CITY’S ‘TOWN’ PRINCE
$80M home record
An Upper East Side manse featuring its own red-velvetlined movie theater, swimming pool and even a panic room is under contract — and set to become the most expensive town house ever sold in the city.
The Versailles-style behemoth at 12 E. 69th St. — totaling 20,000 square feet over six floors — has an asking price of $80 million.
The final sale price has not been disclosed, but given that the most costly town house sold in the Apple to date went for $53 million in 2006, this gem is on track to shatter that record.
Its seller is billionaire Vincent Viola, President Trump’s onetime nominee for secretary of the Army.
Viola — a Brooklyn truck driver’s son who worked his way up from stockbroker to head of the New York Mercantile Exchange — dropped out of the running for the Cabinet position because he said it would be too hard to untangle his business ties, which included government contracts.
Viola’s best-known holding is the Florida Panthers NHL team.
He and his wife, Teresa, bought the East 69th Street stunner for $20 million, in 2005. The historic 1883 property towers over other homes on the block just off Fifth Avenue.
It features seven bedrooms, an Italian granite staircase and an onyx elevator.
Then there’s the movie theater (above), which has a 12foot screen and balcony. The home also boasts a recording studio, basement pool and spa, and a duplex library.
The Violas renovated the property — and installed the panic room — when they bought it.
They attempted to peddle the town house in 2013 for $114 million, but yanked it off the market when it didn’t sell.
Brown Harris Stevens broker Paula Del Nunzio represented the Violas in the offmarket deal, sources said.
The mystery buyer is also behind the purchase of a $50.5 million penthouse — at 15 Central Park West — from Barclay’s CEO Bob Diamond, according to The Wall Street Journal, which first reported that the East 69th Street town house was in contract.
The city’s current most expensive town house is financier J. Christopher Flowers’ East 75th Street mansion, acquired for $53 million, in 2006.