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    Katharine Hepburn’s Longtime N.YC. Townhouse Hits the Market for $7.2 Million

    A little more than two decades after Katharine Hepburn passed away at age 96, the Hollywood legend’s New York City townhouse has popped up for sale, asking $7.2 million. As first reported by Crain’s New York, Hepburn acquired the five-story spread in the historic Turtle Bay enclave of Manhattan way back in 1931 and lived there until she passed away in 2003; her estate then sold the place around a year later for almost $4 million to the Astoria Property Group, which is linked to a family from Mexico.

    Frequently revered for her “often-imitated voice filled with the vowels of a well-bred New Englander,” Hepburn’s big break came in 1932 with a starring role opposite John Barrymore in A Bill of Divorcement. She went on to appear in 40-plus films throughout her lengthy career, with the Connecticut-born actress receiving four Oscars for her work in Morning Glory, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond. At the time of her death, she also owned a home on Long Island Sound.

    The formal living room has a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace.

    Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

    Originally built in the late 1890s and since restored and renovated, the structure clocks in at 19 feet wide and features four bedrooms and an equal number of baths spread across just over 4,500 square feet. Touted in marketing materials as the “epitome of New York glamour,” the first floor is highlighted by a stone-tiled entry foyer that flows to a gourmet kitchen outfitted with custom cabinetry, stone countertops, top-tier appliances, and a built-in breakfast table and banquette. A wine cooler-equipped butler’s pantry connects to the fireside dining room, which spills out to a 1,000-square-foot bi-level flagstone patio and a garden with access to a private park shared by residents of the 20 surrounding townhouses.

    A mirrored vanity Hepburn had installed while she was living in the townhouse remains in the third-floor primary suite.

    Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty

    Holding court on the second floor is a formal living room spotlighted by a marble fireplace and a trio of French doors leading out to a terrace, plus a wet bar and a cozy library/media room. Occupying the third level is a primary suite boasting a fireplace, a walk-in closet/dressing room, an updated bath with dual sinks, a clawfoot soaking tub, and a separate shower, as well as a mirrored vanity that Hepburn herself had installed. Another bedroom currently serves as a seating area and an office, with a wood staircase ascending to a top floor holding two more bedrooms with their own baths and walk-in closets.

    Rounding out the listing, which is held by Lisa Larson of Sotheby’s International Realty, is a basement hosting a wine cellar, a half-bath, a laundry room, and storage space.

    Click here for more photos of Katharine Hepburn’s former Manhattan townhouse.

    Hayley Ellen Day/DD-reps for Sotheby’s International Realty More

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    Jessica Chastain’s Musically Pedigreed N.Y.C. Apartment Is Up for Grabs

    After roughly nine years of ownership, Jessica Chastain has decided to let go of her New York City apartment in Midtown’s flamboyant Osborne building, overlooking Carnegie Hall. As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the veteran actress and producer is asking $7.45 million for the residence, which was once owned by legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. The listing is held by Ellen Kapit and Cathy Taub of Sotheby’s International Realty.

    Records show the Zero Dark Thirty star and her longtime husband, Italian fashion executive Gian Luca Pasi De Preposulo, paid Tony-winning composer Adam Guettel $5.1 million in 2015 for the 3,800-square-foot unit sited on the fourth floor of the 19th-century co-op, which is heralded as one of the city’s first major luxury apartment structures. Before that, the dwelling was occupied by Bernstein and his family from the 1950s to the early ’60s; a smaller rented place on a floor below is where he wrote the score for West Side Story.

    Originally designed by architect James E. Ware, the landmark 1800s building had an annex tacked on several decades later.

    Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

    Renovated by the couple during their tenure in collaboration with the design firm Carrier and Company, the four-bedroom, four-bath condo features numerous period details paired with newer touches like ornate wall coverings customized with Ralph Lauren fabrics. Highlights include a particularly eye-catching living room bedecked with oak parquet floors, restored mahogany paneling, plaster crown molding, carved doorways and windows, a vintage chandelier, a wood-burning fireplace, and a “very special” bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studios.

