A storied duplex on the Upper East Side, rich in lore, ornate details, and even ties to a well-known tragedy, has been listed for the first time in nearly a century for $20 million. But before getting to the apartment’s stately interiors, let’s take a stroll into its past.
The building itself, formerly the site of the F.W. Woolworth Mansion, was designed by Rosario Candela and built in 1927. This 4,300-square-foot residence was purchased that same year by George Crawford, founder of Columbia Gas & Electric, and his wife, Annie Laurie Crawford. It became their family home where they raised their daughter, heiress Martha ‘Sunny’ Crawford, and has never been on the market since.
After George passed, Annie Laurie remarried sculptor and writer Russell Barnett Aitken. Together, they were a Renaissance couple of the city, collecting art and antiques, and serving as patrons of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is right across the street.
Sunny had a privileged, high-society childhood at the Fifth Avenue apartment, then went on to marry Prince Alfred von Auersperg of Austria. Following his death, she married Claus von Bulöw and they split their time between residences, including a Newport, Rhode Island mansion. In 1979, Claus was accused of attempted murder after Sunny mysteriously slipped into a coma, and again in 1980, after an alleged insulin overdose left her in a permanent “vegetative” state, according to the Wall Street Journal. These events received national attention, and even were depicted in the film Reversal of Fortune starring Glenn Close.
At that time, the apartment was already in Roosevelt hands, oddly enough. Aitken married Irene Boyd Roosevelt, who was the widow of one of Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s sons, after Annie Laurie died. Irene lived here until 2025 when she passed away, leading to the apartment’s recent listing, per the Robb Report.
Like a time capsule, the duplex transports you to a world of Old World Manhattan luxury. Despite its timeless glamour, it could still use a full-scale renovation, according to the listing. The grand foyer leads to a formal living room with 11-foot ceilings, parquet floors, and a marble fireplace. The library is drastically more intimate, sheathed entirely in honeyed wood paneling. Another marble fireplace, along with the dense French drapery, warms the mood while niches filled with historical firearms flank each side. There are many more opulent corners to discover as well, and four bedrooms located on the second level.
The proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Frick Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Morgan Library & Museum, a gesture in recognition of the family’s philanthropic efforts. Christine Miller Martin of Compass holds the listing.