Iris Cantor, the major philanthropist and art-collecting widow of Cantor Fitzgerald founder Bernie Cantor, has just closed on a turn-of-the-century townhouse at 11 E. 74th St. for $18.125 million.
Cantor made the offer three days before the townhouse was scheduled to be auctioned in May. It was last listed at $20.95 million — after being put on the market for $35 million in 2007 and then undergoing numerous price reductions.
Cantor is no stranger to serious negotiations. Thrice married with no kids, she sued her late husband’s successor, Howard Lutnick, and was awarded $120 million for her share of Cantor Fitzgerald (which later made headlines for tragically losing all 658 of its employees who went to work in its World Trade Center offices on 9/11).
The 10,800-square-foot townhouse, between Fifth and Madison avenues, has a limestone facade and its own garden. The seven-bedroom, 10-bath home has been completely restored and comes with a grand staircase not unlike the sweeping stairs of Cantor’s 35,000-square-foot mansion in Bel Air, Calif., which she is trying to sell for $53 million. (That palatial home comes with three kitchens and its own hair salon.)
Cantor is also trying to sell her four-bedroom penthouse at 110 Central Park South, which she’s never lived in and is being marketed for $11.9 million. That 3,906-square-foot residence is listed with broker Larry Kaiser of Key-Ventures.
Westward, whoa!
A new-construction, six-story townhouse at 400 West St. just went on the market yesterday with an eye-catching price tag: $25 million.
The price for this West Village trophy seems steep, according to one broker who’s walked through it, given that the 7,000-square-foot home has no elevator and its entrance and garage are on the West Side Highway. (But it does have a basketball court and 1,800 square feet of outdoor space.)
Richard Meier‘s three glass towers, a block away, all have entrances and garages on side streets. In addition, the price is significantly higher than what Hugh Jackman paid for an 11,000-square-foot Meier penthouse at 176 Perry St. last year. As The Post’s late real estate columnist Braden Keil reported in November, Jackman closed on that condo for $21 million.
The townhouse, on the site of a former garage, is owned by Courtney and Bob Novogratz. (Bob’s brother Michael is president and founder of the Fortress Investment Group and is estimated to have a net worth of $1.5 billion.) Listing brokers Wendy Maitland and Susan Green of Brown Harris Stevens had no comment.
Know when to Fuld ’em
Something is cooking at disgraced CEO Dick Fuld‘s pricey 640 Park Ave. pad. The man who steered Lehman Brothers to implosion quietly put his 6,200-square-foot four-bedroom co-op on the market for $32 million last month. And he’s now already mulling an offer in the $27 million range. (Fuld bought the apartment for $21 million in January 2007.)
Listing broker Kathryn Steinberg of Brown Harris Stevens’ Edward Lee Cave division had no comment, but we’re told the broker isn’t showing the residence to other interested buyers until Fuld makes a decision about the current offer.
Nice price
A top-tier townhouse at 158 E. 61st St. is getting a price reduction today. The newly renovated six-story home, with a fresh limestone facade and a bright-red British-style door, is now listed for $11.5 million. It was originally listed last May for $14.995 million.
The 6,900-square-foot townhouse, owned by British developer Penny Bradley, has two terraces, a garden, six fireplaces and a chef’s kitchen. Pink Floyd fans will be pleased to know that Roger Waters lives across the street at 157 E. 61st St.
Paula Del Nunzio of Brown Harris Stevens has the listing.