    RELATED: Baz Luhrmann Just Relisted His Dramatic N.Y.C. Townhouse for $16 Million

    From there, pocketing doors open to reveal a fireside parlor, a formal dining room flaunts lacquered wainscoting and built-in window seats, and an eat-in kitchen is outfitted with quarter-sawn oak cabinetry, a rolling ladder, a colorful butcher block-topped island, and high-end appliances. An inviting primary bedroom displays a copper-clad soaking tub and a wall of mirrored closets, as well as a tiled bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area, and a walk-in shower; and elsewhere are two more bedrooms and a full bath, plus another bedroom that’s been converted into a bookshelf-lined library.

    The sage-hued living room is spotlighted by a bay window sporting leaded glass transoms crafted by Tiffany Studio.

    Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty

    The star’s unit also comes with plenty of amenities courtesy of a hefty $7,000 monthly HOA fee, including 24/7 doormen, a resident building manager, storage spaces, a newly renovated gym, and a landscaped roof terrace with city and Central Park views.

    Per WSJ, the 47-year-old California native is reportedly selling because her family, which includes two children, needs more space. Good thing she already owns a spacious brownstone on the Upper West Side that she bought for $8.8 million back in 2019, as well as a waterfront getway on New York’s Shelter Island.

    Click here for more photos of Jessica Chastain’s N.Y.C. apartment.

    Kenneth Chen/Evan Joseph Studios for Sotheby’s International Realty More

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    Celebrity Real Estate Roundup: Joe Jonas Buys in Brooklyn, Sarah Silverman Scoops Up the House Next Door, and More

    Barely two months after Joe Jonas’s longtime apartment in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan changed hands for about $5.3 million, the now-single pop star has reportedly added another New York City property to his portfolio. Per a trusted informant and public records filed in New York City, he’s just doled out $6.7 million for a residence in a historic Brooklyn neighborhood.

    Sited within the 33-story Olympia Dumbo building, which was created by Fortis Property Group in collaboration with Hill West Architects and the design firm Workstead, the corner unit rests on the 26th floor and has three bedrooms and four baths spread across 2,654 square feet of living space adorned throughout with blonde hardwood floors.

    Other highlights include an entry foyer that flows to a spacious great room offering views of the Manhattan Bridge. Double doors slide open to reveal a kitchen outfitted with sleek maple cabinetry, a stone-topped eat-in island, top-tier Gaggenau appliances, and an adjacent dining area sporting a wet bar and a Thermador wine cooler; and elsewhere is a bedroom that’s been converted into a den, along with a primary suite hosting a large walk-in closet, and an inviting bath spotlighted by dual vanities and a freestanding soaking tub.

    Jonas also will have access to plenty of amenities courtesy of $2,833 in monthly common charges, including a 24-hour doorman and concierge, a private garden lounge, a club providing everything from a two-lane bowling alley to a fitness center, a bridge level offering indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a tennis court, and a private parking spot.

    RELATED: Judge Judy’s Stylish N.Y.C. Penthouse Is Up for Grabs at $9.5 Million

    Byron Allen Lists Side-by-Side Homes in Beverly Hills

    Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images1

    Barely two years after Byron Allen simultaneously scooped up a couple of multimillion-dollar homes in one of the most desirable neighborhood pockets of Beverly Hills, the comedian-turned-media mogul is already flipping them back up for sale. The ask? A smidge under $40 million, which is a whopping $8 million more than he originally forked over for the two homes.

    Records show the CEO of Entertainment Studios paid Canadian tech titan and former eBay president Jeff Skoll a total of $32 million for the two properties in spring 2022; that was shortly after he had secured more than $80 million in financing to demolish an existing house just down the street and replace it with a 24,000-square-foot mega-mansion worth $150 million. Slated for completion this year and expected to include a bowling alley and a subterranean gym, the new spread adds to Byron’s personal property portfolio that contains luxe residences in locales such as New York, Aspen, Maui, and Malibu.

