On a tree-lined block in New York’s East Village, a historic two-unit townhouse that was once home to actress Molly Ringwald has been sold in a pair of concurrent deals that totaled $7.9 million.
The sellers of both units, fashion and celebrity portrait photographer Alexi Lubomirski and community organizer and activist Giada Lubomirski, didn’t get anywhere near the $9.2 million they initially asked, but the transaction nonetheless marks the highest sale to date this year in the lively and eclectic downtown neighborhood.
Born in the U.K. and raised in Botswana, Alexi assisted Peruvian photographer Mario Testino before branching off on his own and snapping pics of showbiz heavy hitters like Selena Gomez, Margot Robbie, Beyoncé and Lupita Nyong’o. He is perhaps best known for shooting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s official wedding and engagement photos, a couple of which were utilized on 1st-class stamps commemorating their marriage.
Built in 1858, the 18-foot-wide Anglo-Italianate house was designed by influential 19th-century architect James Renwick Jr., best known for his handiwork on St. Patrick’s Cathedral on New York’s Fifth Avenue and the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C. It is one of ten remarkably uniform townhouses in a row along the tree-lined block in the heart of the St. Mark’s Historic District.
The block has been home to numerous historic figures. Nineteenth-century architect Stanford White was born here, photographer Diane Arbus lived here in the late 1960s and artist Saul Leiter resided on the block for 60-plus years. Now divorced, French businessman Olivier Sarkozy and Mary-Kate Olsen owned two side-by-side townhouses, including one they sold to artist Aaron Young and luxury retailer Laure Heriard Dubreuil. (Young and Dubreuil sold the townhouse in 2019, for $7.35 million, and coincidentally enough, are currently selling their International Style home in Beverly Hills.)
Despite the discounted price, the Lubomirskis pocketed a small fortune on the sale. They purchased the larger unit, a quadruplex with 3 (and potentially more) bedrooms and three bathrooms, in 2015 for $3.47 million. The following year they paid Molly Ringwald and Panio Gianopoulos $1.7 million for their two-bedroom and one-and-a-half-bath duplex penthouse.
Listing agents were Cote Luxury Realty Estate’s mother-daughter duo Victoria Terri-Cote and Cristina Cote, of HGTV’s “Happily Wherever”; the buyer was represented by Luke Hoback of The Agency.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio Beyond the classic stoop, original details include restored marble mantlepieces, refurbished antique chandeliers, 500-year-old Italian tiles, and white oak floor fashioned from reclaimed horse fencing. More recent additions include bespoke cabinetry and non-toxic paint and insulation.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The parlor-floor living room of the larger unit has a bay window, built-in bookshelves, and a marble fireplace set against an exposed brick wall.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio In the lower quadruplex, radiant-heated stone tile floors warm the open-plan lounge, dining room and kitchen.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio Designed with a marble-topped doublewide island, the lower unit’s gourmet kitchen features pale wood cabinetry and an imported range framed by a brick fireplace.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The lower unit’s kitchen spills out to a petite walled courtyard.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The quadruplex’s three living rooms include a third-floor den with floor-to-ceiling arched windows that look out on to the street.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The primary suite of the lower unit spans the entire fourth floor with a fireplace and walk-in closet.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The primary suite’s bathroom sports a claw-footed soaking tub and a separate shower sheathed in emerald-green tiles set in a chic herringbone pattern.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The living room of the upper duplex unit showcases a working marble fireplace and exposed beam ceiling.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The duplex’s kitchen is on the tight side but manages to fit full-sized appliances, lots of storage and a compact dining area.
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Image Credit: Stephanie Powell/MW Studio The duplex’s upper floor holds two bedrooms and a bathroom. Above that, a roof terrace boasts views over the neighborhood.
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Image Credit: Cote Luxury Real Estate Configured as two independent residences, the six-story home (plus basement and roof terrace) could be returned to a single-family home.