After silver screen starlet and overall classiest lady on earth Lauren Bacall sadly passed away this summer at the age of 89, cruel real estate watchers with no appreciation for culture (not us, of course) immediately speculated that her nine-room, Central Park-facing apartment at the Dakota was bound to hit the market. Indeed, Warburg has the listing, now live with photos and a floorplan and everything. The skinny: the three-bedroom, 3.5-bath has five fireplaces, and six windows that look over Central Park, one of which includes a Juliet balcony. Bacall bought it back in 1961 for a couple of tens of thousands of dollars (reports vary from between $28,000 and $48,000). She lived there ever since, in the company of bold-faced names as neighbors like Boris Karloff, Judy Holliday and Roberta Flack. And now, despite being appraised for $9M, as expected, it's asking $26,000,000.
From the listing comes some grade-A brokerbabblem, making clear that this spread is filled with rich mahogany:
Retained by the original owner since the 1960's, this rare and iconic treasure represents a true once in a life-time opportunity. Uncommonly grand in scale, one cannot help but feel awestruck by the sheer enormity of the rooms' size and volume. One enters the residence through a private mahogany vestibule with towering doors into an elegant and exceptionally large 18 foot entry Foyer, with its own highly coveted original fireplace, unique to the Dakota only. To the right is a seemingly endless 70 foot gallery connecting the major public rooms including the Library, Great Room, and Formal Dining Room.
The warm, inviting Library includes original pocket doors, fireplace, and overlooks Central Park from a floor to ceiling window with a Juliet balcony, offering a small treasure from which to enjoy the exceptional park views. The 29 foot wide Great Room offers a sprawling entertaining space with two enormous park facing windows, mantled fireplace, mahogany doors connecting the Library, and another set of mahogany double doors leading to the Gallery.
All that mahogany does not make up for the fact that the whole Dakota is haunted. And don't forget about the maintenance: $11,146 per month.
Many outlets reported that Bacall had not kept her home updated throughout her five-plus decades of living there. Clearly, prewar details aboundwainscoting, moldings, and the likebut perhaps there are no photos of bathrooms or kitchens for a reason.
· Listing: 1 West 72nd Street #43 [Warburg via StreetEasy]
· Screen icon Lauren Bacall's Upper West Side apartment officially on market for $26M [NYDN]
· Lauren Bacall Apartment Listed for $26 Million [Variety]
· Buy Lauren Bacall's Dakota Home for a Whopping $26 Million [Curbed]
· All Lauren Bacall coverage [Curbed]
· Celebrity Real Estate archive [Curbed]
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