    As for the side-by-side homes now up for sale, Allen first plunked down $22.5 million for a sleek modern estate resting atop a promontory and then paid another $9.5 million for a more humble and decidedly dated Tudor abode right next door. The two separate but contiguous parcels create a 1.5-acre compound with combined living space topping 10,000 square feet.

    The pricier of the two homes was built in 1999 and features five bedrooms and seven baths in 7,500 square feet of open-plan living space offering picturesque views spanning from the downtown Los Angeles skyline to the Pacific Ocean. Notable amenities include a wet bar-equipped great room, a gourmet kitchen outfitted with top-tier appliances, and a sumptuous primary suite boasting dual closets and baths, along with a wood-paneled study, a gym, and a wine cellar. The almost 1-acre grounds also host an infinity-edge pool.

    The more modest house was built in the early 1950s and sits on over a half-acre of land fronted by a motorcourt and an attached two-car garage. Inside, there are three bedrooms and an equal number of baths in just over 3,000 square feet. Standing out is a loft space that’s accessible via a wooden ladder and a mostly paved backyard with a pool.

    RELATED: Two Days After Selling for $17 Million, a Sleek Beverly Hills Mansion Pops Up for Rent

    LL Cool J’s Encino Mansion Hits the Market for $6 Million

    Karen Neal/CBS via Getty Images1

    A little over six years ago, LL Cool J doled out $4.3 million for an architectural-style home in the affluent Royal Oaks enclave of Encino. Now the Grammy-winning rapper—who’s also widely known for his work as a songwriter, record producer, and actor—has decided to part ways with the place he and his wife Simone Smith have owned since spring 2018, asking a speck under $6 million.

    Described in the listing as a “masterpiece,” the 2017-built dwelling has four bedrooms and six baths in a little more than 6,000 square feet of modern living space boasting vaulted ceilings and walls of glass. Secluded by gates and high hedges, the boxy stucco structure’s main level is highlighted by a great room sporting living and dining areas that flow to a gourmet kitchen, as well as an opulent primary suite.

    Elsewhere are four additional guest bedrooms, along with a secondary living room that has floor-to-ceiling Fleetwood doors spilling out to a resort-like backyard holding a pool house, pool and spa, and built-in barbecue. There’s also an attached two-car garage on the premises.

    In addition to his for-sale house, LL Cool J also owns a New York home that he paid $1.5 million for way back in 1999.

    RELATED: Meghan Trainor Snags Zedd’s Rockstar-Worthy L.A. Manse for $17 Million

    ‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Paul Wesley’s Secluded Topanga Retreat Is Up for Sale

    GVictoria Sirakova/Getty Imagesetty Images

    It’s been five years since Paul Wesley doled out $1.9 million for a secluded log cabin-style home in the remote area of Topanga Canyon. Now the actor—probably best known as Stefan Salvatore on the “Vampire Diaries”—is tossing the place back on the market, asking $3.6 million.

    Hidden away behind gates and dense foliage on three-quarters of an acre and previously listed for rent at $16,000 per month, the wood-clad structure provides sweeping views of the Santa Monica Mountains. Originally built in the early 1970s but upgraded through the years, the place boasts four bedrooms and three baths in just over 2,600 square feet of open-concept living space punctuated throughout with rustic hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, oversized windows, and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors flowing out to expansive decks ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining.

    Standout features include a sunken living room flaunting a wood-burning fireplace etched into a white-painted brick wall and a dining area that connects to an updated kitchen, which is outfitted with an eat-in island, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, and a breakfast nook. There’s also an office space that doubles as a screening room, complete with surround sound, as well as a sauna-equipped gym; and outdoors, the grassy grounds are laced with mature oaks and redwoods and come complete with a cedar tub, a shower, a bocce court, and a vegetable garden.

    Sarah Silverman Buys Another Los Feliz House

    Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

    Emmy-winning actress and stand-up comedian Sarah Silverman has shelled out $2.1 million for a residential property that abuts an ultra-contemporary Los Feliz residence she bought nearly four years ago for $3.5 million.

