AFPHet Flatiron Building in New York
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 05:25
The world-famous Flatiron Building in New York has sold for $161 million at auction. The buyer is a real estate developer who already partly owned the iconic ‘iron building’.
The auction was on the steps of a courthouse in Manhattan for all to see. When the highest bid was made after half an hour and the auction was hammered off, there was loud applause.
It is the second time in a short time that the Flatiron Building has come under the proverbial hammer. At the end of March, another real estate developer had bought it for $ 190 million, but failed to make a down payment on time. This terminated the sale.
AFPThe new owner, Jeff Gural (with sign 25), during the auction
A judge had ordered the auction after a fight broke out between the five owners of the building over its future. Now that there is only one owner, that problem is solved.
The Flatiron Building, over 90 meters high, is one of the most famous buildings in New York and dates from the beginning of the last century. It was used by a publishing house for years, but it has left and the building is now empty. The new owner is considering transforming the top floors into luxury apartments.