Monday, May 7, 2012

UPDATE: Huguette Clark

Late last week Your Mama repeated a rumor whispered to us by I.B. Uhrealestateuberinsider that Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani—otherwise known as the oil rich Prime Minister of Qatar—had made a powerful bid to buy two of the three New York City apartments long owned by famously reclusive copper heiress Huguette Clark and now controlled by the public administrator of New York County, the executor of her approximately $400,000,000 estate.

Today comes word via Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Bill Dedman—the undisputed expert on Miz Clark's pre- and post-death affairs—that the prime minister's offer of $31,500,000—half a mil' more than the combined asking price for the two adjacent but not-joined 8th floor spreads—was accepted by the executors but rejected by the co-operative building's board.

The sheikh's offer was not just rejected, butter beans, the board declined to even grant him an interview. A "person familiar with the decision" snitched to Mister Dedmen the board was, quite legitimately perhaps, concerned the prime minister's extensive security needs would compromise the otherwise "quiet character of the elegant building."

In addition to the bizness about the Qatari's resounding rejection Mister Dedman revealed two additional and fascinating tidbits of additional information regarding Miz Clark's trio of Fifth Avenue apartments.

First he revealed that the lavish living sheikh—the prime minister owns a yacht (the Al Miqab) that cost hundreds of millions to build and maintains a seriously-posh penthouse at One Hyde Park in London—was not the highest bidder for the two apartments. Other bidders included "the founder of a private-equity firm and the founder of a hedge-fund," according to Mister Dedman who also disclosed the highest offer for the two 8th floor units was actually $33,000,000.

The second nugget Mister Dedman dropped was that the accepted bid for Miz Clark's 12th floor apartment—a park facing unit with a $24,000,000 asking price—was put forth by derivatives trader and hedge hog Boaz Weinstein. Mister Weinstein, New York City bred and not yet 40 years old, has reportedly signed a contract and awaits and interview with the co-op board.

The saga continues...

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Darling Mamma oh the DRAMA! No Shocker that Wall Street Monies are the buyers and proper buyers at that. The Security would turn the lovely block into a security circus for the ladies who lunch and shop... oh lala... The Prime Minister should encamp to a lovely townhouse around the corner in either direction...

Anonymous said...

I doubt the Prime Minister's enhanced security is the issue, after all, some of NYC's wealthiest and most high profile individuals reside in that building and throughout the block.

I wonder whether racism against an Arab Muslim is behind the rejection. Such a scenario would be disgusting.

Anonymous said...

The think the commenters pretty well nailed this one. It has to be a massive blow to the ego, however, to be regarded as less desirable than a hedge fund manager.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if racism against Arab Muslim accounts for the rejection by he co-op, not security concerns (after all, residents in the neighborhood are used to high security).

Anonymous said...

OMG, did he want to buy the whole building? Per the article..

"The Qatari had also let it be known that he was willing to pay top dollar for other apartments in the building for staff and relatives."

Anonymous said...

Mama, this PM should buy the $115 million penthouse at the under construction One57 in midtown NYC! I can't wait until sales start to close and you give us the run down on that 15 Central Park West Killer!

But yes, these oligarchs, celebrities and the like should stop trying with these upper east coops. It will never happen.

Anonymous said...

MAMA CALLED IT FIRST!

Anonymous said...

This is why people live in Co-ops, rather than Condos: there is a priceless aspect to coming home to a quiet building, rather than one with guard posts on the perimeter. I have lived on the block with guard posts for many years. Discreet security is one thing. Diplomatic security is a huge leap beyond and a whole other story.

StPaulSnowman said...

Oh great, now maybe we will get a TV showing of Huguette's digs by that uniquely creepy Swedish broker with the overdone eye makeup. This gets better by the day. I suspect those coop board interviews would make for great reality TV as well. If Mama doesn't rein in, I will not be able to find time to mow the lawn.

Jenny Craig said...

I bet anything that Oprah could win over any coop board she chose to...and she's really fat.

Anonymous said...

As one of Carpenter's first large residential buildings, 907 Fifth Avenue is neither "quiet" nor "elegant," although its facade was executed with dignified restraint. During this era, Carpenter was still experimenting with his off the foyer floor plan, which he achieved far more successfully in his earlier 635 Park Avenue and later 920 Fifth Avenue buildings, among several other examples.

Furthermore, the majority of the original and grand half-floor homes at 907 were divided into four-and-one-half and five-and-one-half room apartments in the 1950s, when the building was converted, into coops, and not religiously.

