The Neo-Georgian mansion at 163 East 64th Street has become something of a New York real estate curiosity, appearing on and off the market since 2003 and cycling through multiple brokerages along the way. The residence has been offered for as much as $35 million, but has now returned once again—this time asking $17 million with the James Weiss Team at Corcoran. Often referred to as the Versailles Townhouse, the property is among the Upper East Side’s most extravagant private residences.
Previous reports identify the owner as commercial real estate executive and Broadway producer Kenneth Laub, who has owned the lavish home since 1986. Over the decades, he transformed the roughly 8,000-square-foot residence into a highly personalized showcase of fine art, antiques, and European-inspired decorative flourishes. The home has reportedly welcomed everyone from Bob Hope to Liza Minnelli, serving as the backdrop for countless dinners, performances, and gatherings connected to New York’s real estate, arts, and theater communities.
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Originally built in 1872 by architect John G. Prague, the house was reimagined in the Neo-Georgian style in 1903 by architect R.D. Graham. Its stately brick-and-limestone façade was later restored by the same craftspeople who worked on the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Spanning four stories above a finished basement, the townhouse contains five bedrooms, five full baths, and three powder rooms. Measuring 20 feet wide and 90 feet deep—substantially larger than many neighboring townhouses—the residence offers a series of grand entertaining spaces that reflect its Gilded Age proportions.
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The parlor floor serves as the home’s centerpiece. Versailles-pattern hardwood floors, 13.5-foot ceilings, and original architectural details establish a grand backdrop, while a library retains its original 1872 pine paneling and a late-19th-century bronze chandelier. Nearby, a formal living room is adorned with Fragonard-inspired murals, a Venetian glass chandelier, and a grand piano.
That sense of spectacle extends to the dining room, which is anchored by an 18th-century Provençal tapestry, hand-painted in the 1750s and later restored by experts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Just beyond, a Belle Époque-inspired walnut-and-marble bar sits beneath a dramatic Lalique glass ceiling depicting the cosmos.
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163 East 64th Street upper east side manhattan
Other highlights include a French country-style kitchen, a gym, and a 300-bottle wine cellar. The residence also contains eight fireplaces, a private elevator, and a fourth-floor terrace finished with marble-inlaid bluestone pavers and equipped with a surround-sound system, fountain, and even a built-in snow-melting system.
Adding another layer of intrigue, the neighboring townhouse at 165 East 64th Street recently came to market for $18.5 million. In theory, an ambitious buyer could acquire both properties and create an enormous mega-mansion, joining the ranks of owners such as Madonna and Michael Bloomberg, whose Upper East Side residences span multiple combined townhouses.
Click here to see more photos of the Upper East Side townhouse.
163 East 64th Street upper east side manhattan
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