By Stephen Jacob Smith 2/22 2:10pm

Manhattan Transfers

Not much of a downgrade.

Celebrity Chef Michael Symon Bounces From Balazs to Barely-Gramercy

When The Epoch Times reviewed celebrity chef Michael Symon‘s new Greek restaurant in the Flatiron District, Parea, in 2006, it wrote that it “might improve after Mr. Symon gets more experience in the New York restaurant world.” Parea shut down the next year and Mr. Symon has refocused his efforts on the Midwest and his hometown of Columbus, Ohio (he once described his cuisine as “meat-centric”), but he’s still taking The Epoch Times‘ advice to heart: he’s staying in New York.

Mr. Symon and his wife Elizabeth just picked up a full-floor unit at 316 East 22nd Street, a boutique loft building built by David Howell Design. The six-unit building went up around the time the market crashed, and the Symons’ sixth-floor unit (which is not actually the penthouse) is the first to be resold. The sellers, Neil Barve and Davray Aditi, picked up the pad in 2010 for around $2.24 million, and resold it to the Symons for $2.75 million—a tidy profit for not even three years of ownership. Read More

By Kim Velsey 8/01/12 9:05am

Manhattan Transfers

10 Photos

Gramercy Waves Goodbye to Coco Rocha

Fabulous! Supermodel Coca Rocha Finally Sells Her Gramercy Park Pad

Although we all know that models look better in everything than we ever could hope to, most of us still chose to indulge in the pleasant fantasy that buying the garments they wear will, at least, convey a measure of the glamor that they possess on camera.

Alas, it appears that such delusional optimism does not extend to supermodels’ apartments. At least, Coca Rocha had one hell of a time offloading her two-bedroom Gramercy condo at 121 East 23rd Street, which finally sold for $1.51 million, according to city records. Read More

By Kim Velsey 6/21/12 2:42pm

Manhattan Transfers

9 Photos

John Patrick Shanley: From Gramercy Park to Williamsburg

Playwright John Patrick Shanley Gives Brooklyn the Finger in Move to Williamsburg

John Patrick Shanley must have been Moonstruck when he saw the eleventh-floor condo in Williamsburg’s brand new Finger Building.

At least, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright was taken enough with the three-bedroom pad at 144 North 8th Street to pay $1.85 million for the privilege of being its first inhabitant, according to city records. Mr. Shanley paid a little more than the $1.82 million ask set by developer Gabriel Realty. Read More

By Elise Knutsen 12/08/11 10:25am

Manhattan Transfers

340 East 23rd Street (StreetEasy)

Math Geeks Divide Gramercy Condo

While the Museum of Mathematics isn’t slated to open shop until next year, the museum’s president has procured a roost not far from his future office.

Glen Whitney, who set out to create the United States’ first math-based museum three years ago, has bought a condo at 340 East 23rd Street. His new home is precisely 0.7 miles (or 3696 feet) from the museum’s future site on the northern border of Madison Square Park. Read More