Latest news with #EvanJosephStudios
New York Post
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Jeffery Epstein-linked billionaire pays $37M for former Obama rental home on Martha's Vineyard
A Martha's Vineyard estate once favored by the Obamas as a summer retreat has quietly changed hands for $37 million — $2 million below its May asking price. The buyer is a trust tied to billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner, the longtime head of L Brands and founder of Victoria's Secret, according to the Real Deal. Known as Blue Heron Farm, the 28.5-acre Chilmark property had been off the market for more than a decade, following an extensive transformation under its previous owners, British architect Norman Foster and his wife, Elena Ochoa Foster. 9 The Martha's Vineyard estate once rented by Barack and Michelle Obama as their summer retreat has sold for $37 million. Evan Joseph Studios 9 The home sold to a trust linked to Ohio-based billionaire Les Wexner, founder of L Brands and former close associate of Jeffrey Epstein. The couple bought the estate in 2011 for $22.4 million and overhauled it into a secluded compound blending historic charm with sleek modern amenities. It was listed this spring for $39 million with agents Brian Dougherty and Maggie Gold Seelig of Corcoran, and went under contract just weeks later. The deal closed on July 10, according to public records. 9 Known as Blue Heron Farm, the 28.5-acre waterfront compound hosted the Obamas for three summers starting in 2009. Evan Joseph Studios 9 The Obamas reportedly paid $50,000 a week during their time in the home. Evan Joseph Studios During the Obama presidency, the secluded property served as the family's vacation home for three consecutive summers beginning in 2009. At the time, they were said to have paid roughly $50,000 a week to rent it. The Obamas stopped returning after the Fosters bought the home and ended its rental availability. The estate includes a 7,000-square-foot main residence with a wraparound porch, plus a guesthouse, a design studio, a gym, a tennis court, equestrian facilities and a private dock. 9 After architect Norman Foster and his wife, Elena Ochoa Foster, purchased the property in 2011 for $22.4 million, they renovated and withdrew it from the rental market. Evan Joseph Studios A barn originally constructed in Pennsylvania over 150 years ago now anchors the entry drive. Under Foster's tenure, a new pool house was added, echoing the clean lines of his firm's more urban projects, including London's Gherkin and the new Wembley Stadium. The buyer, according to records, is a trust managed by Matthew Zieger, Wexner's longtime attorney. While Wexner did not comment, the 87-year-old tycoon has deep real estate ties in Ohio, where L Brands is headquartered, and in Jupiter, Fla., where he owns additional property with his wife Abigail. 9 The estate, listed for $39 million in May, features a 7,000-square-foot main home, a guesthouse, a modern pool house, a gym, a tennis court, stables and a relocated 150-year-old Pennsylvania barn. Evan Joseph Studios His name has also resurfaced in recent years due to his decades-long personal and professional relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, who served as his financial adviser until 2007. Though no longer renters, the Obamas remained fond of Blue Heron Farm. According to Foster, the former president once made a lighthearted attempt to reclaim it. In a New Yorker interview, Foster recalled the former president applied 'jokey pressure' to resume the rental arrangement. 'Sadly, no,' Foster told him at the time, politely declining. 9 The Obamas, drawn by the property's privacy and serenity, later bought their own $11.65 million Martha's Vineyard home in 2019 and also maintain residences in Washington, DC, Chicago and reportedly Hawaii. AFP/Getty Images Afterward, the Obamas pivoted to another Martha's Vineyard rental before purchasing their own home on the island in 2019 for $11.65 million — a nine-bedroom, 8.5-bath residence formerly owned by Joe Lockhart, a former White House press secretary. Michelle Obama later joked about the layout on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' saying, 'He got so shortchanged on this whole deal. He doesn't have enough closet space, sorry! He's got the smallest room for his office.' The couple also owns homes in Washington, DC's Kalorama neighborhood and in Chicago's Kenwood, which they bought in 2005. 9 The deal closed July 10, marking a rare high-end transaction in the area and further expanding Wexner's already sprawling real estate portfolio. Evan Joseph Studios 9 Les Wexner. Courtesy Hulu In addition, they are rumored to be connected to a beachfront compound under development in Oahu by longtime friend Marty Nesbitt. One of three homes on the $8.1 million site is believed to be intended for the Obamas. For the Fosters, parting ways with Blue Heron Farm marks the end of a deeply personal project. A statement from the listing described it as 'a historic estate with notable farming roots' that had been 'meticulously updated and modernized … with significant investments made in timeless renovations, extensive foliage planting and build-out for new amenities.' But for the Obamas, its draw was more emotional. In a previous statement, Dougherty and Gold Seelig explained, the family initially chose the property 'for its incredible privacy, serenity and significance.'
