Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich Buys Up Three UES Townhouses to Build a Makeshift Mansion
While some billionaires are busy eyeing the glass penthouses of the city’s up-and-coming and ultra-luxe towers, others are taking a more DIY approach to realizing their dream home. The latest to join the building-your-own-mansion trend is billionaire Roman Abramovich, who according to the  NY Post has just “secretly” purchased a 9,495-square-foot townhouse at 11 East 75th Street for $29.7 million from developer Larry Gluck. The buy follows Abramovich’s December purchase of another 7,286-square-foot townhouse two doors down for $18.3 million, and word on the street is that he’s in contract for the townhouse wedged right in between.
Abramovich—who went from orphan to steel magnate—is estimated to be worth an whopping $9.5 billion. Last year, he planned to purchase a $75 million co-op in the Berwind mansion—which at that time would have been a record—but was shot down by the wealthy widow who owned the unit. Although the deal fell through, it looks like Abramovich still walked away a winner. The Post reports that his quiet dealings gave way to a pretty good bargain on all three properties.
[Related: Makeshift Mansions: How Today’s Filthy Rich are Creating Homes of Epic Proportions]
[Via NY Post]
