Shai Shustik and 41 West 72nd Street

When the Upper West Side’s Hermitage rental building turned condo in 2001, not all of its residents moved on without complaint. Eleven years later, 40 units at the building, which overlooks Central Park, are still occupied by rent-stabilized and rent-controlled tenants. Now, one plucky young company is betting it can negotiate with the existing tenants to finally turn the remaining units into luxury condominiums.  [more]

From left: Avery Fisher Hall and Norman Foster

Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center is planning a major renovation. But instead of continuing with a previous plan helmed by starchitect Norman Foster, theatre officials are looking for proposals from a new crop of architects, the New York Times reported.

Foster won the competition for the redesign in 2005, but the project was stalled over concerns that raising $300 million for the construction would be difficult in an era of falling attendance and ticket revenues. [more]

From left: Jason Haber of Rubicon, Blondie’s bar on the Upper West Side

In just a few hours, the sports bar Blondie’s — in the heart of liberal stronghold the Upper West Side — will open its doors to some 200 Democrats eager to see President Barack Obama throttle Republican challenger Mitt Romney. A bevy of the neighborhood’s political elite are expected to attend, including some, like Congressman Jerrold Nadler and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, who are actually on the ballot.

And the man organizing the festivities? That would be Jason Haber, founder of residential brokerage Rubicon Property, who has long devoted his spare time to Democratic politics. Haber was busy this afternoon inflating 150 blue balloons, which will fall from the ceiling in the event of an Obama victory. (If Romney wins, Haber will have the unfortunate — but metaphorically apt — job of popping the balloons tomorrow.) [more]

Interior shot of the 15 CPW listing

It seems that sellers at 15 Central Park West are undaunted by Hurricane Sandy. A two-bedroom apartment on the 16th floor went on the market for $8.5 million, almost twice as much as the owner paid for the sponsor unit in 2008, the New York Observer reported.

Listing brokers Hideko Horiguchi and Mika Sakamoto, both of Sotheby’s International Realty, said they picked up the listing shortly before the storm hit but were unable to put it in the system until now. “It has a beautiful open city view. It’s just a beautiful apartment and apartments in this building rarely come on the market.” Horiguchi told the Observer. [more]

From left: Andy Borowitz and images of his co-op’s interior

Funny man Andy Borowitz and his wife bought a classic 7 co-op at the Clebourne on the Upper West Side for $2.6 million, Curbed reported. The listing price for the property was $2.7 million. [more]

120 Riverside Boulevard

Updated at 6:50 p.m. with comment from Trump

The Trump Organization has been ousted as manager at a Trump Place building, sources told The Real Deal. The condominium board at 120 Riverside Boulevard has quietly replaced Trump with AKAM Living Services, sources said. But residents are not at all happy with the change, and may try and oust the board, said one broker familiar with the building.

“The contract expired and the board decided not to renew without notifying anyone,” the broker said. The switch to New York-based AKAM has left many residents “very unhappy,” according to another source. [more]

From left: the Lufkins’ unit at 455 Central Park West and Dan and Cynthia Lufkin

Dan Lufkin — the prominent banker who rose from humble beginnings — initially set the price for his five-bedroom spread at 455 Central Park West at an unhumble $17.5 million. But that ask, in 2008, was halved in the end. The apartment went for about $8.5 million, to a buyer identified only as “455 CPW APT LLC,” according to city records filed today. [more]

The Laureate and Nick Jabbour

A U.K.-based CEO of a conglomerate of companies has purchased three units at the Laureate in a bulk deal, Nest Seekers’ Nick Jabbour, the broker who represented the buyer in the deal, confirmed today.

The executive purchased a penthouse and two lower-floor units at the property in a deal valued at a total $21.88 million, Jabbour said. The penthouse at 2150 Broadway, and West 75th Street, traded for $11.55 million, while a five-bedroom spread on the 14th floor closed for $8.8 million and a one-bedroom unit on the 11th floor sold for $1.53 million, public records show. The latter two units closed for less than their asking prices, which were $10.5 million and $1.82 million respectively. [more]

From left: Reynold Levy and Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center has reached the end of its six-year, $1.2 billion redevelopment project, Crain’s reported. A ceremony tonight, marking the project’s completion, will open the President’s Bridge and dedicate a wall in honor of project’s benefactors. Lincoln Center President Reynold Levy told Crain’s that the project was completed on time and under its budget. [more]

‘Sex and the City’ creator Darren Star is listing his apartment in 1 Central Park West

‘Sex and the City’ creator and producer Darren Star is listing his 1 Central Park West condominium for $15 million.

The unit, 35G, features a 40-foot entertainment space with walls facing Central Park and the Hudson River. For an additional fee, a buyer can buy the apartment’s custom furniture. The apartment was designed by Los Angeles designer Waldo Fernandez, who did a gut renovation on the unit when Star bought it in 2005. [more]