New York Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward's NYC home just sold for more than 40% above ask — after an intense bidding war
A one-bedroom Manhattan co-op once belonging to Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward has sold for more than 40% above its asking price. The Fifth Avenue pad listed for $9.95 million in early December for the first time in four decades. An intense bidding war followed, and a contract was signed after just three weeks. The ink finally dried on the sale, the Wall Street Journal reported, for roughly $14 million. 8 Paul Newman, pictured in 1995. Getty Images 8 Newman and his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, purchased the unit in the 1980s. Getty Images 8 The co-op attracted close to a dozen offers. Evan Joseph Studios The 3,000-square-foot co-op takes up half of the top floor of the 15-story building, located at 1126 Fifth Ave. The Hollywood star, philanthropist and all-around multi-hyphenate purchased the Carnegie Hill property in the 1980s. Newman and his wife Woodward, also an actress, reconfigured the two-bedroom into a spacious one-bedroom. The spare bedroom now functions as a library. The two Oscar winners used the property as a second home for decades. Newman died in 2008 at the age of 83 and is survived by Woodward, 95, who now lives in Connecticut. 8 The kitchen. Evan Joseph Studios 8 Built-ins surround French doors. Evan Joseph Studios 8 The formal dining room. Evan Joseph Studios Douglas Elliman agents Noble Black and Jennifer Stillman represented the sellers. More than 50 potential buyers toured the property in December, the Journal reported. Nearly a dozen offers came in, Black told the outlet, including one offer north of $14 million. That would-be buyer was ultimately rejected by the Newman family on the grounds that, as the bidder planned to use the pad as their own pied-à-terre, they'd likely be rejected by the co-op board. The romantic apartment offers two terraces spanning 2,300 square feet. Both lookouts boast views of Central Park and the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. 8 The large bedroom. Evan Joseph Studios 8 The home's terraces have entertained Hollywood stars and presidents. Evan Joseph Studios Clea Newman Soderlund, the couple's youngest daughter, told the New York Times in December that the terraces formerly hosted cocktails and dinner parties with the likes of Tom Cruise and Cher, as well as Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The successful new owners of the home, who were represented by Brown Harris Stevens, remain anonymous. They were identified by Black only as a couple in finance.
New York Post
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Françoise Gilot's NYC home has just listed for the first time
Françoise Gilot — the brilliant French artist loved by Pablo Picasso and Jonas Salk — loved this apartment. And, indeed, home is where the art is. The late Gilot's lofty duplex in the heart of the West 67th Street's historic artists' district just hit the market for $4.3 million, according to StreetEasy. Gilot, known internationally for her watercolors, ceramics and the bestselling memoir 'Life with Picasso,' used the loft-like co-op home as a live-in studio for decades. Advertisement 9 Gilot, pictured in her California studio in 1982. Getty Images 9 A young Gilot and Pablo Picasso, with whom she had two children. Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images 9 The duplex features impressive barrel-vaulted ceilings, even in the kitchen. Evan Joseph/Evan Joseph Studios Advertisement 9 The co-op's lofty ceilings reach more than 17 feet high. Evan Joseph/Evan Joseph Studios In addition to striking French Modernist art, including works like 'Adam Forcing Eve to Eat an Apple' and the mythological 'Labyrinth Series,' Gilot was known for her impressive romantic relationships. Gilot first met Picasso when she was a 21-year-old artist living in German-occupied France. Picasso was 61 at the time. The dynamic pair spent almost 10 years together and shared two children. Gilot recounted this time in her 1964 best seller 'Life with Picasso.' The acclaimed book was loosely adapted in the 1996 James Ivory film 'Surviving Picasso,' featuring Anthony Hopkins. Gilot went on to marry Jonas Salk, the pioneer of the polio vaccine, and settled in New York City until her death at 101 years old in 2023. Advertisement This listing marks the first time Gilot's three-bedroom residence on West 67th Street has hit the market. It's being sold by her estate. The home features soaring, and striking-looking, barrel-vaulted ceilings over 17 feet high, a woodburning fireplace, oversized north-facing windows and a flexible three- to four-bedroom layout. 