Nevertheless, the 907 board attempts to masquerade its building as "exclusive" in much the odious manner of its wealthier neighbors, and the Rabbi agrees that denying the Qatar PM the opportunity of an interview stinks to high heaven of Arab and Muslim phobia and racism.

Rabbi Hedda LaTess

Anonymous said...

Yeah i called it in the last post too. Way too much security. If i was the sheikh i would argue that the purchase makes the building much more exclusive as if he purchased all 4 apartments the build would have three less residents.

Anonymous said...

Racism. Plain and simple. Security, smucurity. I knew he didn't have a chance.

Anonymous said...

Thank god these people rejected these tacky people just as I said they would. I used to think co-ops were awful things but now I realize they are an absolute necessity.

They have no appreciation for a building like this, they just want it because it is expensive and they can show off to their other tacky friends how much they paid.

Well done co-op board, well done.

Anonymous said...

You know the right-wingers are reading this story in delight.

Anonymous said...

Jennifer Gould Keil has a piece about it in the Post this morning.
Apparently, it was the security, the fifteen kids, the multiple wives and, very significantly, that he has diplomatic immunity so therefore could not be held accountable for anything.
It's puzzling why the brokers showed them this in the first place. They definitely know what's what with the Board there, so that would seem to indicate that maybe it has a reputation for not being that tough. Or, it was for the publicity.

nursedeb said...

so money CAN'T buy everything?
how refreshing!

Anonymous said...

i think their biggest beef about him is that he is a *working* government-Minister. (and the highest tier too) That is a completely different level of security and attendant *worries and hassles and 'foot traffic'.

?
Dear Rabbi Hedda LaTess
do you know how the split up a "half" apartment into quarters?

eg) do the back half have to use the service Elevators to access their apartments? i think this is a link to the building plans
http://streeteasy.com/nyc/building/907-5-avenue-new_york/floorplans

Anonymous said...

OMG Why do some people believe that every decision in life involves racism? I have no idea who lives in that building and to assume they are all racist is just not right. Are they friends of yours? What if you lived in that building and suddenly there was a huge security detail causing you inconvenience everyday not to mention additional security problems that could directly effect you? Also it sounds as if he would move 30-40 people in there as well, good lord. This after you paid 10 mil plus to live there! No thanks
Kudos to Jennifer Gould Keil shedding some light

lil' gay boy said...

As much as people like to wail & gnash their teeth, it is not straying into the realm of incredulity that a co-op board would choose to pass on a potentially invasive tenant... their mandate is, after all, to maintain the status quo.

It does not seem to me, IMHO, "racist" to assume a diplomat moving into the building would disrupt everyday life, regardless of country, immunity, religion or social status.

I am more dismayed by the possibility that, like most hedge hogs who like to piss out the boundaries of their territory, that the surviving period details in Huguette's legacy apartments will be instantly stripped in the interest of "modernity".

Snowman, who better than a Swedish former gay porn star could possibly convince the Qatari diplomat that no one else could find him & his entourage the perfect NYC domicile?

Anonymous said...

The real estate agent advising the Qatari should have advised them that they would not stand a chance in hell in gaining admission to that building. I don't know what either of them was thinking.

They should buy a mansion, or move to 15 Central Park West, which is a condo.

Anonymous said...

Not to boast, but I was the first to comment that he wouldnt be approved AND that they would blame it on security, but the roots go much deeper.

Petra's Lint Licking Lush said...

The reason they rejected him is obviously not security. All of the residents in that building probably have their own security detail already. More like the size of his entourage and parties would offend these old cats. Not to mention the fact that once he was in the building, there would be no legitimate reason to prevent him from buying up half the rest of it. Which is likely what he'd do. Definitely a snobbery factor there, as evidenced by the fact that they suddenly changed their minds about allowing the two units to be combined.

Personally, I find it ironic that the Prime Minister is flatly rejected while someone like Boaz Weinstein - who is married to an Arab Muslim and accused terrorist sympathizer - will likely get in without a hitch, just because he's more 'our kind, dear'.

StPaulSnowman said...

LGB......I dunno, perhaps that little nebish with the mouth full of chiclets and the fetish for expensive slippers. Certainly not the ex soap "star" who is the car wreck I cannot look away from.

Anonymous said...

Who knows the reason but the fact that he's not resident in the US and Co-op Boards historically hating Pied a terre owners I'm pretty sure that's got something to do with it.

Given his $200M apartment in London (And other London homes) & his numerous other real estate holdings at home & throughout Europe I really don't think he'll be caring!