Converted New York Condominium Attracts Foreign Buyers

By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorNew York—Vornado Realty Trust’s newly renovated 40 East 66th Street is drawing a windfall of interest from foreign buyers. Originally designed by renowned architect Rosario Candela in 1929 as a rental apartment building, 40 East 66th Street has been transformed into a condominium by Vornado and Cetra/Ruddy. “The famous architect Rosario Candela designed many buildings on 5th and Park Avenues. This is one of the last to be converted from a rental to a condo or co-op,” Barbara Russo of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group and director of sales for 40 East 66th Street, tells MHN.Despite the renovation, the residences retain many original details, including formal dining rooms, wood-burning limestone fireplaces and white oak herringbone patterned floors. Buyers from South America, Turkey, Holland, Lebanon and Canada are attracted to the building’s location, asserts Russo. “I’m really selling the location, but the finishes are lovely subtle finishes that everyone loves,” she adds.Kitchens feature custom white cabinetry with burnished nickel hardware, Barber Wilsons & Co. faucets, Cote d’Or limestone floors, Calacatta marble countertops and backsplash, Viking stoves with Miele hoods, Sub-Zero refrigerators and wine coolers, and Miele dishwashers.  En-suite master baths feature heated floors and towel racks, basket-weave marble floors, Lefroy Brooks of England faucets, Zuma & Kohler Tea-for-Two bathtub and a Shagreen patterned dressing table.  The building offers three layouts, ranging from two to five bedrooms and averaging approximately 2,450 square feet. Pricing ranges from $4.65 million to $16.5 million. Currently 50 percent of the converted units have been sold, most to foreign buyers, notes Russo.Amenities at 40 East 66th Street include a fitness room, children’s playroom, bike and stroller storage, and 24-hour doorman service