    Built in the late 1940s and on the market for the first time in over 50 years, the post-and-beam spread was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright associate Alfred Gilman and last sold in June 1972 for $63,500. The 53-year-old Los Angeles native won the property in an apparent bidding war—paying around $563,000 over the asking price—with the purchase giving her almost half of a contiguous acre in a celeb-studded neighborhood, where nearby neighbors include Scarlett Johansson and Kate Mara.

    Described in the listing as “ready for a major restoration or a possible rebuild due to condition,” Silverman’s newly acquired home features three bedrooms and two baths in a little more than 2,300 square feet of split-level living space boasting a wealth of wood details and picture windows throughout. There’s also a detached two-car garage on the premises.

    Among the highlights are a fireside living room and a double-height dining room that opens directly to a large back patio and garden area. Secluded down a short hallway is the primary suite, while the lower level hosts a large family room with a stone fireplace, two additional bedrooms, and a full bath.

    RELATED: A Well-Preserved 1920s Spanish Colonial Revival Manor Is Up for Grabs in L.A. More

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    Judge Judy’s Stylish N.Y.C. Penthouse Is Up for Grabs at $9.5 Million

    Judy Sheindlin is officially slamming the gavel on her New York City penthouse. Per The New York Times, which first reported the listing, the reality TV personality best known as Judge Judy has hoisted her elegant Manhattan pied-à-terre on the market for $9.5 million. The listing is held by Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon of Compass.

    Records show she and her husband Jerry, a former New York Supreme Court judge, acquired the duplex unit for $8.5 million back in 2013, shortly after selling a residence at The Sherry-Netherland hotel. Sheindlin, who also has owned homes in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Florida, and California, told the Times in an email, “We’ve enjoyed this jewel of an apartment. Time to simplify.”

    Sited within the 14-story, pre-war co-op apartment house at 14 Sutton Place South, which was designed by gifted architect Rosario Candela in the late 1920s, the couple’s city digs rest on the top two floors of the building, with four bedrooms and six baths spread across largely original yet modernized interiors outfitted with hardwood floors, high ceilings, classic moldings, and a curved wrought-iron and wood staircase. There’s also central air-conditioning, plus an integrated sound system, and an expansive wraparound terrace that’s ideal for al fresco lounging and dining.

    The penthouse’s expansive wraparound terrace is the perfect spot for relaxing and enjoying a meal outdoors.

    Eytan Stern Weber/Evan Joseph Images

    Other highlights include a semi-private elevator landing that opens into an upper-level entrance gallery bathed in inlaid marble. From there, the spacious living room boasts a wood-burning fireplace and large casement windows offering views of the East River; a blush-hued formal dining room has floor-to-ceiling French doors; and an eat-in kitchen is equipped with green marble countertops, a wood-topped island and high-end stainless appliances.

    Elsewhere is a handsome wood-paneled library displaying a fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves, along with a wine-storage alcove that’s been converted into a powder room. A downstairs primary suite hosts a seating area, lots of closet space, and built-in storage, as well as a spa-inspired bath equipped with dual vanities and a shower, and three additional guest bedrooms include two with their own baths and one with access to a hallway bath.

    The new owner also will be privy to plenty of amenities, courtesy of a hefty $10,130 monthly maintenance fee, including a 24/7 doorman, a resident manager, a common roof deck, a gym, a bike room, and a deeded private storage space.

    A former Manhattan prosecutor and family court judge, the 81-year-old Brooklyn native starred as the no-nonsense courtroom arbitrator in the Judge Judy TV series for 25 seasons, from 1996 to 2021, and currently appears in the Judy Justice show on Amazon Freevee. Her longtime husband, a former New York Supreme Court judge, also made his mark as a TV personality, having presided over The People’s Court for two seasons.

    Other Manhattan properties up for sale nearby include a newly relisted $16 million townhouse owned by Elvis director Baz Luhrmann and a five-story residence in the Lenox Hill neighborhood offered for $16.4 million. Don’t quite feel like making a commitment to buy? Check out this Fifth Avenue aerie overlooking the Met that just popped up on the rental market for $90,000 per month, complete with three landscaped terraces and a trio of outdoor showers.

    Click here for more photos of Judge Judy’s Manhattan penthouse.

