Upper East Side

A new play space at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will open its doors to young visitors this weekend. The 81st Street Studio is a 3,500-square-foot art and science playroom located in the museum's Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education that lets children discover the Met's collections through immersive games and experiences. Debuting on September 9, the space is open during museum hours and is free to children and their caregivers.
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$22M Upper East Side townhouse has picture-perfect private garden

Photos courtesy of Evan Joseph and Douglas Elliman

August 28, 2023

$22M Upper East Side townhouse has picture-perfect private garden

A posh Upper East Side townhouse with five floors, over 8,000 square feet, and a pretty, private landscaped garden is available for $22,000,000. Located in one of New York City's most coveted neighborhoods, the 20-foot-wide property at 14 East 81st Street combines classic elements of the city's Gilded Age with a totally renovated interior for 21st-century living. Not even a block from the Met Museum and Central Park, this historic mansion is surrounded by the neighborhood's renowned art and cultural institutions.
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The Met announces major Harlem Renaissance exhibition

Archibald J. Motley, Jr. (American, 1891–1981), Black Belt, 1934, Oil on canvas, Framed: 33 in. × 40 5/8 in. × 1 3/4 in. (83.8 × 103.2 × 4.4 cm), Collection of the Hampton University Museum, Hampton, Virginia, © Estate of Archibald John Motley Jr. All reserved rights 2023 / Bridgeman Images Image courtesy Hampton University

August 23, 2023

The Met announces major Harlem Renaissance exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art next year will host an exhibition establishing the Harlem Renaissance as the first-ever African-American-led international art movement. Debuting in February 2024, "The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism" will explore the ways in which Black artists depicted everyday life in the new Black cities that developed across the United States from the 1920s through the 1940s, like New York City's Harlem and Chicago's South Side. As the first art museum survey of the Harlem Renaissance in the city since 1987, the exhibition includes roughly 160 works of painting, sculpture, film, photography, and more.
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For $14M, this full-floor Upper East Side condo feels like a designer show house, wine room and gallery included

Photo credit: MW Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

August 23, 2023

For $14M, this full-floor Upper East Side condo feels like a designer show house, wine room and gallery included

Situated a prime Park Avenue location, in the Parkside condominium building at 525 Park Avenue, this sprawling 4,000-square-foot home occupies an entire floor, with a layout that feels like a townhouse in the sky. Designed by noted decorator David Kleinberg, each room of the pre-war condo, asking $13,995,000, is a showcase of elegant texture, color and pattern. An extra-large gallery is perfect for a sizable art collection; a wet bar and a wine room await grand-scale entertaining. A high floor location means iconic unobstructed views in every direction.
Upper east side design, this way

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This $31M Upper East Side mansion with long and layered history is now four beautiful apartments

Photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario/DDreps for The Corcoran Group

August 16, 2023

This $31M Upper East Side mansion with long and layered history is now four beautiful apartments

This beautifully renovated limestone townhouse in Manhattan's Carnegie Hill, adjacent to Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was built in the 1890s as part of a row of four mansions for members of New York City's wealthiest families. The home at 9 East 82nd Street, now asking $31 million, was first owned by stockbroker J. Prentice Kellogg. The home's facade, built in the Neoclassical style, features a raised portico entrance and a secondary service entrance. A fifth floor was added to the 25-foot-wide townhouse in 1920. The property's current configuration as four turn-key luxury rental apartments is the result of a 2021 stem-to-stern renovation and restoration effort.
One mansion, four apartments, this way

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Chandeliers made of repurposed plastic bottles hang above Park Avenue

All photos courtesy of Zach Pontz

August 14, 2023

Chandeliers made of repurposed plastic bottles hang above Park Avenue

A new installation along Park Avenue transforms trash into environmentally-mindful works of art. Artist Willie Cole designed four large-scale chandeliers made of 9,000 recycled plastic water bottles that can now be seen on the medians at 69th and 70th Streets. Titled "3000 Buddha Chandelier," "Liberty Lantern," "Soul Catcher," and "Dirt Devil," the sculptures aim to address the need for clean drinking water while recognizing the environmental damage caused by plastic bottles.
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$65M UES mansion is a showcase of Gilded Age history, updated for a new era of grand-scale living

Photo credit: Yoo Jean Han for Sotheby’s International Realty

August 14, 2023

$65M UES mansion is a showcase of Gilded Age history, updated for a new era of grand-scale living

