It was a messy end for Murray Hill's Jasper?the luxury condo conversion whose fireside pool lounge and alluring sirens cast a spell over a handful of buyers willing to gamble on all those "Murray Hill is hot!" headlines circa 2007. In December, the building's developer told the Times he was turning the property into a 200-room boutique hotel, while burned buyers congregated on StreetEasy to discuss their legal options. But wait! Could Jasper be back from the dead? Buried at the bottom of a weekend Times report on the changes at Manhattan House, Josh Barbanel snuck in this shocking update on East 32nd Street's Jasper:
Last week the developer, Harry Jeremias, said that although he had signed a contract with a European investment group to convert the project to a hotel, the check had never arrived. Now, he said, the condo might yet be completed. An amendment to the condo plan, due late last week, would allow buyers to back out of their contracts. It also promised to provide new details on the condo or cancel it within 75 days.
Oddly, if resurrected, Jasper wouldn't be the first undead condominium in the immediate area. Over on Madison Avenue, the sliver building Morgan Court recently put units back on the market some 20 years after first going rental. Meanwhile, Jasper's website is still up and running, awaiting newfound relevance. Friends, the lesson is clear: If you want to hold on to those plump, delicious brains of yours, stay the hell out of Murray Hill.
· New Team Takes Manhattan House [NYT]
· Jasper [Official Site]
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