Real Estate

Developer and restaurateur Derek Axelrod lists chic NYC pad for $6M

By
Social Links for Jennifer Gould
Published June 17, 2022
Updated June 17, 2022, 11:35 a.m. ET
Derek Axelrod will list his chic Upper West Side crib, which looks out to wide city views, for $5.95 million.
Derek Axelrod will list his chic Upper West Side crib, which looks out to wide city views, for $5.95 million. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group

Developer, designer and restaurateur Derek Axelrod is about to list his sleek Upper West Side abode at 12 W. 72nd St. for $5.95 million.

Inside, the custom, gut-renovated two/three-bedroom, three-bath crib looks like a downtown loft — with dropped ceilings and recessed light.

“It has a downtown feel in a prewar building, which  you don’t get on the Upper West Side,” Axelrod told Gimme. But the two terraces, with sweeping views of Central Park, tell a different story.

Axelrod, of DA Project Management, is also partners with restaurateur Tony Fortuna, who founded TBar in the city and the Hamptons. TBar shut during the pandemic but will soon be opening again in a new space on East 60th Street.

Despite the home's uptown perch, it has a downtown look.
Despite the home’s uptown perch, it has a downtown look. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Among the perks: a screening room.
Among the perks: a screening room. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
A dining area surrounded by oversize windows.
A dining area surrounded by oversize windows. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
The open kitchen.
The open kitchen. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
The space has room for a plush seating area.
The space has room for a plush seating area. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group

The co-op is a combo of a one- and a two-bedroom unit, and those two terraces total 400 square feet. The 2,000-square-foot apartment features beamed ceilings and a 250-gallon saltwater fish tank that divides the open dining area — and a screening room with leather and wood wall panels, and a black matte chandelier. It can come fully furnished with Minotti furniture.

Last month, Axelrod sold his custom ultra-minimalist Hamptons home at 989 Deerfield Rod in Water Mill. It last asked $10.45 million with Bespoke Real Estate.

Axelrod says he’s lived in the same Upper West Side building, albeit in different units, for the past 20 years, and that it’s time for a change.

The home additionally comes with terrace space, and the outdoor hangout looks out to the San Remo co-op.
The home additionally comes with terrace space, and the outdoor hangout looks out to the San Remo co-op. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
The terrace also offers a front-row seat to views of Central Park.
The terrace also offers a front-row seat to views of Central Park. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
There's also a wide southern view.
There’s also a wide southern view. Courtesy of The Corcoran Group

“I’m into creating unique residential space, and it’s time for me to make a move,” Axelrod said. But he adds, “I’m not running from New York.”

He is committed to staying in the city and is currently looking to buy a West Village townhouse — though he will miss the Upper West Side, especially the “outrageous” Central Park views.

“I’m passionate about this place, which I built for myself. It reflects how I live my life, with no clutter, very minimal, monocrhromatic and clean — and everything as open as possible,” Axelrod added. “One of the signature things I did was put a fish tank between the dining and living room for a Zen vibe, especially after the craziness of New York. It’s nice and relaxing, and takes away the stress and tension.”

The tank is filled with exotic fish that he first spotted on his travels. “I sort of collect them from all different parts of the world,” he said.

The 30-story tower was designed by Emery Roth in 1927. The listing broker is Corcoran’s Dana Power.