Late playwright Neil Simon’s three apartments at the Ritz Tower are for sale
A group of apartments in Midtown owned by late Broadway playwright Neil Simon are on the market, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The three apartments are in the Ritz Tower, an Emery Roth-designed 42-story building in Midtown East and range in price from $1.5 million to $2.8 million. Simon, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who was best known for plays like “The Odd Couple,” died at age 91 last August.
The priciest apartment out of Simon’s collection is the $2.8 million penthouse located on the 31st floor. The two-bedroom, two bath unit features built-in cabinets, high, beamed ceilings, and Central Park views. The space retains its pre-war charm while recently undergoing a renovation that modernized windows and appliances.
According to the WSJ, this apartment was used as Simon’s office for writing. Some of his belongings remain, including a framed copy of his Time magazine cover and artwork, although none of that is included in the sale.
The listing agent Janice Silver told the WSJ that it was Simon’s wife Elaine’s idea to separate the living and working space. “He lived to write. He probably didn’t care where he was,” Silver said.
Simon’s first bedroom home, which he had owned since the 1980s, was the 14th-floor unit. Asking just under $2.6 million co-op includes three bedrooms, two baths, and tons of pre-war detail. The listing describes the spacious unit as being “a rare combination of comfort and total elegance.”
On the same floor, there is a two-bedroom, two bath unit that has been recently renovated. The sun-drenched space is move-in ready with lots of storage, in the form of huge closets and built-in cabinets, and new kitchen appliances. According to the agent, #14D was purchased separately and used for guests of the couple.
Amenities at the Ritz Tower include hotel services like a private chef and daily housekeeping. When it was built in the late 1920s, the building was the tallest residential building in New York City. It was designated a city landmark in 2002.
[Listing: 465 Park Avenue, 31A by Janice Silver for Stribling]
[Listing: 465 Park Avenue, 14B by Janice Silver for Stribling]
[Listing: 465 Park Avenue, 14D by Janice Silver for Stribling]
[Via WSJ]
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