UES Penthouse Tops Manhattan’s Luxury Contracts

An Upper East Side penthouse reigned over Manhattan’s luxury market last week.

The triplex condo at 181 East 65th Street, last asking $18 million, was the priciest home to enter contract in the borough between Dec. 11 and Dec. 17, according to Olshan Realty’s weekly report. Eighteen properties asking $4 million or more found buyers last week, down from 24 in the previous period.

The 6,700-square-foot apartment hit the market in February with an asking price of $20 million. The condo last traded in 2001 for $12.8 million.

The six-bedroom, five-bathroom home also features a 36-foot living room facing Central Park, six terraces and two balconies. Monthly common charges are $13,600, and real estate taxes are $170,000.

Official’s Tal Alexander had the listing.

The 93-residence building, known as the Chatham, was built in 2000. The Robert A.M. Stern-designed tower has welcomed buyers including Peruvian billionaire Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, Related Companies CEO Jeff Blau and Stern.

The second most expensive home to enter contract was 244-246 Waverly Place in the West Village, last asking $16 million. Annual real estate taxes are $125,000.

The townhouse, listed at the end of August, was two homes until 1961, when it was combined into a 4-story, 35-foot-wide property with 13 rental units.

Douglas Elliman’s Christopher Riccio had the listing.

Neighborhoods in downtown Manhattan have scored some of the city’s priciest sales so far this year, including a penthouse at Steve Witkoff’s West Village condo. The renovated unit at 150 Charles Street sold for $52 million, or more than $11,500 per square foot, in July.

Of the 18 homes to enter contract last week, 11 were condos, five were co-ops and two were townhouses.

The homes’ combined asking price was $143 million, which works out to an average asking price of $7 million and a median asking price of $6 million. The typical home received an 11 percent discount and spent 598 days on the market.