While the Kennedy name is most famous because of Jackie Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy, the American dynasty was and is full of political dynamos. Right now, in fact, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is running for the 2024 presidential election. JFK’s youngest sister Jean Kennedy Smith, a humanitarian and diplomat, served the nation in a different way. Most notably, when nominated by President Reagan, she was the US Ambassador to Ireland. Kennedy Smith passed in 2020, but her classic Manhattan duplex that just listed for $5.1 million is once again bringing her legacy to the forefront.
After hanging up her Ambassador hat, Kennedy Smith shifted towards more philanthropic work and established Very Special Arts. While under a different name today, VSA still provides opportunities in the arts for persons with disabilities. Her life accomplishments also include prestigious awards such as the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service from the American Institutes for Public Service, the Margaret Mead Humanitarian Award from the Council of Cerebral Palsy Auxiliaries, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
But, few may know where Kennedy Smith lived while carrying out this work in her later life. Following her husband’s death in 1990, she purchased a classic Sutton Place co-op in 1996 and lived there until her own passing. The elegant midtown home is everything one would expect from a Kennedy’s Manhattan residence. Exuding quiet yet stately wealth, it sits right on the East River adjacent to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and boasts circa-1929 details in the form of rounded columns and a sweeping staircase to the upper bedrooms. The kitchen, dining room, and living rooms are awash in bright light and antique hardwood floors, while the parlor is a bit more moody at the moment with deep red paint.
Holding a total of six bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms, the duplex is much more spacious than your average NYC apartment. The primary suite makes up for a whole wing of the second floor, boasting three walk-in closets, an ensuite, a fireplace, and two Juliet balconies to enhance the timeless grandeur.
Diane Johnson and Eliza Shaw of Douglas Elliman share this new listing.
