Luxe Living

From young star, to generation-X poster boy, to multi-talented and multiple-times-married father of four, Ethan Hawke has managed to delight the public throughout his career. Even his less-successful films, such as Gattaca, where he met his first wife Uma Thurman, are engaging and fun to watch. And if he’s able to sell his New York townhouse for the asking price of $6,250,000, we can add real estate mogul to his list of talents — after all, he did initially purchase the home in 2005 for the low, low price of $3,000,000.

Although it’s hard to imagine Officer Jake Hoyt living in Chelsea, you have to love the location of this home, surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and art galleries. And there’s enough eye candy in the area to make you wonder if, indeed, you are living amongst a race of genetically perfect human beings.

Once inside Hawke’s nest, you’ll find the four-story Chelsea townhouse has six bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, and clocks in around 3,500 square feet. The custom kitchen with dining banquette and large dining room highlight an inviting, open floor plan that’s just steps away from the patio and garden. But the master suite — which encompasses the entire top floor and features a private terrace — is perhaps the highlight of the home.

Now this is a place that is perfect for the buyer who’s looking to take a bite out of life in the Big Apple.

Her Madgesty, Madonna, just listed her New York palace on the market for $23,500,000! First reported by The Real Estalker, the for-sale property is Madonna’s long-time New York City duplex on the Upper West Side–the same one that was immortalized in the pages of Architectural Digest in 1991. The unit that ‘used to be her playground’ is actually three separate apartments that have been combined over time. Here’s a quick flashback: Madonna and Sean Penn bought the first of the three apartments in 1986. The second, adjacent apartment was purchased after their divorce a couple of years later, and the third and final one was acquired six months later, rounding out the massive spread.

The pricey, pieced-together pad is now a two-story duplex that engulfs the 5th and 6th floors of Harperley Hall, a building known for its broad central courtyard entrance with manned gate house, sidewalk landscaping, balconies, and terracotta detailing.

Inside, Madge’s fancy duplex consists of six bedrooms and eight bathrooms spread across four wings and 6,000 square-feet. The perfect place for any ‘Material Girl,’ the 15-room home also possesses 10-plus- foot ceilings, five wood burning fireplaces, and 110 feet of frontage on Central Park.  According to Architectural Digest, the home was meticulously designed by Madonna’s younger brother and trusted confidante Christopher G. Ciccone.

If you want to take these digs off Madonna’s hands, you better count your ‘Lucky stars’ — and pennies — and get in touch with listing agent Arabella Greene Buckworth, because this place will likely get snapped up quicker than a ‘Ray of Light.’

So where will Madonna decamp? We suspect she’s already happily nested in her OTHER high-priced NYC home. In 2009, Madonna paid $32,500,000 for a 13-bedroom, 12-bathroom, 12,000-square-foot urban mansion on E. 81st Street.  Aside from her real estate holdings in The Big Apple, Madonna owns a private, $12 million-dollar estate on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills and an East Coast vacation home in Bridgehampton, which she purchased from Calvin Klein’s ex-wife Kelly in 2009.

Images via Brown Harris Stevens.

Native New Yorker and popular actress and model Olivia Wilde just found herself a beautiful new loft. And luckily for her, it’s not on the infamous Grid from Tron: Legacy, but on the edge of the famed Meat Packing District and West Village of Manhattan. This move seems fitting for the actress who recently starred in several big films (Tron: Legacy, In Time, and in the not-quite-a-blockbuster Cowboys and Aliens), and according to her IMDB page, still has quite a few more in the pipeline. Upcoming projects mean finding a posh Manhattan pad for her much-deserved downtime is a must.

Located in the coveted Porterhouse building, the loft has 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, and features a generous area for entertaining. The space is further enhanced by soaring ceilings and a bank of windows offering breath-taking Manhattan views. When guests are gazing out the windows, they’re sure to also notice the stunning Brazilian cherry wood floors and open gourmet kitchen with Italian cabinetry.

At the end of a long day on set, Olivia will be able to relax in the marble bath before choosing a night-out look from her spacious master closets. Or she can play homebody and enjoy the building’s amenities: a gym, landscaped roof terrace, private storage, doorman, and a bike room. Not bad for someone who’s played a piece of software and an alien in her last two big movies.

For once in his career, Derek Jeter is sliding away from home. His longtime New York City home, to be exact. Just this week, Jeter sold his 88th-floor penthouse to Brazilian business man Claudio Ferro for $15.5 million, as first reported by the New York Post.

Jeter bought the penthouse pad at Trump Tower directly from Donald Trump himself for $12.72 million in 2001. After almost a decade in the penthouse, he listed the East Side apartment for $20 million in 2010. No buyer stepped up to the plate and Jeter made the call to take it off the market. In April, the bonafide bachelor pad was back with a lower asking price – $17.95 million. Jeter didn’t get his full asking price for the home, but it was in no way a botched play. Jeter’s final sales price was still a cool $3 million more than what he paid for it.

