Photography credit: Ellen Silverman Photography for Douglas Elliman
This house-sized duplex at 541 East 72nd Street, like so many of its Upper East Side neighbors, represents an era in New York City’s social and cultural history. The 4,700-square-foot co-op is the former residence of literary luminary George Plimpton. The journalist, writer, and editor was known for hosting the city’s literary elite. Asking $5,250,000, the duplex also housed the offices of The Paris Review, which Plimpton co-founded.
The five-bedroom co-op is both classic and modern; graciously-proportioned rooms with rich, dark hardwood floors and pre-war details are upgraded with air-conditioning throughout and soundproofed windows. Forty windows on both floors offer dazzling East River views.
Enter the home on the lower floor via an elegant foyer. A double-chambered living room with a formal dining space is a few steps down, framed by two wood-burning fireplaces and waterfront views.
An enviable modern country kitchen features a vented FiveStar range and hood, Bosch appliances, a SubZero refrigerator, and Caesarstone worktops. An informal “eat-in kitchen” off this prep kitchen boasts a butler’s pantry with two refrigerated beverage drawers.
A light-filled den has enough space for a pool table. There is also a private bedroom suite on this floor with generous walk-in closets.
Up a stately wooden staircase, the upper floor offers four additional bedrooms. A wood-clad study joins a den with a wood-burning fireplace to make an impressive home office suite. Among the bedrooms is a corner primary suite with sweeping river views. For convenience, there’s a full-sized laundry room on this floor.
The row house that contains the duplex is one in a historic neighborhood row known as “The Black and Whites.” Charmingly painted brick exteriors are offset by red-lacquered front doors on a picturesque cobblestone cul-de-sac. At the end of the row, a tree-lined terrace overlooks the East River. The pet-friendly co-op offers residents a live-in superintendent/resident manager, a full-time handyman, a bike room and storage rooms, key fob entry, and a video intercom system.
[Listing details: 541 East 72nd Street, #2/3 at CityRealty]
[At Douglas Elliman by Whitney Mogavero and Lisa Gustin]
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Photography credit: Ellen Silverman Photography for Douglas Elliman
