Giorgio Armani Buys Historic Manhattan Penthouse for $17.5 Million (R256 million)

Joyce Chen, Architectural Digest

Giorgio Armani is now officially the owner of an entire top floor of a historic Central Park–adjacent Manhattan apartment building, thanks to his recent purchase of a $17.5 million penthouse. According to the  Wall Street Journal, the fashion icon scooped up the more-than-3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home from departing T-Mobile chief executive John Legere, who has been trying to offload the property since February 2018. (At the time of the sale, the home was not publicly listed.)

Built in 1929, the unit still retains much intricate original detailing. It was designed by renowned architectural firm Schwartz and Gross, whose other notable works include the Mark Hotel and several other prestigious residential buildings along Fifth and Park avenues. In recent years, contemporary architectural design firm SheltonMindel reimagined and remodeled parts of the space, giving it a modern update. The result is a neo-Renaissance style with Beaux Arts elements, according to the listing.

A restored elevator with brass and crown molding opens directly onto a stone-laden front foyer in the home, which leads through a gallery to a stunning corner living room with an 11-foot-high ceiling. Leaded stained glass windows on two of the far walls lend a church-like feel to the space, aided by a floor-to-ceiling carved wood mantel that frames a wood-burning fireplace. Antique chandeliers and built-in shelves and cabinets further add to the aesthetic.

Both the living room and the dining room open onto a wraparound terrace featuring more than 1,700 square feet of coveted exterior space, spanning the entire length of the building. The views of Central Park down below are unobstructed, and there is room enough for an outdoor dining area and lounge space. Unique to the unit is access to a high-ceilinged tower that overlooks Central Park, with stained glass arched windows and a full wooden wet bar.

Other building amenities include a full-time doorman, fitness center, children’s playroom, laundry room, and storage. Another noteworthy aspect of the home is its storied past.  WSJ reports that the apartment is rumored to have once belonged to publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst and his mistress, Marion Davies. Legere’s architect, Lee Mindel, reportedly found Davies’s initials carved into one of the apartment’s fireplaces, and a portrait of a woman resembling her appears in one of the panes of stained glass.

Feature Image: Giorgio Armani