    Eytan Stern Weber/Evan Joseph Images More

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    Baz Luhrmann Just Relisted His Dramatic N.Y.C. Townhouse for $16 Million

    Baz Luhrmann’s New York City townhouse is back on the market, but you might not recognize it.  

    The Hollywood filmmaker and his wife, costume designer Catherine Martin, have treated the stately Manhattan residence to an epic makeover and relisted it for just under $16 million. The palatial pad was first listed for $20 million in March 2022, then returned to the market in September 2023 with a price tag of $18 million. (In between, an unnamed tenant rented the house for a whopping $75,000 a month.) The current asking price seems like a bargain, then.

    “Whether you are looking for a home to entertain like Gatsby, or a tranquil and private abode to unwind and relax, No. 243 provides a unique opportunity to acquire a rare and significant piece of New York City real estate,” the Corcoran Group writes. 

    A formal dining room is located on the garden level.

    Nina Poon for Corcoran

    The Luhrmann’s have actually been working on the Stuyvesant Park brownstone for quite some time. The couple originally bought the 8,500-square-foot property in 2017 for $13.5 million. Two years later, they gave the place a makeover so impressive (and so massive) that it earned a spot in Robb Report’s annual Best of the Best issue. The five-story home was recently transformed from top to bottom by New York-based Interior Marketing Group. The historic Anglo-Italianate abode features six bedrooms, five full bathrooms, two powder rooms, an ivy-clad backyard, and an elevator. Highlights include soaring 16-foot ceilings, arched doorways, original moldings, five fireplaces, and a grand floating staircase.

    The primary suite has a private terrace.

    Nina Poon for Corcoran

    On the main parlor level, full-length windows and a cast-iron Juliet balcony overlook the park. To the rear, the primary suite is equipped with an en suite, a huge walk-in closet, and a private terrace. Elsewhere, the 28-foot-wide townhouse sports a Clive Christian-designed kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances from Viking and Sub-Zero, marble countertops, and painted pine cabinets.

    Down below, the basement is configured as a media room where you can perhaps screen one of the Tony Award-winning director’s famous flicks. Speaking of which, the uppermost floor used to be occupied by renowned jazz tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan and later served as Luhrmann’s studio where he’s said to have penned the script for Elvis. The floor is now set up as a standalone one-bedroom, one-bathroom suite with a living room, a bar, and a gym. Talk about theatrical charm.

    Broker Steve Gold of the Corcoran Group holds the listing. 

    Click here to see more photos of Baz Luhrmann’s townhouse. 

    Nina Poon for Corcoran

     

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    Abby Montanez

    Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

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    Martha Stewart Just Picked Up a $12.3 Million Condo at an Iconic N.Y.C. Building

    Was it the fact that the New York City building is the site of a popular Hulu mystery-comedy series starring the likes of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez? Or maybe it’s because the place is within walking distance of the legendary Zabar’s deli and grocery store, where a certain well-known female entrepreneur has reportedly been visiting as of late for some very thinly sliced prosciutto? We might never know. But whatever the case, the attraction was more than sufficient for Martha Stewart and her daughter Alexis to dole out $12.3 million for a chic residence tucked away in The Belnord, aka The Arconia from Only Murders in the Building.

    Last priced at $13.2 million, the duplex unit at the former luxury apartment house went to the lifestyle maven and her media personality offspring at an impressive $6 million discount off the original $18 million ask way back in 2017. Crain’s New York Business, the first to report the transaction, revealed that the seller of the unit was The Belnord’s current developer, Westbrook Partners, which took over a lengthy condo-conversion project from HFZ Capital Group in 2021.

    Nestled within the 12-story, pre-war residential building, Stewart’s new home rests on the top two floors and overlooks the building’s landscaped interior courtyard as well as West 87th Street. Listings show there are six bedrooms and seven baths in 4,600 square feet of Robert A.M. Stern-designed living space boasting north and south exposures, 10-foot ceilings, and solid white oak floors with a mix of chevron and plank patterns.

    Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short on the set of “Only Murders in the Building” at The Belnord, which is used for all exterior and courtyard scenes involving The Arconia.

    James Devaney/GC Images

    Highlights include a formal entry foyer that leads to a spacious living room sporting a wall of oversized windows. An adjacent dining area connects to a custom-designed Molteni kitchen equipped with custom cabinetry, Calacatta marble countertops, high-end Gaggenau appliances, a 45-bottle Sub-Zero wine refrigerator, and an integrated storage banquette.

    The elegant primary suite holds an outdoor terrace, a large walk-in closet, and a luxe marble-clad bath with radiant heated floors, bespoke vanities, and Kohler, Dornbracht and Kallista fixtures; elsewhere is a powder room flaunting polished Nero Marquina marble and a Snow White marble-carved sink, plus a laundry room equipped with a Whirlpool washer and dryer.

    The Stewarts will be privy to plenty of building amenities and services courtesy of a hefty $4,493 monthly common charge fee, including a 24-hour doorman, an entertainment lounge with a catering kitchen, a plush game room, a double-height sport court, a fitness center, and a children’s playroom.

    In addition to the new home at The Belnord, Stewart’s primary residence is a 156-acre estate in Westchester County, N.Y., that she paid $15.2 million for in 2002. According to Crains, the Emmy Award-winning TV host, entrepreneur, and bestselling author sold the family’s West Village triplex apartment for $31 million early last year, shortly before she and her daughter both signed the deed at The Belnord in April 2023. More

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    A Chinese Billionaire Just Spent More Than $250 Million on Lavish Mansions Spanning Half the Globe

    Three months ago, Asia-based real estate blog Mingtiandi reported on the sale of one of Hong Kong’s most extravagant homes, a nearly 12,000-square-foot hilltop mansion in the ultra-prestigious Peak neighborhood. The house, a limestone-faced and liberally embellished two-story structure with unobstructed views of the city skyline and Victoria Harbour, sold for HK$838 million, or roughly $107 million USD.

    The sale was notable not just because it ranks as one of Hong Kong’s biggest real estate deals over the past couple of years, but because it’s one of the few ultra-luxury Hong Kong homes that have sold to a Mainland Chinese buyer in recent years, amid an ongoing Hong Kong housing slump and a sluggish mainland economy. Per property records, the house was acquired by an entity controlled by a Shenzhen-based woman named Gu Fang.

    The palatial mansion sold for a discounted $107 million in early 2024, a rare bright spot in Hong Kong’s sluggish real estate market.

    Google Earth

    People familiar with the properties now tell Robb Report that the same woman, Gu, is also directly linked to the purchase of three of the most expensive U.S. homes that have sold in the past 18 months, two of them being high-profile estates with Hollywood celebrity ties. In October 2022, a mystery buyer paid $55 million for the Newport Coast mansion of reality TV personalities Dr. Terry and Heather Dubrow. Four months later, a mystery buyer dropped another $55 million on the wildly extravagant Beverly Hills mansion of actor Mark Wahlberg.

    Although the new owner’s name was not revealed at that time, it was widely reported that both the Dubrows’ home and Wahlberg’s estate were acquired by the same buyer, an anonymous Mainland Chinese billionaire now believed to be directly associated with Gu.

    In late 2022, Heather Dubrow’s 20,000-square-foot Newport Coast mansion sold for $55 million to an LLC linked to Gu Fang.

    Google Earth

    Gu, believed to be in her 50s, is the longtime wife of Xu Hang, one of China’s richest men and the co-founder of Mindray Medical, China’s largest medical device manufacturer.

    It’s perhaps not such a surprise that Xu and Gu would be on the hunt for ultra-luxury homes, despite China’s broader economic slowdown. The Covid-19 pandemic proved extraordinarily lucrative for Mindray; in 2020, the net worth of company cofounder Li Xiting—Singapore’s richest man—was reported to be increasing by a mind-bending $1 billion per month due to high worldwide demand for ventilators. As for Xu, Forbes says his personal net worth has likewise ballooned over the past few years, from $1.8 billion in 2018 to a peak of $19.5 billion in 2021. The Bloomberg Billionaire Index pegs his current wealth at $12.1 billion, making him Shenzhen’s richest man, while Forbes notes he is the world’s fourth-wealthiest man in the healthcare industry.

