Nobody wants to buy the 'Versailles in Manhattan,' a $19.75 million Upper East Side townhouse that has been on and off the market for 15 years
The Versailles-inspired townhouse covers about 6,700 square feet across four stories — counting the finished basement with inlaid marble and wood flooring and a window, it's roughly 8,000 square feet. It was built in 1872 by architect John G. Prague in Neo-Georgian style with an exterior facade of raked limestone and red clay brick and has monthly real estate taxes of $8,290, according to the listing.
Laub renovated the townhouse when he bought it for $4 million in 1986. The entry forecourt includes a separate service entrance and radiant heat sidewalk for snow removal. Among the home's many features are 15 rooms, eight ornate fireplaces, eight marble baths, an elevator servicing all floors, a gym, and a tasteful rooftop garden.
Source: Douglas Elliman
But that's just the beginning of its opulent interiors. The Louis XIV-style living room features 10 painted canvas panels inspired by the Fragonard Room of the Frick Collection.
Source: Douglas Elliman
Not far from the living room on the second floor is an English pine library dating back to 1872.
Source: Douglas Elliman
On the opposite end of the townhouse's second floor is a sumptuous dining room‚ but it's not worth a visit without bringing a bottle from the temperature-controlled wine cellar in the basement.
Source: Douglas Elliman
To get to the dining room, you'll have to pass through a Belle Époque bar area featuring a Lalique-style glass ceiling that illuminates the interior.
Source: Douglas Elliman
There are also five bedroom suites in the top two floors of the townhouse as well as cedar closets.
Source: Douglas Elliman
Despite all the grandeur, the lavish spread may not appeal to buyers seeking a more modern look.
Source: Douglas Elliman
Current zoning permits approximately 1,400 square feet to be added as a fifth floor with a private sixth floor deck above.
Source: Douglas Elliman
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