A $26M duplex co-op in Jacqueline Onassis’ childhood building recalls the Gilded Age
Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group
A mansion-sized 14-room duplex at 740 Park Avenue, a building considered to be Manhattan’s most luxurious residential address, is now on the market for $26,000,000. Built in 1929 by James T. Lee, grandfather of Jacqueline Bouvier (later Kennedy Onassis), who lived there as a girl, the Art Deco building was designed by Rosario Candela. One of its first notable residents was John D. Rockefeller, Jr., who resided in a duplex similar to the one featured here.
Known as the “tower of power,” the iconic building was the subject of the 2006 book “740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building,” by Michael Gross. It has been home to a long list of modern-day American royalty including Blackstone founder Stephen Schwarzman, Loews Corp. heir Thomas Tisch, Saul Steinberg, David and Julia Koch, Ronald Perelman, and many more. It’s also the infamous co-op whose board turned down Barbra Streisand.
A statement on old-world elegance, the palatial residence is accessed by a private elevator vestibule that opens into a 34-foot-long marble-floored gallery from which a grand curving stair ascends. All original details are in evidence here, including endless grand gathering spaces with marble fireplaces.
The 36-by-20-foot drawing room has a wall of windows for all-day sunlight above wide-plank oak floors and a marble fireplace. The living room leads to a wood-paneled library with breathtaking southern views and a built-in bar.
An updated and classically stylish chef’s kitchen–which has no doubt been staffed by actual chefs in past lives–features an eat-in breakfast area. Peerless appliances include a Garland range, Bosch dishwasher, and Sub-Zero refrigerator.
A storage room and a butler’s pantry add convenience along with enough cabinetry to store tableware for every occasion. The formal dining room offers sweeping views as a backdrop to rich original details.
A second staircase accesses three staff rooms, a laundry room, an office, a bedroom, and a bathroom. Also on this floor are a den with a powder room.
On the home’s upper level (the private elevator also elevator accesses this floor) are four gracious bedrooms, all with ensuite baths. As is standard in the building, there are two primary suites, each with outsized closets. One of the two suites features a terrace, accessed through full-height leaded glass doors. Throughout the apartment are numerous closets and staff quarters–reminiscent of a time when residents had a full staff at the ready.
A storage unit and wine storage are available in the basement. 740 Park Avenue offers a full-service staff and a fitness center.
[Listing details: 740 Park Avenue, 10/11C at CityRealty]
[At The Corcoran Group by Francine Crocker]
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Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group