On a Central Park-adjacent block near Fifth Avenue on the Upper East Side, the 35-foot wide limestone mansion at 4 East 79th Street is a historic testament to Manhattan's Gilded Age; asking $65,000,000, it's among a handful of the most expensive townhouses to ever be listed in New York City. The six-story home with over 15,000 square feet of interior space offers an opportunity for living and entertaining befitting a new era of opulence, including two elevators, a professional-grade catering kitchen, a security office, a wine cellar and reception room, a grand center stair hall, and a top-floor skylit gym.
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Upper East Side rental to be razed and replaced with high-end condo from Eliot Spitzer

Rendering courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission

July 25, 2023

Upper East Side rental to be razed and replaced with high-end condo from Eliot Spitzer

An Upper East Side rental will be demolished and replaced with a new luxury condominium developed by former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's firm. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved plans from Spitzer Enterprises to raze the 25-story, 46-unit building at 985 Fifth Avenue and build a completely new tower with just 26 apartments. The commission concluded the existing building does not contribute to the cohesion of the Metropolitan Museum Historic District, allowing demolition to proceed. Designed by Studio Sofield and SLCE, the new condo building would rise 19 stories and feature a limestone facade with setbacks, according to The Real Deal.
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40 blocks of Manhattan’s Third Avenue to be transformed with bike and bus lanes

Photo by Marek Rygielski on Flickr

July 19, 2023

40 blocks of Manhattan’s Third Avenue to be transformed with bike and bus lanes

New York City is moving forward with its redesign of a 1.9-mile stretch of Manhattan's Third Avenue. Construction will begin next week on the "complete street," which will span from East 59th Street to 96th Street and include a new dedicated lane for buses and a parking-protected bike lane, the Department of Transportation announced. The redesign aims to make Third Avenue safer for pedestrians and cyclists; according to DOT, six pedestrians and one cyclist have been killed between 59th and 96th Street since 2016.
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There’s a room for everyone in this $4.7M Museum Mile co-op

Photo credit: Eitan Gamliely for Sotheby’s International Realty

July 6, 2023

There’s a room for everyone in this $4.7M Museum Mile co-op

This elegant Upper East Side residence at 980 Fifth Avenue starts with the building's reputation for spectacular views; within are four bedrooms and an amount of living space most New Yorkers only dream of. Steps away you'll find Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and other destinations that have immortalized the iconic neighborhood in film and legend. Asking $4,650,000, this sprawling co-op currently offers a cozy media room, plus numerous closets, a laundry room, a large pantry, central A/C, and fabulous city and park views.
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With Deco details and dazzling interiors on the Upper East Side, The Harper launches sales

Images courtesy of The Harper

June 29, 2023

With Deco details and dazzling interiors on the Upper East Side, The Harper launches sales

The Upper East Side residence The Harper at 310 East 86th Street has begun sales of its 63 two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes. The new condominium project was designed by the renowned architectural practice ODA, known internationally for innovative and skyline-changing designs. For the latest addition to the iconic Manhattan neighborhood, the firm used large format windows with stepped framing, creating a stunning Art Deco vibe inspired by classic New York City architecture. With occupancy expected this year–a furnished model is available now–the new building features interiors also designed by ODA and an impressive suite of state-of-the-art amenities.
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Met Museum will open a 3,500-square-foot science and art play space for young visitors

Rendering of 81st Street Studio, designed by KOKO Architecture + Design. Image courtesy of Brick Visual

June 13, 2023

Met Museum will open a 3,500-square-foot science and art play space for young visitors

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced it will open the 81st Street Studio, a free science and art play space for the museum's youngest visitors, on September 9. The newly-designed space will occupy a 3,500-square-foot area in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education at the Upper East Side museum; children aged 3 to 11 can enjoy interactive play to create new experiences and inspire exploration of the museum's vast collection.
More cool stuff for kids at the Met, this way

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Celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai finally sells Fifth Avenue apartment for $4.5M

Photos courtesy of DDReps

June 12, 2023

Celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai finally sells Fifth Avenue apartment for $4.5M

Eight years and several price cuts later, celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai has sold his Upper East Side apartment. Fekkai first purchased the four-bedroom duplex at 953 Fifth Avenue for $7.4 million in 2006 and later listed it in 2015 for $12 million, following a revamp by interior designer Robert Couturier. After coming on and off the market many times since then, the co-op finally sold this month for $4.5 million, according to city records.
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Visit NYC’s finest museums for free during annual Museum Mile Festival

