In Deed! NYT’s Arts Critic Sells for $1.5 M.; Diplomat Buys for $7 M.

Laura Kusisto — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:37:57 -0400

— Jan Benzel, The New York Times' voice of authority on all things high culture in the city, has sold her sunny Upper West Side apartment for $1.5 million. Ms. Benzel, who says her first apartment in the city was a fifth-floor walkup in Chelsea, owns the apartment at 175 West 92nd Street along with her husband, a digital media guru. The couple has installed enough book shelves in the recently renovated apartment to shame anyone into reading more. As it happens, the new owner, Warren Teichner is a principal at McKinsey and may be somewhat preoccupied.

— In addition to never having to pay parking tickets, being a diplomat appears to have other perks—such as a $7 million penthouse in Turtle Bay. Norway's top diplomat, Grethe Knudsen, has purchased a plush four-bedroom unit at 255 East 49th Street, The Real Deal reports. The apartment was reportedly once owned by Mets owner Fred Wilpon. The Sterling Plaza building may not be pretty and the neighborhood may be a little bland, but Ms. Knudsen will be able to melt away the stress from the upcoming General Assembly with a marble tub and private rooftop terrace.

— The drama over Courtney Love's recent comments that she covets Resident Evil star Milla Jovovich's Greenwich Village townhouse continues, as Ms. Jovo told New York Mag "I was, like, take it!" Ms. Love reportedly has her people talking to Ms. Jovovich's people, but let's wait to see if some keys to actually change hands.

lkusisto@observer.com

Observer » In Deed! NYT’s Arts Critic Sells for $1.5 M.; Diplomat Buys for $7 M.

In Deed! NYT’s Arts Critic Sells for $1.5 M.; Diplomat Buys for $7 M.