Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is not going to buy a fourth Upper East Side townhouse, despite initial reports.
For now, the chief owner of private investment firm Millhouse LLC will remain content with the trio he owns already—11, 13 and 15 East 75th Street in Manhattan, which he stealthily scooped out under the guise of a mystery buyer.
The steel tycoon intends to raze the adjacent brownstones, which are located between Madison and Fifth avenues, and construct a single magnificent mansion to stand in their place, where he will presumably live with his girlfriend, Dasha Zhukova (the mother of two of his seven children). Talks with New York's landmarks preservation committee are underway.
Purportedly, Abramovich considered purchasing 9 East 75th Street, but was deterred by rent-stabilized tenants: a class that has given him trouble in the past. In 2012, Abramovich sought a $75 million co-op at 825 Fifth Avenue before a wealthy widow and the co-op's owner contested the sale. On February 23rd, public records revealed that 9 E. 75th was purchased by another buyer for $17.9 million.
Abramovich—who grew up an orphan, only to become one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet—owns homes all over the globe, including in London, St. Barths, Cap d'Antibes, and Snowmass. Boasting a net worth of $9.5 billion as of 2014, he also commands several yachts on top of the Chelsea Football Club, which plays in England's Premier League.
Photo courtesy of the New York Post