Image courtesy of Brian Lauer on Flickr

June 12, 2023

Visit NYC’s finest museums for free during annual Museum Mile Festival

This week "New York City's biggest block party" is returning to a 28-block stretch of Fifth Avenue for the 45th year. During the Museum Mile Festival, attendees can walk along Fifth Avenue between 82nd Street and 110th Street and visit eight of the city's finest institutions for free. Participating museums include the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Jewish Museum, Neue Galerie New York, El Museo del Barrio, the Africa Center, and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The iconic thoroughfare will close to cars during the festival, which takes place on June 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., allowing the museums to host art activities, musical performances, and other attractions outdoors.
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This elegant $1.6M Upper East Side co-op has hand-painted murals and classic pre-war details

Photo credit: Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

June 9, 2023

This elegant $1.6M Upper East Side co-op has hand-painted murals and classic pre-war details

Live the timeless, classic Upper East Side life in this corner co-op at 901 Lexington Avenue. In addition to retaining the grandeur of its original 1907 design, interiors by renowned designer Suzanne Rheinstein render its elegance unique. Hand-painted hardwood floors and murals by Bob Christian are just a few of the timeless details that elevate this $1,600,000 home.
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NYC’s free Shakespeare in the Park program returns this week

The Delacorte Theater. Photo credit: Joseph Moran

June 6, 2023

NYC’s free Shakespeare in the Park program returns this week

Shakespeare in the Park, the Public Theater's beloved free program in Central Park, returns to the Delacorte Theater this week. Directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon, the Public will present one performance of "Hamlet" for an extended nine-week run from Thursday, June 8 until Sunday, August 6. A production of "The Tempest" will be presented from Sunday, August 27 through Sunday, September 3 before the Delacorte Theater closes for renovations.
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Skyy Vodka founder’s Upper East Side mansion with major art ties asks $25M

Photos courtesy of DDReps

June 2, 2023

Skyy Vodka founder’s Upper East Side mansion with major art ties asks $25M

A historic New York City mansion that once hosted some of the biggest artists of the 20th century is available for $25,000,000. Owned by Maurice Kanbar, an inventor and philanthropist who founded Skyy Vodka, the five-story neo-Renaissance building at 4 East 77th Street on the Upper East Side served as the first location of Leo Castelli Gallery, which is credited with launching the careers of Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, and Andy Warhol, among others. Currently home to the Michael Werner Gallery on the first two floors, the mixed-use property could become a grand single-family home again, as it was when originally constructed over a century ago.
The sky's the limit

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Sotheby’s buys the Breuer Building from Whitney Museum

Photo by Glenda Altarejos on Wikimedia

June 2, 2023

Sotheby’s buys the Breuer Building from Whitney Museum

The Whitney Museum of Art has sold the Upper East Side's iconic Breuer Building to the auction house Sotheby's. Designed by renowned architect Marcel Breuer in 1966, the five-story building at 945 Madison Avenue is known for its striking Brutalist architecture. While the exact price of the transaction remains unknown, sources close to the deal suggest it was around $100 million, according to the New York Times. Sotheby's will take over the building next September from the Frick Collection, which has operated there temporarily since 2021, and relocate its headquarters from York Avenue to the Breuer in 2025.
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Novelist Erica Jong lists Upper East Side apartment for $4.25M

Photos courtesy of Coldwell Banker Warburg

May 12, 2023

Novelist Erica Jong lists Upper East Side apartment for $4.25M

Novelist Erica Jong is selling her high-floor Upper East Side home for $4,250,000. Jong, who has written more than 25 books but is best known for her 1973 feminist novel "Fear of Flying," bought the apartment with her husband for $1,490,000 in 1990, according to the New York Post. Located on the 27th floor of the Emery Roth-designed Imperial House at 150 East 69th Street, the apartment measures nearly 3,000 square feet, boasts a charming solarium with sweeping Central Park views, and has custom bookcases filled to the brim, fit for any writer.
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$25M Upper East Side carriage house was once J.P. Morgan’s garage

