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    Two Decades After His Death, Actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr.’s Park Avenue Apartment Finally Surfaces on the Market

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    More than two decades after he passed away at age 90. the onetime Upper East Side outpost of actor, producer and decorated WWII naval officer Douglas Fairbanks Jr. has popped up for sale. Found in Park Avenue’s 1920s Beekman building, just minutes from Central Park, it’s now available with a $1.75 million price tag.

    Resting on the sixth floor of the George F. Pelham-designed complex—and described as an “iconic residence reflecting a bygone era of glamor and sophistication” in the listing held by Pamela Marcus and Amy Goldberger of Compass—the apartment is currently owned by Fairbanks Jr.’s widow Vera Shelton, and features three bedrooms and an equal number of baths in 2,100 square feet of colorfully hued living space spread across two combined units.

    Photographs recall Fairbanks Jr.’s time spent with various celebrities.

    Niko Strbac, Real Estate Production Network

    Renovated during Fairbanks Jr.’s tenure by architect Benjamin Huntington and English designer Jane Churchill, the premises are accessed via a high-ceilinged entry foyer adorned with herringbone wood floors. From there, a living room bathed in yellow hearkens to year’s past when the film legend was said to have entertained the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier, Rex Harrison, Bobby Short and the Duke of Wellington.

    From left to right: a dining nook and the primary bath.

    Niko Strbac, Real Estate Production Network

    Other highlights include a green bookshelf-clad library that has pocket doors leading to an adjacent room sporting a marble fireplace imported from England, Sisal carpet, built-in cabinetry, “tilt-and-turn” windows and an adjoining bath, as well as a kitchen with newer appliances and plenty of storage. Sequestered in its own wing is the primary bedroom suite, which offers plenty of room for a desk and cozy sitting area, plus dual walk-in closets and a windowed bath.

    The light-filled primary bedroom suite features dual walk-in closets and a windowed bath.

    Niko Strbac, Real Estate Production Network

    The new owner will pay a hefty $9,369 monthly maintenance fee for building amenities, which include a 24-hour doorman, concierge, new fitness center, housekeeping services and two storage cages. Subletting also is permitted, with an assessment fee of $1,103 ending in January 2024.

    The only son of silent-screen swashbuckling hero Douglas Fairbanks and Anna Beth Sully, the daughter of wealthy industrialist Daniel J. Sully, the New York native was probably best known for starring in films such as The Prisoner of Zenda, Gunga Din and The Corsican Brothers. He made his final 1981 movie appearance alongside Fred Astaire in Ghost Story. More

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      in Luxury

      Dave Portnoy Drops a Record $42 Million on a Hedge Fund Manager’s Waterfront Nantucket Retreat

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      Earlier this year, prolific property collector Dave Portnoy bought a humble ranch-style house in the Saratoga Springs neighborhood of Upstate New York, just steps from the area’s famed thoroughbred race track.

      Now the veteran sports personality— best known as founder of the Barstool Sports media empire—has added to his prime real estate portfolio yet again, but in a much bigger way, with records showing he paid a whopping $42 million in an off-market deal for a waterfront compound in the Monomoy area of Nantucket. He also shelled out an extra $2 million for furniture and other items.

      Per The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the sale, the deal set a milestone for the most expensive residential real estate transaction ever recorded both on the affluent island and in Portnoy’s native state of Massachusetts—easily topping the $38.1 million transfer of another waterfront compound in Nantucket by venture capitalist Evan Jones and his wildlife photographer wife Cindy this past June.

      The sellers, a pair of trusts known as MAK Daddy and MAK Shack, are both linked to hedge fund manager Mike Colby and his wife Kathi in records. Colby, a longtime executive at Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates, paid a little more than $13 million for two parcels spanning 1.2 acres back in 2016. The couple subsequently razed the existing site structures and engaged architecture and design firm Workshop/APD to create an all-new compound.

