Filed under: Buying, Celebrity Homes
By Streeteasy
What kind of pied-a-terre would an 89-year-old British monarch require to make New York City feel like an extension of the royal palace? According to The Real Deal, that would be an $8 million, three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom apartment on the 18th floor at 50 United Nations Plaza.
Is it Buckingham Palace East? Well, no. The Norman Foster-designed building in Turtle Bay is far more sleek and modern, and there’s nary a beefeater standing sentry in this luxurious, secure and private building adjacent to the U.N.
With Buckingham Palace in need of serious renovation, Queen Elizabeth II might be plotting getaways beyond her current options including Windsor Castle, Balmoral Castle in Scotland and Sandringham House in Norfolk.
What drew the queen to this unit? It might have something to do with the 50-foot long dining room and grand foyer, suitable for large-scale entertaining. There’s also a private motor court and garden entry to the building. Last, but not least, the queen has tapped the shoulder of architect Foster before — when she knighted him back in 1990.
And if the queen winds up making only rare use of the place, perhaps she’ll allow her grandchildren and great-grandkids to use the pad the next time they’re in town to hang out with Jay Z and Beyonce at a Brooklyn Nets game.