Do you need new home in Manhattan? This probably what Madonna did, just right before she bought a luxury Upper East Side townhouse.
The Post’s Jennifer Gould Keil reports that the Material Girl, who has long called the Central Park West’s Harperley Hall her NYC home (she added a second unit to her spread last year), has gone to contract on the four story Georgian style townhouse at 152 East 81st Street for a neighborhood-record $40 million.
“The townhouse is perfect for Madonna,” according to one source. “She’s trying to recreate London in New York City, and this is in the style of a London townhouse.”
But her new home in what brokers call the “Far East” does not appear to be all that much of a bargain.
No residence in that area “has ever sold for $20 million, let alone $30 million or ever will again,” said one broker who asked not to be identified.
People inside the 26-room mansion can hear and feel the trains coming through, according to one visitor.
But on the plus side, the double wide mansion does have a two car garage, a 3,000 square foot garden, nine fireplaces, an elevator and a wine cellar with a grotto.
And with 13 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms, it certainly has the space to accommodate Madonna’s family, which at this point does not include even a semi permanent replacement for ex-hubby Guy Ritchie.
While Madonna, 50, originally turned up her nose at the location between Lexington and Third avenues the home’s style and garage proved irresistible, according to the source.
But it’s not yet in move-in condition.
Madonna plans extensive renovations, along with major security upgrades.
To further reproduce her British lifestyle in New York, Madonna is continuing her quest for an English style home in the horse country of the East End of Long Island or Westchester.
Madonna said she’d move to Malawi after a judge there ruled earlier this month that she could not adopt a second child Mercy James, 4, from that country because the singer had not lived there the required 18 months.
“Madonna has a big beautiful plot of land over there already,” a source told The Sun newspaper in London.
“She’s planning to build a girls school. But she’s gone back to the designers and asked if they could accommodate a family home on the plot or on adjacent land.”
She already has three kids, Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, and David Banda, 3, whom she adopted from Malawi in 2006 after a more sympathetic judge gave his approval.
When Mayor Bloomberg was asked today whether he’d send Madonna a thank you note for buying a new place a boost to the city’s sagging revenues he said, “No. But we do plan to send her a bill.”
Additional reporting by David Seifman
It is a big and luxury house for Madonna? In what reason she bought it? For her investment, for second home in NYC or perhaps the escaping way from the denied of Mercy’s adoption.
What do you think Madonna’s reason?
What ever it is, I think Malawi just have to wait.
Enjoy photos of interior of Madonna new home in Manhattan, courtesy of sothebyshomes
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