That sound you hear emanating from the triplex atop 834 Fifth Avenue? It’s Rupert Murdoch breathing a huge sigh of relief right. No, he’s still on the hook for that whole phone hacking thing, but he hasn’t been unseated as the richest man in that godly building.
When The Observer reported that Damon Mezzacappa had found a buyer for his 12th floor spread, we could just feel Mr. Murdoch’s heart rate surge from across the pond. He paid $44 million for his massive home, but those were the boom times of 2007! This buyer dropped $34 million in this economy for what is reportedly a fixer-upper apartment. Who could it be? Could he be upstaged as the richest man in 834? No, Mr. Murdoch still has it by a hair!
Multiple sources have confirmed that the latest billionaire to buy at 834 Fifth is none other than Robert Bass, a Yale-educated oilman who is also working to develop supersonic technologies through his Reno-based company Aerion corporation. He also runs the influential private equity outfit Oak Hill Capital Partners
Worth an impressive $3.6 billion, according to Forbes, the Texas tycoon is doing just fine for himself, ranking as the 62nd richest man in the country. But he hasn’t beat Mr. Murdoch yet, who’s tallying around $7.4 billion as of last count.
Mr. Bass did not return calls seeking comment.
eknutsen@observer.com
