Attention Upper East Siders, a South African just bought one of the most historic spots on the block – for over a whopping R1 billion.
A South African buyer is making headlines for a purchase that has mouths agog. Not because it cost over R1 billion, and not even because it happens to be the “most coveted townhouse” in New York’s Upper East Side either. Jaws are dropping because the decision to flesh out the big bucks was made via a FaceTime viewing – a series of them in fact.
According to Daily Mail, the townhouse is a prized property piece due to its history, positioning and all the additional finishings that drew in Italian artisans.
The city haven, built back in the 1870s, boasts 9,200 square feet (855m2 ) six bedrooms as well as an indoor pool, sauna and two floors below street level (not included in the square meterage). Not to mention staff rooms.
However, it was those million-dollar finishings that really put the townhouse on the international pricing map.
@ryanserhanst/Instagram
Renovators had been hard at work adding the polishings led by the local mystery buyer, with reports claiming that these took a year to complete given a “language barrier”.
According to Business Insider, the property was listed for R912 million before the extravagant add-ons, skyrocketing the price to the headline-maker it now is, and crowning it the most expensive townhouse in the Upper East Side – ever – according to the seller Ryan Serhant. The buyer is said to have visited the spot eventually, though only near the wrap up.
As for the inner interiors, they’re spoilt with Italian artisans’ creativity. It’s believed that renowned Italian architect, Achille Salvagi, also had a hand in bringing the Manhattan masterpiece to life.
Who is the mystery buyer? While suspicions aren’t confirmed, we can at least assume that there’s a new Upper East Sider on Gossip Girl’s radar.
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Feature Image: @ryanserhanst/Instagram