Photo credit: MW Studio for The Corcoran Group

May 2, 2023

$25M Upper East Side carriage house was once J.P. Morgan’s garage

This 25-foot-wide carriage house at 118 East 83rd Street has 7,500 square feet of living space, a private garage, a roof deck and terraces, an elevator–and an interesting New York City story. Situated on a leafy Upper East Side block lined with carriage houses, this particular one has several distinctions. Built in 1908, it was originally owned by the J.P. Morgan family and served as the noted financier's garage and staff quarters. Constructed at the dawn of the automobile era, the building was among the first to be built specifically to hold cars. After a complete renovation by the current owners, this four-story home is a modern mansion with peerless amenities–including a private garage–now listed for $25,000,000.
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Barbara Walters’ longtime Upper East Side apartment lists for $19.75M

Image credit: Donna Dotan

April 21, 2023

Barbara Walters’ longtime Upper East Side apartment lists for $19.75M

The 11-room, full-floor co-op that celebrated TV journalist Barbara Walters called home for 30 years until her death last year is now on the market for $19,750,000. The sprawling residence at 944 Fifth Avenue is a classic Upper East Side pre-war gem, with Central Park views, five bedrooms, and a layout befitting a resident who entertained and interviewed politicians, princes, stars, and scoundrels alike as just another day on the job.
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Live in Kendall Roy’s luxurious UES penthouse as seen on ‘Succession,’ now for $29M

All photos courtesy of Sean Hemmerle

April 19, 2023

Live in Kendall Roy’s luxurious UES penthouse as seen on ‘Succession,’ now for $29M

Here is a chance to own Kendall Roy's luxurious penthouse featured on the latest episode of HBO's "Succession" for a discounted price of $29,000,000. Located at 180 East 88th Street, the stunning triplex five-bedroom residence is the tallest home north of 72nd Street on the Upper East Side. The penthouse measures 5,508 square feet with 3,501 square feet of exterior terrace space across its three floors. The astounding penthouse first hit the market in September 2022 for $33,000,000 as 6sqft previously reported.
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Ancient Egypt and South Central L.A. meet in monumental installation on the Met’s roof

Lauren Halsey (American, b.1987) Installation view of The Roof Garden Commission: Lauren Halsey, “the eastside of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture(I),”2022 ©Lauren Halsey. Courtesy of the artist; David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles/New York. Image credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photo by Hyla Skopitz

April 19, 2023

Ancient Egypt and South Central L.A. meet in monumental installation on the Met’s roof

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest rooftop commission brings to life the history of South Central Los Angeles with the use of ancient Egyptian architecture. Created by artist and activist Lauren Halsey, "the eastside of south central los angeles hieroglyph prototype architecture (I)" consists of a cube-like structure that rises 22 feet tall and has more than 750 glass-fiber-reinforced concrete tiles, surrounded by four columns and four sphinxes. Located on the museum's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, the towering structure provides a new perspective of Central Park and the city skyline through an open ceiling and large entryways.
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Carnegie Hill co-op owned by FDR’s granddaughter lists for $7M

All photos courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

April 18, 2023

Carnegie Hill co-op owned by FDR’s granddaughter lists for $7M

The Upper East Side home of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's granddaughter hit the market this week. Sara Delano Roosevelt Whitney Wilford, the daughter of Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney and James Roosevelt, the oldest son of FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, lived in this nine-room residence at 1120 Fifth Avenue in Carnegie Hill. Wilford, who died in 2021, was a psychologist and professor at Sarah Lawrence College for more than three decades. Asking $6,995,000, the 3,000-square-foot co-op has picture-perfect views of Central Park and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir.
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For $12.9M, this palatial duplex co-op is an Upper East Side fairytale home overlooking Central Park

Photo credit: Travis Mark for Sotheby’s International Realty

April 7, 2023

For $12.9M, this palatial duplex co-op is an Upper East Side fairytale home overlooking Central Park

This Upper East Side co-op at 955 Fifth Avenue is a two-level palace of an apartment, with 5,000 square feet of classic Manhattan luxury overlooking Central Park. Asking a princely $12,850,000, this dazzling pre-war residence is the result of a four-year designer-led renovation. Within are 13 rooms and five bedrooms, plus every contemporary convenience including central A/C, an intercom system, Lutron lighting controls and a Sonos sound system.
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The Upper East Side historic district’s oldest home asks $13.9M

All photos courtesy of Donna Dotan

April 6, 2023

The Upper East Side historic district’s oldest home asks $13.9M