      Completed around 2018, the spread is now spotlighted by a four-bedroom main house boasting casual yet elegant interiors highlighted by a double-height entry foyer displaying a sculptural staircase, plus bi-folding glass doors overlooking sweeping views of Nantucket Harbor.

      Other standout features include a living room sporting a freestanding fireplace and pair of sunburst-inspired chandeliers, as well as a dining area, kitchen outfitted with a marble eat-in island, and primary bedroom suite with a private terrace that has an outdoor shower. There’s also a pool area, along with a detached guesthouse hosting a gym and media room.

      Peter Engen of Lee Real Estate acted on behalf of the sellers; the buyer was repped by Shellie Dunlap, also of Lee Real Estate.

      Click here for more photos of Dave Portnoy’s Nantucket house.

      Read McKendree and Workshop/APD More

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      in Luxury

      Miranda Priestly’s Manhattan Townhouse From ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Goes for $26.5 Million

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      The stylish Upper East Side townhouse that Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly called home in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada has just sold to an as-yet-unidentified buyer for $26.5 million.

      That’s exactly one million dollars less than hedge-fund mogul Craig Effron and his wife Caryn originally listed the place for in May. But it’s still lots more than the $8.8 million the couple doled out for the limestone and marble townhouse 20 years ago, before subsequently engaging designer Anthony Baratta to customize the premises to their personal tastes in 2005.

      Coming in at 22 feet wide, the Neo-Italian Renaissance structure was built in the early 1900s and crafted by architect Henry Allan Jacobs, and features seven bedrooms and 10 baths sprawled across 12,000 square feet of living space on five levels, all accessible via an elevator or a stunning spiral staircase. There’s also a full basement with a recreation room, plus a roof terrace sporting a hot tub.

      A formal gallery greets visitors with a marble fireplace and Murano chandelier.

      Krisztina Crane/Evan Joseph Photography

      Among the highlights: a formal gallery displaying a marble fireplace and glam Murano chandelier, an inviting den laced with Anigre wood paneling, and a living room boasting two fireplaces, a wall of custom bookshelves and three sets of arched French doors.

      A fireside dining room is spotlighted by a cerulean blue chandelier and doors spilling out to a terrace, while the gourmet kitchen comes complete with a gingham-patterned floor, Carrara marble and stainless countertops, industrial lighting from the 1930s, top-tier Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, and an accompanying breakfast room.

      A charming living room is outfitted with dual fireplaces, bespoke bookshelves and arched French doors.

      Krisztina Crane/Evan Joseph Photography

      Also standing out is a sumptuous master retreat, which flaunts a Juliette balcony, fireplace, spacious walk-in-closet, and luxe bath equipped with dual vanities, a dressing area and soaking tub resting beneath a 5-foot-tall oculus window; and elsewhere is another bedroom that’s been converted into a mirrored gym and fireside library, as well as a bespoke basketball court.

      Did we mention that it’s also right across the street from Gloria Steinem‘s home?

      Per The Wall Street Journal, which reported on the sale, Dougas Elliman’s Corey Shuster, who worked with the buyer alongside fellow agents Arthur Maglio and Ibrahim Guldiken, declined to identify his client but said the purchaser had been actively looking for a townhouse in the neighborhood for about 18 months. When this one came on the market, “it fit like a glove,” he said.

      The listing was held by Adam Modlin of Modlin Group.

      Click here for more photos of Miranda Priestly’s Manhattan Townhouse.

      Krisztina Crane/Evan Joseph Photography More

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      in Luxury

      Elton John Is Rocketing Out of His Longtime Atlanta Condo

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      He’s saying goodbye to Peachtree Road! After a little more than three decades of ownership, Sir Elton John has decided to let go of his Atlanta home in Buckhead’s 40-story Park Place high-rise residential tower. Records show the legendary English musician is asking a speck under $5 million for the condo, which is listed by Chase Mizell of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty.

      According to The Wall Street Journal and Buckhead.com, which first reported the story, John initially paid $925,000 for a roughly 2,500-square-foot duplex on the 36th floor of the building in the early 1990s. He subsequently picked up neighboring units to accommodate his vast photography collection, eventually laying claim to six combined units spanning two levels.

