Shock: DMX's Harlem Townhouse Sold for Paltry $120k

Friday, August 15, 2008

Shock: DMX's Harlem Townhouse Sold for Paltry
$120k

You didn't think we'd roll into the weekend without final word on 2007 Fifth
Avenue, better known as the partially renovated townhouse owned by rapper
DMX? Fans of celebrity trauma will recall that the place was set to be auctioned off on Wednesday at a sheriff's
auction. A Curbed operative reports in with news so completely unbelievable that
we'll just cut straight to it: "I just spoke with Daniel Eigerman, Esq.,
plaintiff's counsel. And holy crap, it sold for $120,000! I'm dying here.
Let me write it out. One hundred twenty thousand dollars. Give or take, there's
still some finalizing with the sheriff's department, and the full
payment/closing takes three business days. As the attorney describes it, that's
actually 'barely a whisker above' one-third of the value of the judgment they
obtained against X. So he's in the hospital, arrested at Wal-Mart, AND losing $1
million on his townhouse, all within 24 hours. A rough day."

Manhattan Real Estate 455 Central Park West

From A Cancer Hospital Built In 1887 To Luxury Condos Today - No Corners For Germs

The prices paid for the turret apartments were the highest prices paid for a coop or condo north of 96th Street originally priced from $4.8 - $7.6 million.

Affluent buyers paying record prices are moving on up to deluxe apartments on the Upper Upper West Side. The apartment is over 5000 square feet with 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a library, dining room, and family room; eat in kitchen, two terraces and a patio with 1000 square feet of outdoor space.

The French renaissance style chateau building has intricate wrought iron gates, arcaded loggia and imposing circular towers and slate roof. Built in 1887 for the New York Cancer Hospital, the first cancer hospital in the city.

The building has 5 round turrets because at the time it was built corners were thought to harbor germs. It later became a nursing home and asylum whose management was convicted of Medicaid fraud and it closed.

The building had been dormant and decaying for more than 25 years. Local neighborhood residents call it the castle.

In 2001 a Chicago developer Dan McLean who also built a development on Fisher Island off the Miami coast broke ground blending the landmark building with a new 26-story tower. The new building shares a lobby and courtyard with the chateau-style structure. Each turret condo has at least 1 circular room.

9/11 caused hardship and a halt to the project until Columbia University came to the rescue. The first 15 floors in the tower were bought by Columbia University. They bought 2 and 3 bedroom apartments for prominent professors and visiting dignitaries. They paid $45.38 million for 53 luxury condos an average of about $1 million per apartment.

The building is opposite Central Park, the area is called Manhattan Valley adjacent to Harlem and a few blocks east of Morningside Heights

Hot New Construction for 2009 per NYC Condo Blog

#10 - 15 Union Square West

Developer: Brack Capital Real Estate
Architect: Eran Chen of Perkins Eastman
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Winter 2009

The 19^th century home of Tiffany & Co is undergoing an artistic metamorphosis. Forgetting the incredible location for a moment, the building itself is quite impressive. It contains 36 unique residences designed by Vicente Wolf. The top 6 floors have spacious penthouses complete with oversized terraces and wood-burning fireplaces. The amenities package, including Luxury Attaché concierge services along with a 50’ pool and valet parking, should help make your life at 15 Union Square West that much more effortless.

# 9 - The Centurion – 33 West 56^th Street

Developer: Roy Stillman & Robbie Antonio
Architect: I.M. Pei & Sons
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Spring 2009

It’s no surprise that brokers are drawing analogies between Centurion & 15 Central Park West. Both projects have proven developers and celebrity architects who pay attention to each and every tiny detail. However, one could argue the limestone façade of Centurion is actually better. The stone is imported from France and has a soft finish which is noticeably different from other types of limestone. Considering this is the only Pei condominium in New York, we’re not all that surprised the building is selling fast, and at prices that snuggle right up to $3,000/foot.

# 8 - W New York Downtown Hotel & Residences – 123 Washington Street

Developer: Moinian Group
Architect: Gwathmey Siegel
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Spring 2009

The first W residences in Manhattan are particularly significant because they are the only luxury hotel and residences constructed in downtown Manhattan. The project will be located just a block from the Freedom Tower, helping to liven up a somewhat depressed neighborhood. This 57-story project will have ‘unusual transparency’ and ‘built-in furniture.’ Why live in a W residence? You can buy a pre-furnished unit designed by Graft consisting of modern, W-style features. Or, you can buy the unit naked and design it on your own. Either way, you will gain access to an insurmountable laundry list of amenities including the fabulous roof terrace, pet concierge and Sweet Dreams Pillow Menu.

# 7 - 200 11^th Avenue

Developer: Young Woo & Associates
Architect: Selldorf Architects
Anticipated Occupancy Date: February 2009

Parking is a tough issue for New Yorkers, right? Not at 200 11^th Avenue. If you own select units in this breathtaking new condo, you can actually take your car into the En-Suite sky garage and park it in your apartment. What’s the catch? How about $3,000 per foot. Maybe it’s worth it given the minimum 11’ ceilings (with some as high as 24’) and a façade comprised of glazed terra cotta and stainless steel designed to be ‘in context’ with the industrial loft surroundings. The bottom line is that this ultra-modern residence is designed for the ultra-rich. When we first snapped photos of the construction site in 2006 we were concerned about the neighborhood and overly-ambitious asking prices. Now that the project is nearly sold out, we’re simply amazed.

