Grace Hightower, the ex-wife of actor Robert De Niro, has sold their shared Central Park West co-op for $18 million.
The five-bedroom duplex, listed in May for $20 million, was originally purchased by the pair in 2006 for $20.9 million, meaning the sale came at a loss.
The purchase was finalized on March 5, according to the Real Deal. The property, at the Brentmore building, first entered contract in December after about six months for sale.
Hightower, an actress and philanthropist, married De Niro in 1997 before their separation in 2018.
Leonard Steinberg of Compass, the listing broker, previously told the Wall Street Journal that co-op prices have faced downward pressure recently.
The 5,700-square-foot dwelling, located at 88 Central Park West, underwent significant renovations following a 2012 fire that displaced Hightower and De Niro for nearly a year. During that period, they rented properties at 165 Perry St. in the West Village and 15 Central Park West.
“It was almost like seeing someone you know who died,” she told the Journal of the fire that tore through their home. “I literally almost fell against the stairs because I couldn’t believe my eyes. [Downstairs] was pretty tolerable but upstairs was beyond.”
The unit features a primary bedroom with three park-facing windows and three walk-in closets, four additional bedrooms on the upper level — and a lower level with a living room, a dining room and an eat-in kitchen.
The property was previously owned by film producer Harvey Weinstein, to which Hightower laughed and told the Journal: “I wasn’t going to say anything [about that].”
The 28-unit building has attracted notable residents, including musician Sting and photographer Annie Leibovitz, who sold her own co-op last February for $10.7 million, below its 2014 purchase price.
Data from Miller Samuel indicates a split in the co-op market. The median price for units with four or more bedrooms dropped from $4.9 million last year to $3.5 million this year, while studio prices remained nearly unchanged at $420,000, compared to $425,000 last year.
Hightower and De Niro’s divorce proceedings drew attention during the pandemic, with De Niro citing financial difficulties in 2020 tied to his co-founded Nobu Hospitality chain.
The actor has since shifted focus to Wildflower Studios, a 765,000-square-foot film studio in Astoria, Queens, completed last year.
Meanwhile, Hightower revealed that she her next place will a place surrounded by nature.
“Coming from Mississippi, I grew up on a farm. I do a lot of walking and meditating as I walk.”