Mr. Nicholas, a director of medical behemoth Boston Scientific who was ousted as the co-chief of Time Warner in the early 1990s, created the combined unit after he bested Mr. DeNiro in a bidding war for the $4.6 million unit back in 2007. But now he's sold the whole five-bedroom shebang for $19.5 million, according to city records.

Mr. Nicholas, who owned an eighth floor apartment and Mr. DeNiro, who still owns a spread on the fourth and fifth floors, both wanted the apartment that belonged to Stribling broker Kirk Henckels and socialite wife Fernanda Kellogg.

Mr. Henckels returned to familiar turf when he got the listing for the five-bedroom duplex back in January. The property spent three months on the market at $22 million before being scooped up by the 88 CPW Revocable Trust.

With Mr. Nicholas and Mr. Henckels back in the game, we couldn't help but wonder if the third party from the 2007 sale also made an appearance. Could Mr. DeNiro be the man behind the mystery trust? He did just sell his West Village townhouse for $9.5 million. Maybe he's consolidating real estate holdings? The townhouse and the spread at 88 CPW did seem like more than one very busy man could be expected to maintain, as the recent lint fire at his 88 CPW apartment seemed to illustrate. Perhaps he's finally scratching the itch for an gracious pad with enormous windows overlooking Central Park and a 30-foot by 20-foot living room?

kvelsey@observer.com