Top broker Fredrik Eklund tied up his purchase of a downtown condo as the fast-selling development nears completion.
The Douglas Elliman broker, who helmed sales at Argo Real Estate’s 64 University Place in Greenwich Village, scooped up a two-bedroom condo in the project for $3.4 million, according to public records. The deal for the 1,400-square-foot unit included a $2.25 million mortgage and came out to around $2,400 per square foot.
The Eklund-Gomes Team made headlines in 2022 after pushing out 24 contracts at the 28-unit building in less than two weeks, thanks to an underground marketing campaign.
Eklund’s fellow team lead John Gomes also purchased a two-bedroom apartment, the Wall Street Journal reported at the time.
The milestone came as Manhattan’s luxury market was still riding the pandemic wave, selling units for an average of $3.5 million, or roughly $3,000 per square foot.
Argo Real Estate and Bsafal acquired the property in 2019 for $30 million from Bernard-Charles. After some pandemic- and permit-induced delays, work began on the project in 2021 with help from an $82 million construction loan from Fortress Investment Group.
Construction was previously expected to be completed by early 2024, but New York Yimby reported in March it could be sometime in the second half of this year.
KPF designed the building and Danish firm Space Copenhagen designed the interiors.
Eklund made his name dealing in Manhattan luxury properties, but this is the first under his name since he sold his Tribeca loft for more than $5.6 million in 2018, according to public records.
Eklund, who also owns properties in Florida and a home in Connecticut, added to his portfolio elsewhere earlier this month. The top broker purchased an Austin penthouse condo for more than $2 million. Eklund is also leading the sales effort at the Intracorp development in the Texas capital, which is slated for completion in 2027.
“I think it’s important to show skin in the game,” Eklund told TRD of the purchase.