So now the home is being traded to Ferro, and he’s getting an all-star abode! The 88th floor penthouse is set high amidst the tallest residential building on the eastside, the Trump World Tower. The location offers un-paralleled views of the Manhattan skyline and this particular penthouse has a bird’s eye view of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Bank of America building, One World Trade and other key landmarked buildings framed by the Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Verrazano Bridges and the East & Hudson Rivers – the picturesque views are unsurpassed. Complimenting the views – Jeter’s former penthouse features 16 foot floor-to-ceiling windows, 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths with 77 feet in length of grand entertaining space encompassing the living room, billiards room and formal dining room. A Creston system controls the lighting, audio, video and privacy shades with one touch of a button. Adding warmth and texture to the apartment is a wood burning fireplace, ultra-suede wallpaper, slate mantle and hardwood flooring.

Word on the street is that Jeter hasn’t yet put down more of his millions on a new place. He’s been staying under the radar and hopping from hotel-to-hotel until he finds another bachelor pad. But don’t worry about him not having a place to call home. He still owns this sprawling estate in Florida.

Russell Simmon’s high-priced NYC penthouse has hip hopped back onto the market. According to the fine folks at Curbed, Simmons has re-listed the place for $11M. This particular penthouse has a storied past on the real estate market. It originally made an appearance with an $11M price tag and almost sold to none other than fellow hip hop impresario Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs, but the deal fell through right after 9/11. When Simmons failed to sell to Diddy, the price fell to $8.2M. Without a buyer in sight, Simmons pulled the listing and presumably continued to live in the killer pad. 10 years and some extensive remodels later, the penthouse is back on the market for…$11M. The very same asking price as a decade ago.

Simmon’s penthouse is dubbed the ‘Lady Liberty Penthouse.’ This Financial District duplex penthouse condo has 7,175 square feet of interior space and approximately 3,500 square feet of exterior space, making it the ultimate downtown residence. A private landing leads you to phenomenal entertaining areas, living room, dining room, screening room, huge chef’s kitchen with breakfast room, library w/gas fireplace, 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths and a powder room. Throughout, 12 foot ceilings create a sense of volume.

In addition, there is a staff room with full bath, laundry room, closets galore – and that is just the lower level. Four exposures, barrel vaulted ceilings and handsome oak strip floors add to the uniqueness of Simmon’s property. The grand circular and architectural staircase takes you to the upper level which houses the sun flooded grand master suite, two huge setback terraces, a very cozy den, a kitchenette and much more.

Music power couple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz are selling their insanely chic NYC urban mansion for $17,950,000, according to Curbed. After a quick stint as home owners of this particular SoHo home, Alicia and Swizz are looking to make a tidy little profit on the property they bought from fellow rockstar Lenny Kravitz in February 2010 for $12,750,000. Now listed for an eye-popping $5,200,000 more than their not-that-long-ago purchase price, Keys and Beatz are likely to make out like bandits – IF they can sell the property for the asking price. Kravitz didn’t fare so well –  so hopefully Alicia, hubby and baby Egypt fare better in the celebrity real estate game.

The Keys/Beatz household is a 6,167 square foot triplex Penthouse with an additional 3,000 square feet of enchanting terraces. Enter via keyed elevator to either floor; this magnificent sun filled loft has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 4 powder rooms and enormous state-of-the-art windowed gourmet eat-in kitchen, walk-in butlers pantry, separate formal dining room that faces East encased in a glass solarium, an expansive living room with fireplace, library/media room. All the living areas are surrounded by undoubtedly one of the most beautiful private terraces in all of SoHo. A floating glass staircase leads to a separate private master suite complete with spa, pass through dressing area and private terrace. Should a new owner want to make some changes to the place, reconfiguring is simple, as there are no load bearing walls.

Eric Malley at Sotheby’s holds the listing

Andrew Madoff, son of the disgraced Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, has just listed his exclusive luxury New York City condominium on the rental market for $25,000 a month. Andrew purchased the fifth-floor apartment for $4,370,000 in October 2008, a mere two months before his father revealed to Andrew and his late brother Mark that he had committed the largest Ponzi scam in history. After years of semi-obscurity, Andrew Madoff raised the eyebrows of real estate watchers earlier this month when he listed the NYC apartment for sale for $4,490,000, but pulled it a week later and re-listed it as a rental property with a hefty price tag.

