Astor estate accepts lowball offer in the “high teens” for 778 Park Avenue duplex

Brooke Astor’s 14-room duplex at 778 Park Avenue, once listed for $46 million, is now in contract “in the high teens,” sources told the Post. The apartment, which takes up the 15th and 16th floors of the Rosario Candela-designed building, has been on the market since Astor died in 2007 — most recently, for $24.9 million. But despite the commitment from this mystery buyer, the Astor estate is said to be “simply dying to get another bid” and is still giving tours of the home to interested buyers in the hopes that they’ll crack the $20 million threshold. One anonymous broker speculated that the lowball offer was only accepted because Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, who was convicted last year of attempting to steal from his mother’s estate, may be “desperate for money” as the legal fees for his appeal continue to mount. Meanwhile, the co-op board hasn’t signed off on the bid. [Post]