    Located in the Beverly Park gated community, Mark Wahlberg’s house sold in early 2023 for $55 million to an LLC linked to Gu Fang.

    Google Earth

    As it turns out, the Beverly Hills, Newport Coast and Hong Kong mansions are not the only extravagant homes in Xu’s portfolio. In early 2023, billionaire real estate developer Stephen Ross sold his mansion-sized penthouse at the Time Warner Center in New York City for $40 million, a major discount off the unit’s original $75 million ask. The buyer, records show, was yet another LLC with links to Xu and Gu.

    A lavish penthouse at Manhattan’s Time Warner Center sold in early 2023 for $40 million to an LLC linked to Gu Fang.

    Getty Images

    Putting all four purchases together reveals Xu has spent $257 million—in cash—on luxury real estate since late 2022, though it’s also worth noting that the tycoon has scored major discounts on at least three of his four new properties. The Hong Kong manor, sold for $107 million, had been originally offered at a lofty $166 million. Similarly, the Wahlberg house and Manhattan penthouse were also acquired at substantial discounts—the Wahlberg property at a 37% discount off its $87.5 million list and the N.Y.C. place at 47% below the original ask.

    In all, Xu shaved off a combined $126 million from the asking prices three homes alone. The fourth property, the Dubrow estate, was never officially listed on the open market, though it had reportedly been marketed as a pocket listing with an asking price of more than $60 million. More

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    Rosie O’Donnell Faces a Loss on Her New York City Penthouse

    In spring of last year, Rosie O’Donnell hoisted her New York City penthouse onto the market for $8.3 million amid an announcement that she was relocating to the West Coast, specifically a rented beachfront home in Malibu that she shares with her youngest daughter Dakota. Now, following its removal from the market in December, the comedian and talk show host’s lofty digs tucked away in Midtown Manhattan’s Turtle Bay neighborhood have once again resurfaced for sale, this time asking a discounted $7.5 million. The listing is held by Caroline Bass of The Corcoran Group.

    Acquired by O’Donnell for $8 million in 2017 after an extensive renovation by its previous owners, the duplex rests on the top two floors of the 33-story Sterling Plaza tower, a 172-unit development built in the mid-1980s, and offers four bedrooms and three baths spread across roughly 3,600 square feet of two-level living space boasting Russian wide-plank oak floors, decorative millwork, designer lighting, a Guggenheim-inspired staircase, and Savant and Nest home-automation systems. A spacious roof terrace also has plenty of room for al fresco lounging and entertaining amid sweeping views of the East River, as well as the Chrysler and Empire State buildings.

    The 1,620-square-foot roof terrace comes complete with an enclosed pantry and kitchenette.

    Russ Ross Photography

    Among the highlights: a small entryway that flows to a window-lined great room holding a living area centered around a massive honed black granite wood-burning fireplace and wet bar-equipped dining room displaying a built-in window seat, along with a streamlined Boffi kitchen sporting Corian countertops, an eat-in island, and top-tier Gaggeanu and Miele appliances.

    Elsewhere is a Swedish sauna, plus a secluded primary bedroom brandishing six custom-designed closets, an additional walk-in closet, and a luxe marble bath equipped with heated floors, dual vanities, a freestanding soaking tub and glass-encased steam shower; and topping it all off is a hefty $5,119 monthly maintenance charge, which allows owners access to a 24-hour doorman and concierge.

    O’Donnell, 62, began her career as a stand-up comic in the late 1970s and early ’80s, and went on to host her eponymous talk show from ’96-2002 and then The View. The Long Island-born actress, who recently starred in Showtime’s American Gigolo reboot, previously bought a modern farmhouse-style mansion in the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles for $4.6 million in late 2021, only to sell it a short four months later for a $300,000 profit.

    Click here for more photos of Rosie O’Donnell’s New York City penthouse.

    Russ Ross Photography More