Midtown East penthouse once owned by David Koch seeks $5.75M

A penthouse in one of New York’s first steel and glass apartment buildings is looking for a new buyer for $5.75 million. Penthouse 37/38E sits high atop 860-870 United Nations Plaza—the far east side dual tower development by Harrison & Abramovitz—the prolific midcentury architects behind Rockefeller Center’s Time-Life Building and the master plan for Lincoln Center.

The penthouse is situated at the southeast corner of 870 United Nations Plaza, giving it unobstructed views of the East River, Queens, and Brooklyn. The entry foyer features a curving sculptural staircase and Venetian plaster walls that frame the living room’s open views. The corner living room stretches 32 feet along the river and features a stone-framed wood-burning fireplace.

The apartment retains a more traditional layout, with a formal dining room and closed-off kitchen, though the kitchen’s been fully updated with a Wolf six-burner range and double ovens, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a Bosch dishwasher, and a built-in banquette.

The corner master bedroom has both a walk-in closet and an attached windowed dressing room.

The apartment is currently being used as a three-bedroom with an office and a separate library, but could be laid out as a four- to six-bedroom spread. The master bedroom features a walk-in closet and a separate windowed dressing room (that’s as large as some bedrooms) with a built-in desk and attached powder room. The apartment comes with three full and two half bathrooms in total.

Compass is marketing the apartment, which was purchased by architect John B. Murray and Elizabeth Brooke Murray for $3.4 million in November 2018. The penthouse was formerly owned by Securities and Exchange Commission chairman William H. Donaldson and businessman David Koch. The dual-building development has attracted big names from the get-go, and has previously been home to writer Truman Capote, journalist Walter Cronkite, television host Johnny Carson, and photographer Richard Avedon.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the apartment was purchased by John B. and Elizabeth Brooke Murray is November 2018. That is incorrect. The Murrays purchased the apartment across the hall on the north side. The apartment’s current owner declined to comment. Curbed regrets the error.