      The Park Place on Peachtree luxury high-rise building is sited on Peachtree Road in the sought-after Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta.

      Bartolotti Media for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      Altogether, the four-bedroom, seven-bath dwelling features a little more than 13,300 square feet of living space highlighted by a spacious living room that can easily accommodate a grand piano, per the listing, plus a formal dining room topped by a gallery space, wood-paneled office/lounge area and grand salon boasting floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s also a sumptuous master retreat outfitted with an adjoining seating area, a luxe onyx-clad bath and ample closet space; and elsewhere is a gym and spa/massage room.

      The star’s unit also comes with numerous amenities courtesy of a $7,851 monthly HOA fee, including nine reserved parking spaces, six private storage units and five dedicated wine storage units.

      Clad in wall-to-wall wood, this spacious room hosts an office and lounge area with skyline views.

      Bartolotti Media for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

      John, 76, told the WSJ he is selling because he no longer needs a touring base in the U.S. now that he has completed his farewell tour. He, husband David Furnish and their two sons make their primary residence at a centuries-old estate in Windsor, England, just west of London. They also own a home in Nice, France. 

      During his final concert in Atlanta last September, the singer and pianist addressed the crowd about having spent time in his adopted Southern city: “I’ve lived here for 30 years, and I’ve loved every single minute,” he said. “So, I will take you with me in my heart, in my soul, and I’ll never forget you.”

      Click here for more photos of Elton John’s Atlanta condo.

      Bartolotti Media for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Vacation Homes

      Forget Florida. Retirees Are Moving Overseas and Settling Down in Dubai.

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      When many people in the U.S. think of retirement, they often imagine the wide beaches and crystalline waters of Florida. However, more and more retirees are being lured by more far-flung locales, such as the ritzy city of Dubai.

      The UAE metropolis has had a surge in pensioners looking to relocate abroad, and for some pretty compelling reasons, too. Aside from year-round sunshine, the gleaming urban desert paradise is known for its dazzling skyline, beautiful beaches, internationally acclaimed golf courses, and bustling arts and culture scene. Another chief attraction is the country’s citizenship programs, which make securing long-term residency available through investing in real estate.  

      “Although Dubai is not a typical retirement destination like Greece and Spain, we are seeing an increasing number of retirees settling in Dubai,” Maximilian Stamm, head of Engel & Völkers Private Office EMEA, tells Mansion Global. “Recent changes in government regulations have enabled residents to secure long-term golden visas and residencies, making it easier for retirees to stay in the city.” 

      Full-time and part-time retirees have a variety of housing options, from amenity-rich high-rise condos to swanky beachfront villas and epic mega-mansions. Prices range from $800,000 to more than $10 million, depending on the home’s size and the neighborhood. “Retirees seeking opulent living experiences usually live in Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estates, and Downtown Dubai,” Stamm adds. “These locations offer breathtaking views, accessibility to world-class amenities, and various leisure activities.” 

      More retirees are moving overseas and buying property in Dubai.

      David Cannon/Getty Images

      According to Honey Deylami, executive partner at Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty in Dubai, branded residences are especially popular among retirees because of their five-star hotel-like offerings. Think on-site wellness facilities, Olympic-sized swimming pools, tennis courts, and lavish spas. Recently, a not-yet-built penthouse sold for a record-breaking $115 million. The unit is located within the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab resort, which will feature a 387-room hotel, 82 residences, and a superyacht marina when it’s complete. 

      For active types, the Arabian city has no shortage of recreational options, including horseback riding, golf, indoor skiing, padel tennis, and kayaking. And if your goal is to simply relax and enjoy your golden years, you’ve got one of the world’s most glamorous cities at your fingertips. “From swanky rooftop bars to trendy Michelin-starred restaurants, the city truly offers a vibrant social scene that caters to all tastes,” notes Stamm.   More