From left: 36 Gramercy Park East, Jim Parsons of “Big Bang Theory” and Nest Seekers’ Ryan Serhant and Carol Friedman

“Big Bang” actor Jim Parsons purchased a $1.82 million apartment at 36 Gramercy Park East, the New York Observer reported. Carol Friedman and Ryan Serhant of Nest Seekers, the building’s exclusive marketing firm, brokered the deal.

The building is among the few condominiums along the private park, as it was converted from a rental in 2009 by Mann Realty Associates, with average asking prices of about $2,248 per square foot. Parsons came away with his 911-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment for $2,000 per foot. [more]

Lev Leviev, head of Africa Israel, and the Apthorp

A state Supreme Court judge ruled Monday against the owners of the famed Apthorp condominium on the Upper West Side, blocking a proposed monthly rent increase of about $37 per apartment. The owners wanted to overturn an earlier denial by the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal of their effort to recoup $2.9 million in capital improvements with the hike. Judge Alice Schlesinger ruled that the ownership group, led by Africa Israel Corp. and Mann Realty Associates, failed to provide evidence that new electrical wiring in the 163-unit building had been properly installed and documented.
The case stemmed from a so-called major capital improvements request from the building’s previous owners.
“The tenants won a well-deserved victory when Judge Schlesinger correctly upheld the DHCR denial of the electrical MCI because of the owner’s failure to provide DHCR with the required documentation,” said attorney David Hershey-Webb, who represented the tenants.
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Developer Maurice Mann is facing a lawsuit for allegedly failing to pay $400,000 in commissions and fees to Blue Rock Properties, a Manhattan-based brokerage that in 2007, helped arrange financing for the acquisition of the Apthorp on the Upper West Side.

Mann, the general partner of Mann Realty Associates, led the investment group that acquired the landmark rental building, at 390 West End Avenue, for a record $426 million. Mann has since lost the role of managing partner at the Apthorp to Africa Israel, the Israeli real estate and diamond conglomerate led by billionaire Lev Leviev.

Leviev is currently awaiting word from the New York State Attorney General about whether he will declare the condominium plan effective, amid serious concerns about whether the developer was able to find enough buyers to make the building financially viable. [more]

The Apthorp’s condo conversion deadline is looming with project owners Africa Israel Investments and Mann Realty Associates needing to move 25 units at the building, at 2201 Broadway between 78th and 79th streets, by Sept. 15. According to a source, around 22 units are in contract, double the number reported to have been sold. But the building has been relying heavily on a media blitz including a major price slashing as reports of stars like Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin looking at the building have emerged. Africa Israel and Mann Realty called in star agent Dolly Lenz, a vice chairman at Prudential Douglas Elliman, to handle sales in late July.