Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, always on the real estate prowl, checked out a $3.5 million three-bedroom, three-bathroom co-op at 930 Fifth Ave., an Emery Roth-designed building. He was spotted leaving the building with Stratis Morfogen, founder of Philippe Chow and Cucina Ciano Restaurants, who lives in the building.
A-Rod, still battling Major League Baseball, had been living in an Extell Development Riverside Boulevard apartment and using the building’s gym to help rehab his injuries.
The 12th-floor unit on Fifth Avenue and 74th Street measures 1,883 square feet and comes with Central Park views.
Duplex party pad
Hard-partying Nigerian oil, gas and aviation tycoon Kola Aluko bought an $8.62 million duplex at 1049 Fifth Ave. in July. The four-bedroom, 3,660-square-foot space is the only duplex in the building.
Aluko, who co-founded the Made in Africa Foundation, was recently spotted spending big at Leonardo DiCaprio’s 39th-birthday bash at Tao Downtown.
Gimme Shelter also noticed that a penthouse in the building is in contract with an asking price of $14.95 million. Carol Staab of Douglas Elliman, the listing broker, declined to comment.
Director’s cut
Famed Hollywood director and producer Brian De Palma has just bought an East Hampton beach house at 82 Pantigo Road for $2.95 million — it had been listed for $3.295 million. The two-story shingled traditional home, hidden by a long tree-lined drive, was built in 1999 and features four bedrooms and 4½ bathrooms in its 3,500 square feet. It also has a heated pool and shingled pool house. But will he add a classic Hamptons screening room? De Palma — who helmed “Scarface” and “The Untouchables” — was represented by Douglas Elliman broker Kelly O’Halloran.