All photos courtesy of Hayley Ellen Day
Two multi-family townhouses that were combined into one megamansion in the West Village found a buyer this month. As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, the unique property at 105-107 Bank Street entered contract for over $70 million, set to become one of the most expensive homes ever sold in downtown Manhattan if the deal closes at that price. Robert A.M. Stern Architects designed the double-wide residence, which is six stories and measures over 13,000 square feet.
RoundSquare Builders acquired the neighboring century-old walk-up buildings in 2021 and 2022 for $18 million. The developer hired RAMSA to rebuild and combine the two buildings, which, in addition to a complex construction project, involved getting approvals from the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Located within the Greenwich Village Historic District, 105 and 107 Bank Street were once home to some notable residents. John Lennon lived at the rowhouse at No. 105 from 1971 to 1972 with Yoko Ono. Next door, composer John Cage lived at No. 107 in the 1970s with partner Merce Cunningham.
Now with construction complete, the home contains six bedrooms, eight baths, two powder rooms, a screening room, a fitness space, and a 1,600-bottle wine cellar. There’s also 3,000 square feet of private outdoor space.
The architects gut-renovated the interiors, but preserved the original facades and the cast-iron spiral staircase that once led from Lennon’s apartment to a roof terrace; it now connects the parlor floor to the rear garden, Robb Report noted.
There are two floors of living room space, along with the garden-level kitchen, which has double islands featuring White Danby marble countertops and a breakfast nook that opens onto a 40-foot garden. According to Bloomberg, a grand six-story spiral staircase features Venetian plaster and is crowned by a skylight.
The primary suite takes up an entire floor and includes an en-suite bath with a 2,000-plus-pound bathtub, two dressing rooms, and a terrace. The additional bedrooms are found on the upper levels.
The home boasts 3,000 square feet of outdoor space in the form of several terraces, a rooftop, and a backyard.
The sprawling home first hit the market for $75 million this past fall. Matthew Lesser of Leslie J. Garfield had the listing. Nikki Field of Sotheby’s International represented the buyer, whose identity has not been disclosed, as first reported by WSJ.
“From a sales perspective, opportunities of this scale and caliber are exceedingly rare. The ability to create — rather than simply acquire — a trophy asset in a supply-constrained market underscores the long-term value of patience, capital commitment, and best-in-class partnerships,” Lesser said in a statement to 6sqft.
The Bank Street home was the top contract of the last week, according to the latest Olshan Luxury Market Report.
The current record for a sale south of 14th Street is 138-140 West 11th Street, which is also a combination of two 19th-century homes into a single-family mansion. It sold for $72.5 million in January 2024, as 6sqft reported.
Several pending sales are ready to top that record. A contract has been signed for a $129 million deal at 80 Clarkson Street, a new condo by Zeckendorf Development and Atlas Capital Group, and for a $87.5 million penthouse at 140 Jane Street.
Last year, a duplex at 150 Charles Street sold for $60 million, and a penthouse at 125 Perry Street, a former parking garage turned boutique condo, was listed for $85 million.
The deal reflects a shift in where the city’s wealthiest are choosing to live, trading the Upper East Side for downtown Manhattan. But due to the stringent zoning regulations and landmark restrictions, as well as a lack of space, single-family mansions downtown are still rare.
Lesser added: “Unlike the Gold Coast of the Upper East Side—where larger footprints are more common—downtown properties were simply not built with this breadth and volume. The process begins with the rare opportunity to assemble two adjacent, vacant townhouses, followed by navigating the complexities of Landmarks approvals and an extensive construction undertaking.”
[Listing details: 105-107 Bank Street by Matthew Lesser and Matthew Pravda of Leslie Garfield]
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All photos courtesy of Hayley Ellen Day
