The heart wants what it wants! In the case of ultra-rich royals, what one wants is usually achievable, and in the case of Qatar PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, it was mainly elevators. What are elevators and apartments for the man who owns a $300 million megayacht featuring a pirate-themed underwater viewing room, a hairdressing saloon, and a massive spa? A decade ago, the sheik was shaking the real estate market of New York with his ongoing deals for a family home.
Rumor mills went abuzz with news of the Qatari politician zeroing in on a luxe $100 million penthouse atop One57, a swanky construction in midtown. From there, the information altered to the royal eyeing an exclusive Manhattan townhouse at 22 E. 71st Street.
Real estate magnate Aby Rosen, the president of RFR Holdings, previously owned that swish house. The latter turned out to be accurate. The PM of Qatar had indeed purchased the home in a super-secret deal reportedly done without a broker to conceal the sheik’s identity.
Why did the sheik opt out of buying the grand $100 million penthouse?
Elevators (or the lack of them) made the deep-pocketed politician change his mind. The One57 building, with all the exclusivity hoopla, only had two elevators. It wasn’t enough to accommodate the sheik’s two wives, 15 kids, and a large entourage of managers and armed guards. In the end, Al-Thani himself called off the deal on the home that offered unparalleled views of Central Park and Midtown Manhattan. Over time, the sleek 73-floor skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan officially became New York City’s most expensive apartment building, with an average price of $6,010 per square foot.
One57 boasts a 24-foot aquarium, grand dining and performance rooms, a triple-height indoor swimming pool with private elevator access, a custom-designed Jacuzzi, and a pet washroom but not enough ways to go up down the tower. Of course, one cannot expect royals to indulge in most of the amenities mentioned above in public view.
And it would’ve been shocking to witness them queue up for elevator access to reach their home. The townhouse on East 71st Street was a solution to all these glitches and a stunning one at that.
The magnificent mansion on East 71st Street-
Qatar PM Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani finally settled for the 21,000-square-foot mansion boasting five floors, a reception hall, and a Jacuzzi, for his large family of seventeen. The sheik bought the exclusive Big Apple property for a cool $47 million but not without landing a super sweet deal.
The townhouse had been slumping on the market since 2008 and was listed for a staggering $75 million. “The deal was done in huge secrecy without a broker. The house has been purchased through an LLC, Tower Management Holdings, to protect the identity of the buyer, Sheik Hamad, who has been looking to purchase a New York property,” per Observer.
The elegant all-marble mansion holds five floors oozing opulence. The dwelling is as dashing as it comes with several rooms ranging from classic to charming, with plenty of lounge spaces and a roof terrace reminiscent of an oasis.
The New York Post reported that the home was the address for Rosen’s extravagant parties, but he never actually lived there. A win-win for the Qatari royal!
