Andrea Mackris, the former associate producer for FOX (FOXA) News Channel who made headlines by suing talking head Bill O'Reilly for sexual harassment, recently purchased an Upper West Side condo for $809,500, according to deed-transfer records.
Ms. Mackris, an alumna of Columbia University’s journalism school, had worked as a producer on The O’Reilly Factor before leaving for CNN in January 2004. However, in July of that year, she returned to Fox, reportedly at a $93,000-a-year salary.
Hours before Ms. Mackris filed her $60 million suit, Mr. O’Reilly sued for extortion. In the week that followed, the lurid details of the case-complete with explicit phone-sex allegations-served as endless fodder for late-night monologues (and fake news shows). On Oct. 28, Mr. O’Reilly agreed to settle the suit for an unspecified amount.
The approximately 750-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment is a rarity in this prewar condominium, but hardly an extravagant post-settlement purchase.
According to property records, Ms. Mackris signed the contract in mid-November, almost three weeks after a settlement was reached in her suit against Mr. O’Reilly.
And perhaps a few Fox News jokes may be overheard in the elevator: Saturday Night Live’s Tina Fey and her husband, Jeff Richmond, purchased an apartment in the building in May 2004.
Ms. Mackris could not be reached for comment.
Listing broker Iva Spitzer declined to comment. At the time of the sale, Ms. Spitzer was working for Prudential Douglas Elliman, before splitting to rival Corcoran Group in March, becoming executive vice president in their new development sales and marketing division.
Finance scion Ted Greenberg recently bought a 1,900-square-foot West Village condo for $4 million, according to a source close to the deal. The seven-story building, at the corner of Charles and Hudson streets, was built over the site of a taxi garage in 1998 and includes 22 boutique condos. Mr. Greenberg’s penthouse features two bedrooms, 10-foot ceilings and a double wood-burning fireplace. There is also a 1,200-square-foot terrace.
The apartment went for about $2,100 per square foot. While pretty steep for downtown space, it’s still trumped by the Richard Meier towers on Perry Street, which go for $300 more per square foot.
A former writer for Late Night with David Letterman, Mr. Greenberg is now an epidemiologist at Columbia University. His father, former Bear Stearns chief executive and renowned philanthropist Alan (Ace) Greenberg, lives uptown at the ultra-exclusive 4 East 66th Street co-op.
Michael Bolla, a broker who specializes in luxury homes, declined to comment.
However, a source revealed that several parties were busy vying for the choice penthouse, which spent only three weeks on the market. For those who lost out, another of Mr. Bolla’s downtown exclusives hits the market this week: a 4,500-square-foot townhouse at 765 Washington Street, also priced at $4 million.
Just a few blocks away on Greenwich Street, Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai, a husband-and-wife television writing team, purchased a condo for close to $1.7 million, according to deed-transfer records.
The couple’s 1,279-square-foot apartment is located in one of the neighborhood’s most fashionable “lifestyle” buildings. The luxury development of 104 units features a complete fitness center, 24-hour doorman and concierge service, a state-of-the-art security system, high-speed Internet connections and even a pet spa!
The couple has made beautiful sitcoms together since 1993, penning episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Nanny and Living Single. Currently, they’re both executive producers on ABC’s hit comedy According to Jim, in which a Midwestern everyman played by Jim Belushi enjoys suburban hilarity with his (surprise, surprise) attractive blond wife.
Mr. Hodes could not be reached for comment.
Recent Transactions in the Real Estate Market
Flatiron District
11 East 22nd Street Two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo. Asking: $2.4 million. Selling: $2.4 million. Charges: $700. Taxes: $15,960. Time on the market: two weeks.
LOFTY GOALS After purchasing raw commercial space a year and a half ago, this record executive gut-renovated it, creating a masterful 2,000-square-foot “Zen-like” loft. “It was his dream place,” said Katherine Gauthier, a vice president at Prudential Douglas Elliman. “It was really serene.” But now he’s ditching the Flatiron bachelor pad (and the serenity of single life) and heading downtown to Tribeca with his fiancée, an advertising executive. Throughout the massive renovation, the seller preserved the original oak floors, while at the same time adding many modern amenities. The kitchen features custom cabinets, a Viking stove, a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a Miele dishwasher. The master bath has a Kohler bathtub with Waterworks tiles and marble accents. Each room is now equipped with built-in stereo speakers. The apartment also features 11-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings. “The meaty part of the loft is actually usable space,” said Ms. Gauthier. There are oversized windows with mahogany trim offering west, south and north exposures; the western view looks out toward Fifth Avenue. And speaking of renovation, the lobby and elevator cab are undergoing a complete overhaul and should be done in the spring. Richard Silver of the Corcoran Group represented the buyer, a writer from Manhattan, who fell in love with the place immediately after having seen a half-dozen other apartments.
Upper West Side
200 Riverside Boulevard Two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo. Asking: $1.23 million. Selling: $1.215 million. Charges: $754. Taxes: $6,864. Time on the market: two weeks.
TRUMPED UP Now that their daughter is heading off to college, this couple are leaving behind their luxury condo for a one-bedroom at nearby 120 Riverside Boulevard. The 1,100-square-foot apartment features marble bathrooms, herringbone hardwood floors and exposures offering “unbelievable sunset views,” according to Lisa Chin-Tostes of Manhattan Apartments Inc., who represented the sellers. The sellers run an import/export business and until recently lived in China. The buyers are from Long Island-he’s a retired government worker; she’s a teacher-and hope to rent out the condo for a couple years before moving in. “It’s one of the top full-service luxury condos on the Upper West Side and has spectacular views of the Hudson River,” said Adam Modlin of the Modlin Group, who represented the buyers (and also has the exclusive on Britney Spears’ East Village penthouse). The Trump building features modern amenities befitting a luxury hotel, including a health club with pool, laundry, garage, 24-hour doorman and concierge, and children’s playroom.
