$14M Upper East Side penthouse is a glorious fixer-upper

The duplex penthouse is on the market for the first time in half a century

By Zoe Rosenberg@zoe_rosenberg Feb 1, 2017, 7:00pm EST

On the market for the first time in about 50 years, this Upper East Side penthouse could certainly use a little TLC—but even the mirrored-wall bathrooms and ancient kitchen don’t detract from the glorious architecture of the East 72nd Street apartment.

Perched near the corner of Fifth Avenue, the penthouse of 4 East 72nd Street has the kind of grand entertaining spaces that harken back to prewar opulence. A 30-foot living room flanked by two wood-burning fireplaces comes with intricate moldings, built-ins, and herringbone wood flooring. On the second floor, a similar salon with 13-foot ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace lets out onto the apartment’s wrap-around terrace.

The two grand entertaining spaces aren’t the only rooms worth mentioning. A bright yellow study with apsidal built-in bookshelves stands out, as does the ornate dining room with marble floors. The kitchen could be a gut job, or a charming remnant of the past—but only for someone who doesn’t cook.

Each of the four bedrooms has an en suite bathroom, and a powder room stands off of the private elevator landing. The apartment is surrounded by terraces on both floors, with views out towards Central Park. It’s asking $13.995 million.