The “Radical Chic” Penthouse of Leonard Bernstein sells for $24 million

A penthouse apartment at 895 Park Avenue, originally owned by the Jewish composer Leonard Bernstein has sold for $24 million, down from the original asking price of $29.5 million, because the house is “radical chic.”

“I suspect whoever buys this apartment will do a substantial remodeling,” the seller, David Feinberg, told the New York Times.

Leonard Bernstein, among the most important conductors of his time. Jamie Bernstein was a writer, broadcaster, and filmmaker. The couple sold the house in 1974 to the Feinbergs, a wine and spirits importer who died in 2002. His daughter Carol Feinberg, an art collector and philanthropist, died last year.

According to the New York Times, Bernstein and his wife, Felicia, hosted a Black Panther Party event there in 1970, which was famously reported by journalist Tom Wolfe in New York magazine.

The penthouse on the 19th and 20th floors of the 37-unit building, on 6,300 square feet, has another 700 square feet of outdoor space. There are six bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms in this home.

According to the New York Times, the Feinbergs mostly kept the prewar plan, but they did combine some rooms on the lower level and construct a sunroom.

The entrance is located on the top floor, where a gallery with a powder room may be found. The library, living room, and dining room are all accessible from the gallery. A curved staircase can also be found in the gallery.

The dining room flows into the solarium, which is walled in glass and has doors leading to the terrace. A huge pantry, wine storage, and still another terrace are located off the dining room.

The bedrooms, as well as an office and a laundry room, are all housed on the first floor.