9 The two-tiered living area offers ample space and natural light. Evan Joseph/Evan Joseph Studios 9 The northern exposures were what Gilot liked best about the apartment. Evan Joseph/Evan Joseph Studios 9 The unit is a few floors below Peter Yarrow's former duplex, which entered into contract just last month. Evan Joseph/Evan Joseph Studios Advertisement 9 Gilot, as seen in a 'Woman in The News' feature by Nora Ephron in 1965. William N. Jacobellis/New York Post Gilot's duplex is just one of three units up for sale in the building. The second property, a $2.5 million two-bedroom, was also owned by Gilot. She used it as a guest apartment and a pied-à-terre, said Christie's International's Leslie Hirsch, who holds the two listings alongside Howard L. Morrel. The third unit is the recently in-contract home of the late Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. Yarrow's fifth-floor duplex home last listed for $4.44 million and earned itself an impressive bidding war. Its final sale price is not yet known. The fact that all three listings at 27 W. 67th St. are estate sales is no coincidence. Families there tend to hold fast to their homes, Hirsch said. What is surprising, however, is that three units are on the market in the first place. 'Properties in the building don't come up for sale very often, ' Hirsch said. 'You see one or two a year, maximum.' 9 Gilot in 2015. Getty Images Advertisement The building is one of several special residences along an iconic New York City block, known at West 67th Street Artists' Colony Historic District. The landmarked stretch of brick and limestone buildings between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue gained a reputation for its high concentration of artist apartments. Famous residents included the daring 'Readymades' artist Marcel Duchamp and photorealistic painter Normal Rockwell. This building, in particular, was founded by a group of 10 artists who pooled their money for the 14-studio co-op, Curbed reported in 2023. The building continued to attract generations of artists, thanks to its wide open studio-like set-up and large, north-facing windows — the light best for painting. Advertisement It was that feature of the apartment, Hirsch said, that Gilot valued. 'You can stand on the balcony and look at your work from multiple angles,' she said. 'That's what her daughter said to me, that what she [Gilot] liked about painting in this apartment.
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Penthouse in the only NYC building designed by Tadao Ando lists for $35M
If these walls could talk, they'd whisper — in minimalist Japanese. The penthouse at 152 Elizabeth Street, the only residential building in New York City crafted by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando, has just been listed for $35 million, The Post has learned. The duplex residence, which spans more than 5,600 interior square feet and over 3,200 square feet of private outdoor space, reflects Ando's trademark blend of simplicity and precision. 16 The residence offers more than 3,200 square feet of private outdoor space. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The home offers 5,600 square feet of interior space. Evan Joseph Studios Designed in collaboration with New York-based Gabellini Sheppard, the home features four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and a host of luxury features that position it among the most exclusive listings in the city. Discreetly tucked into Nolita, the building's raw concrete facade and water feature — a serene, mirrored reflecting pool — announce Ando's signature ethos of silence and structure. Inside, a private key-fob elevator opens directly onto the apartment's striking central staircase, made of satin-finished stainless steel and honed Pietra Cardosa stone. The staircase visually and physically connects all three levels, while floor-to-ceiling windows usher in light and views from every direction. 16 The landscaped roof terrace offers panoramic views of New York City, an outdoor kitchen, a granite soaking tub, and one of Ando's signature reflecting pools. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The home also includes rare automated valet parking and private storage — uncommon perks in Manhattan's luxury market. