In October, 6sqft reported that Barack and Michelle Obama had been spotted on their way to view a listing in Yorkville’s 10 Gracie Square. At the time, it was speculated that they checked out a five-bedroom duplex that had gone into contract for $10 million shortly following the visit. The buyer wasn’t confirmed, but the unit has now closed for $9.64 million (h/t Katherine Clarke), purchased through a “Gracie Square Revocable Trust. So while it’s still not confirmed that the Obamas are moving to the Upper East Side, the building is one of New York City’s most prestigious addresses, located just a stone’s throw away from the Mayor’s residence and over the years attracting the likes of Alexander Woollcott, conductor Andre Kostelanetz, Gloria Vanderbilt and Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.
The home’s interiors were designed by Vicente Wolf, and it has appeared on the cover of Elle Decor. Features include a private elevator landing, a 29-foot central gallery, 11-foot ceilings, views of the East River and Carl Schurz Park and a master suite with a separate sitting room, dressing room and bath.
The timing certainly makes sense: The Obamas had just dropped daughter Malia off at Harvard for her freshman year and are already settled in their DC home, an $8.1 million Tudor mansion that they bought in June.
The Upper East Side building has plenty of perks that would suit the former first family including an indoor basketball court for the hoops-loving Prez, pet-friendly policy (we can’t imagine they’d leave Bo behind), and a super-secure underground drive-in garage that would allow them to enter privately.