# 6 – Georgica – 305 East 85^th Street

Developer: The Ascend Group, LLC
Architect: Cetra/Ruddy
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Summer 2009

Continuing the gentrification of 86^th Street, Georgica will take the next plot down from the Lucida and the Brompton. Georgica, like most comparable projects on the Upper East Side, will be marketed towards families. We have several reasons for loving Georgica: First, its beautiful architecture will help modernize this intersection on 2^nd Avenue & 86^th Street. Next, 86^th Street will be a station stop for the new 2^nd Avenue subway. And finally, we haven’t seen many new condos which offer such generous amounts of space. Everything from the living rooms to the bathrooms and closets are big at Georgica. The Ascend Group, LLC is on the ticket for this project and have proven themselves recently with incredible projects at 133 W 22^nd Street and ‘A Building’ in the East Village.

# 5 - Superior Ink Condos – 400 West 12^th Street

Developer: Related Companies
Architect: Robert Stern
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Spring, 2009

Well, it’s not 15 Central Park West, but it could easily trick you. Robert Stern is back to work on another limestone façade, except with Related rather than Zeckendorf this time around. And while we still prefer 15 CPW, this beauty is certainly good enough to snatch the #5 spot. The project will include a 15-story tower housing 68 units in addition to seven carefully designed townhouses along Bethune Street. The building has beautiful features such as oversized arched windows and zen-like living spaces which overlook the river.

# 4 - 535 West End Avenue

Developer: Extell
Architect: Lucien Lagrange
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Fall, 2009

Extell takes a break from its plethora of Riverside Boulevard projects to tastefully improve upon an already expensive and elegant intersection on 86^th Street and West End Avenue. Together with Lucien Lagrange, the team really outdid themselves when they amended the offering plan to include predominately half and full-floor layouts that rival luxury suburban homes in terms of space and grandeur. The apartments are nearly as massive as the offering prices and the Upper West Side is buzzing about it. The spare-no-expense attitude is in full effect at this 21^st century ‘pre-war’ residence.

# 3 - Five Franklin Place

Developer: David Kislin & Leo Tsimmer of Sleepy Hudson, LLC
Architect: Ben van Berkel of UNStudio
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Fall, 2009

Berkel ‘dresses the future’ with this insanely modern metal-clad beauty located on a picturesque cobblestone alley in Tribeca. His first US project will contain 55 spacious condos with space that ‘keeps on flowing’ from room to room. The magnificent penthouses will have interior elevators and landscaped outdoor space. The unit interiors are B&B Italia and include features such as sliding walls in the bathrooms. Take five minutes and watch the video on the website. You’ll be amazed as well.

#2 - HL23

Developer: Alf Naman & Garrett Heher
Architect: Neil Denari
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Spring/Summer 2009

This futuristic masterpiece by Neil Denari broke ground recently on West 23^rd Street. As you can see by the rendering, the building will increase in size as it gets taller and will cantilever gracefully over the High Line rail beds. The result will be a fresh landmark over High Line Park with direct views of everything going on below. New York City had to modify several zoning requirements to facilitate HL23, which will house only eleven units. To top it off, developer Alf Naman has chosen 100% green energy for the building, expecting to receive the coveted gold level of LEED Certification when the building is complete. This project will be featured at the Museum of the City of New York next month.

# 1 - 100 11^th Avenue

Developer: Craig Wood of Cape Advisors with Alf Naman as associate developer
Architect: Jean Nouvel
Anticipated Occupancy Date: Summer/Fall 2009

If you want an apartment that also functions as art, check out the nearly 1,700 panes of glass which comprise Jean Nouvel’s fabulous new condo rising in West Chelsea. The project is near the upcoming High Line Park, where Naman’s other development (which took the #2 spot on our list) sits. 100 11^th Avenue is also situated directly next to Frank Gehry’s incredible IAC headquarters and directly across from the river. The building will have a mirror-canopied pool, a restaurant space, and a vertical garden complete with with floating trees. While on the topic of Jean Nouvel, keep your eyes out for his recently approved skyscraper soon to rise at 53 West 53^rd. The 75-story, ultra-luxury tower will include a seven-star hotel and 120 condos.

The Kalahari uses alternative energy

By MAX GROSS

Kalahari, a massive, 249-unit building offering both affordable units and market-rate housing (with units priced as high as $1.65 million), is aiming for silver LEED certification. Features include a green roof, ionic air filters, low-VOC materials and bamboo floors.

Solar and wind energy powers 25 percent of the building. The developer estimates that on a 1,000-square-foot unit, the average resident will save more than $500 per year in energy costs.

And over in East Harlem, the 38-unit Observatory Place development has a green roof, low-VOC materials and an energy-efficient heating system. The 20 remaining units are priced from $330,000 for a studio up to $850,000 for a three-bedroom.