About a year and a half after first listing his longtime Manhattan home for $25 million, renowned French architect Thierry Despont has brought its ask to under $20 million. The Tribeca townhouse, located at 182 Franklin Street, got this fresh trim just in time for spring and is now seeking $19,499,999.
Picked up by Despont approximately 25 years ago, the home was not a single-family residence back then. Indeed, it was Despont who made it the 10,000-square-foot mansion you see today with many unique spaces to explore. Some are colorful and grand, like the penthouse great room with 15-foot ceilings, while some are more subdued, like the streamlined contemporary kitchen.
Overall, the 1915-built home goes for style versus trends and embraces 1930s Parisian flair. Much like Lower Manhattan’s Casa Cipriani, where the interiors were also done by Despont, the rooms incorporate rich browns, smokey oranges, reds, and plums as well as a striking use of shapes and lines. The result is living spaces that feel autumnal and cozy yet luxe, almost like stepping into a jazzy Old-World lounge.
Brimming with opportunities for the next owner, the home has ample wall space to display art and two wine cellars for vinophiles. The third floor is reserved just for the primary suite, arranged as a private refuge within the townhouse. There are three more bedroom suites and the listing even comes with air rights to build a sixth floor just in case you need more space.
Rueben Schatz, Alexander Boriskin, Cameron Begg, and Michael Lorber of Douglas Elliman hold the listing. The architect, whose clients include Bill Gates and Calvin Klein, also has a beautiful Southampton estate for sale at a similar price point.