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The duplex residence features interiors by Gabellini Sheppard. Evan Joseph Studios 16 A dramatic glass-and-stainless-steel staircase, honed Pietra Cardosa stone, Dinesen oak floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows set the tone for understated luxury. Evan Joseph Studios The first level includes a 52-foot-long great room anchored by a gas fireplace with a custom stone hearth, a high-end chef's kitchen appointed with Italian milk glass and eucalyptus wood cabinetry, and access to a landscaped terrace fitted with Ando-designed water walls and reflecting pools. Upstairs, the bedroom suites are upholstered with sound-dampening fabric for added privacy, and the primary suite includes a private covered balcony, a dressing room, and a walk-in closet. The en-suite bathrooms are clad in Bianco Sivec marble with glacier-white Corian vanities and wall-mounted fixtures. Atop the residence, a full-floor roof terrace offers views of the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, and the Williamsburg Bridge. The space is outfitted with a full outdoor kitchen, a carved granite soaking tub, and yet another reflecting pool—this one wrapping around a granite fireplace custom-designed by Ando. 16 Highlights include a 52-foot great room with a fireplace. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The Italian-crafted chef's kitchen. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The home boasts floor-to-ceiling windows for optimal sunlight. Evan Joseph Studios 16 A den. Evan Joseph Studios 16 A dining nook.l Evan Joseph Studios Among the rarest features for a Manhattan apartment are the two on-site automated valet parking spaces and private storage, which come with the unit — amenities virtually unheard of in Nolita, or anywhere below 14th Street. The building includes just seven residences and features a full-time doorman, 24-hour concierge service, and a level of discretion often reserved for uptown ultra-luxury towers. Adam Modlin and Andrew Nierenberg of the Modlin Group hold the listing. 16 Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (R) and Tadao Ando (L) stand in front of a miniature of Pinault Contemporary Art Museum on April 4, 2003. Getty Images 16 The building offers just seven residences. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The home offers four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The primary suite boasts a walk-in closet, dressing room, and private balcony. Evan Joseph Studios 16 The home offers easy indoor/outdoor access. Evan Joseph Studios Though known for his deeply meditative concrete structures and poetic spatial language, Ando has only designed a handful of private residences in the United States. In 2023, Beyoncé and Jay-Z made headlines when they paid $200 million for a Malibu oceanfront compound designed by Ando, setting a California real estate record. In contrast, Kanye West purchased a separate Ando-designed home in Malibu for $57.3 million—only to strip it to its bones and leave it unfinished. That property returned to the market this spring with a gutted interior and a steep drop in value, drawing criticism from architecture purists and fans of Ando alike.
Boston Globe
05-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Blue Heron Farm, Martha's Vineyard estate often rented by Obamas, hits the market for $39 million
Blue Heron Farm will be listed for $39 million, the agent handling the listing confirmed. Evan Joseph Studios President Barack Obama, right, rides in a golf cart with NBA basketball player Ray Allen, left, while golfing Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at Farm Neck Golf Club, in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard. Steven Senne The Wall Street Journal Advertisement Located along Tisbury Great Pond, the opulent estate boasts a a five-bedroom guesthouse, a boat house, and a horse barn transplanted from Pennsylvania, the Journal said. A sitting room in the main house looks out at the estate's sweeping outdoor space. Evan Joseph Studios The Blue Heron Farm estate on Martha's Vineyard has a five-bedroom guesthouse. Evan Joseph Studios The 7,000-square-foot main house opens out onto the property's pristine lawns, and features a wraparound porch, a deck, and a gracious sitting room with floor-to-ceiling windows, photos show. Foster and his wife, Spanish art publisher Elena Foster, added a sleek modern pool house with a generous covered patio area, the Journal reported. The architect is known for designing projects around the world, including the London skyscraper known as 'the Gherkin' and Manhattan's Hearst Tower. Elena Foster is CEO of Ivorypress, an art publishing house and curatorial company. Advertisement A spacious pool house was added by owner Norman Foster, the Wall Street Journal reported. Evan Joseph Studios The Blue Heron Farm boathouse along Tisbury Great Pond. Evan Joseph Studios The estate has elements dating back to the 1800s, and has historic farming roots, according to the Journal. After Blue Heron Farm was purchased by the Fosters in 2011, the Obamas spent summer vacations elsewhere on the island, including at The main home's formal dining room. Evan Joseph Studios The main house has a wraparound porch looking out onto roughly 30 acres. Evan Joseph Studios A spacious pool house was added by owner Norman Foster, the Wall Street Journal reported. Evan Joseph Studios Claire Thornton can be reached at
