The home of "60 minutes" anchor Mike Wallace, who died earlier this year, has been listed for $20 million. Located on the 15th and 16th floors of prestigious white-glove co-op 730 Park Avenue, the 12-room (4BR, 4.5BA, library, formal dining room) duplex has retained all of its prewar detailing and has been impressively maintained. The same cannot be said, however, for its across-the-hall-neighbor, which was owned by Yugoslavia and used to house its diplomats from 1975 to 1992, when the Yugoslav wars broke up the country and the apartment was promptly vacated. The 16th/17th floor duplex was supposed to be sold, but a number of former Yugoslav republics—Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Serbia, which has been paying the $12,300/month maintenance fees—have claimed ownership and, for twenty years, they've been unable to decide on what broker to use. The apartment is not in good shape, which is what happens when an apartment sits vacant for multiple decades. But if anyone had around $40 million (plus a little extra for renovations) and wanted to create a Park Ave empire...well, the building probably wouldn't let them. Not so big on combining apartments, those white-glove Park Ave co-ops. But back to Wallace's place, which you actually can buy.
A sampling of brokerbabble:
The sunflooded home features traditional moldings, custom woodworking, soaring ceilings, tall doorways, original hardwood herringbone and parquet flooring and has two terraces. The apartment is entered from a semi-private elevator landing. There is a stately 20-foot gallery opening onto the public rooms. An impressive 40-foot entertaining expanse includes a 33-foot living room with a wood burning fireplace framed by a marble mantel and a lovely conservatory, with 3 large windows facing West, enjoying distant views of the Park.
· Listing: 730 Park Avenue #15/16A [Brown Harris Stevens]
· A Newsman's Muse [NYT]
· 730 Park Ave coverage [Curbed]
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