom home in 2017, and he initially tried getting $25 million for it.
In addition to its celebrity history, the opulent abode also boasts a saltwater pool, basketball court, 10-person spa, indoor-outdoor bar, five-car auto gallery, home theater and wine cellar, The Post previously reported.
In her brief time at the sprawling address, Madonna added a gym and dance studio as well.
The main house has a fireplace-equipped formal dining room and a foyer with a two-story wall of windows, and all seven of its bedrooms have ensuite baths.
There’s also a guest house with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full kitchen.
Read full original article at NY Post
You go, Material Girl!!!
This week’s CelebEstate brings more awe-inspiring deals!
Fresh off Beyonce’s critically acclaimed album, Renaissance, featuring collaborations with Grace Jones and Nile Rogers, the Queen broke another record with her purchase of a $200 million seaside Malibu estate. Earlier this year Beyonce’s husband, Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, sold his stake in cognac brand D’Usse to Bacardi for a reported $750 million. Not to worry, Jigga Man still has his partnership with Moet-Hennesy in champagne brand Ace of Spades so the Carters will be just fine.
Drake, the Canadian rapper and former child TV star, is also known for his business acumen, and now he’s testing his skills in the Los Angeles real estate market. After last year’s purchase of UK pop sensation Robbie Williams’ estate for $75 million, Drake has decided to flip the property for $88 million. Williams originally bought the property for $32 million in 2015. Higher mortgage rates be damned!
Closer to home, legendary musician and Long Island’s own, Billy Joel, has listed his sprawling 26-acre Oyster Bay estate for a staggering $49 million. This magnificent property, complete with a 20,000’ main house, offers potential buyers a tranquil retreat away from the bustling city. Now THAT’s what you get for your money! Joel’s decision to sell his beloved home, with multiple pools and private dock, after decades of ownership is the result of his spending more time in Florida. We look forward to seeing what happens in the estate’s next
Rosie O’Donnell, the beloved comedian and television personality, has put her exquisite Turtle Bay penthouse on the market for $8.3 million. This after her purchase in 2017 for $8 million. The luxurious residence boasts panoramic city views, elegant interiors, and a prime location. As Rosie bids farewell to her lavish abode, potential buyers have the opportunity to acquire a piece of New York City’s elite real estate.
While the celebrity real estate scene thrives, concerns loom over the broader housing market. Experts warn that a potential debt ceiling crisis could have severe repercussions on the industry. While President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy have reached a deal to increase the debt ceiling, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern over the terms. The uncertainty surrounding government debt and the potential economic impact has the potential to dampen consumer confidence and disrupt real estate transactions. Observers are closely monitoring the situation, hoping for a swift resolution.
New Yorkers, meanwhile, are bracing themselves for an increase in subway and bus fares, proverbially known as the cost of a token, by the end of the summer, according to a proposed plan by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The fare hike, which would raise the cost to $2.90, has sparked concerns among commuters. In addition to buses and subways, fares on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North would also go up by about 4%, while keeping the $500 cap on any monthly pass.
From the extravagant purchases by Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Drake’s entrepreneurial ventures in flipping mansions, the market remains dynamic.