Maddoff’s private sanctuary from the horrors of the last few years is a spectacular, sprawling and sun-drenched home at Lux 74, one of the Upper East Side’s most exclusive boutique condominiums. The unit encompasses a full floor and is a loft-like five bedroom residence.  The entry foyer leads to an enormous living space, infused with unobstructed sun. The open kitchen is equipped with stainless steel SubZero, Viking, Thermador and Miele appliances including 2 dishwashers, 3 ovens and finished with customized cabinetry, a mosaic backsplash and marble counters. Further enhancing the living space is an oversized decorative fireplace, and, nestled in the corner, a media room.

In the unit, there are five true bedrooms, including a Master Suite featuring a walk-in closet, a windowed marble spa bathroom and a sitting room/nursery with another en-suite bath. There are 4 additional bedrooms and 3 more baths, plus a powder room and a windowed laundry room with 2 washers and 1 dryer. Madoff’s building, Lux 74, is a luxury condominium offering its residents a full time concierge, a state-of-the-art fitness room and a breathtaking roof-top lounge with an outdoor kitchen and BBQ. The apartment is available on July 1st.

As he nears the completion of historic decommissioned firehouse in New York City’s Greenwich Village, Anderson Cooper is parting ways with a penthouse in Midtown. Located close to the “media center of the world,” Anderson is asking $3,750,000 for a 2 bedroom and 2 and ½ bath co-op home, spread out over 2 light-filled floors.

Just steps from Fifth Avenue and Bryant Park, this former manufacturing space has been meticulously redesigned to evoke its industrial roots. A custom Lutron lighting system and multi-room surround sound set the mood in the space. Radiant heat, 7″ wide, aged, smoked Chambord oak floors and satin glass walls and dark patina steel shelves complete the home’s sleek look. The master bath features split-faced diamond grey limestone, teak flooring, dark chocolate colored stainless steel and acid etched, white interlayer custom glass partitions and shower enclosures. Travel up the floating staircase to find an entertaining room with wood burning fireplace and a dining area complimented by a chef’s kitchen complete with Sub-Zero, Viking and Miele appliances and a Ceasarstone countertop. Outside, the surround sound extends to the patio and provides the soundtrack for warm evenings on the landscaped deck with gas grill. A metal and pie staircase leads to an additional roof terrace.

The building, located at 26-28 West 38th Street, is a 12 story, 30 unit co-op with video security and an on-site, full-time superintendent.

Carrie Bradshaw’s NYC apartment is now for sale! The apartment that has become an unofficial New York City landmark and a must-see stop for many NYC tour buses has just hit the market for $9,650,000. Think Carrie could have swung those mortgage payments on her journalist’s salary? Think again.

In the Sex and the City TV series, everyone’s favorite fashionista single gal lived in a rent-controlled Greenwich Village apartment. In reality, the famous front stoop is actually a five-bedroom, 4,000 square-foot home in the West Village. Located at 64 Perry Street, on one of the most coveted tree-lined blocks in the heart of the West Village landmark district, this spectacular, light-filled house sits on a deep lot with a large south-facing garden.

Rich in original details, such as herringbone wood floors with exquisite inlaid borders, 6 fireplaces with carved marble mantels and beautifully proportioned rooms with ornate crown and ceiling moldings, the home is waiting to be restored to its original grandeur – a job perfect for a real life Mr. Big.

Inhabited by only two families since construction in 1866, it was designed by architect Robert Mook, who also completed most of the other Italianate style townhouses on the block. A grand entry hall greets visitors on the parlor level with a sweeping staircase and a wide arched doorway leading to double parlors at the front and rear of the house, with 12 foot ceilings. No word on the closets.

Sotheby’s holds the listing.

Brooke Shields and husband Chris Henchy have officially sold their spacious corner unit co-op at 458 Broadway for $2,950,000, according to our pals over at Curbed NY. Originally listed for $3,200,000, the new owners are getting the Chinatown property at a slight discount. Shields and Henchy (and kids) have moved over to their recently-renovated home on West 10th Street. Their new digs started out as a four-unit apartment building when purchased in 2008, but Shields and family later revealed plans to begin lengthy renovations to turn the building into a single-family mansion. Now that the renovations are done, it’s time to move in and clear out other New York City real estate inventory that’s no longer needed.

The former Shields/Henchy co-op is an elegant and sophisticated 3-bedroom, 2 bathroom corner loft with 27-foot windows that provide stunning light throughout. The living/dining room combo has grand proportions with 11+ ceilings and a 1,500 bottle wine storage cellar. The open chef’s kitchen features custom wood cabinets, a professional 6-burner Viking stove, Subzero fridge and butcher-block island outfitted with two Subzero fridge drawers. The huge master suite has a large custom walk-in closet area and a luxurious classic-style master bath with a claw-foot tub, large glassed shower and custom double vanity. Lots of storage, beautiful original details and cabinetry throughout. The unit also comes with private basement storage, a keyed elevator and separate freight elevator.