Update: Grocery magnate ID'd as buyer of Trump penthouse

Update: Grocery magnate ID'd as buyer of Trump penthouse

Update, Aug. 4, 2015: And who wangled that heavily discounted but still quite hefty purchase price for Donald Trump's Fifth Avenue penthouse? The Real Deal reports that the buyer was Ray Berry, founder and chairman of the Fresh Market. The North Carolina-based gourmet grocery chain operates nearly 200 stores, mostly in the South and on the East Coast (including New York state, though not NYC).


Donald Trump has sold his penthouse at Trump Park Avenue for $21 million, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The price tag loses a little of its luster when you take into account the fact that Trump had initially listed it two years ago at $35 million. He ultimately dropped the price 40 percent to make the deal.

He bought the whole building in 2001 for $115 million, converting what was then the Hotel Delmonico into 100-plus luxury condos and, obviously, keeping some of the space for himself.

The lobby of Trump Park Avenue is shown at top. This is the foyer to Trump's just-sold penthouse. Click a photo for a slideshow.
The lobby of Trump Park Avenue is shown at top. This is the foyer to Trump's just-sold penthouse. Click a photo for a slideshow.

The listing agent, Michelle Griffith of Trump International Realty, confirmed to Yahoo Homes that the unit was Trump's. It never had another owner, though Trump never lived in it; instead, he rented it out, Griffith told Yahoo Homes.

He had simultaneously listed it for sale and for rent, asking $100,000 a month. Before this sale was finalized, he rejected a prospective renter's offer of $80,000 a month, Griffith told the Journal: "In his mind, it was a strong market and it was a good time to get a deal done." The monthly payment on a $17 million mortgage (assuming a $4 million down payment) would be about $80,000 at today's interest rates.

The penthouse has 5 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms in 6,200 square feet. The building, which dates to 1929, offers a concierge, daily maid and laundry service, and of course a round-the-clock doorman.

Ivanka Trump, his daughter and an executive vice president of the Trump Organization, lives in the building. She told the Journal that the sale was unrelated to fundraising for Donald Trump's presidential hopes.

Click here or on a photo for a slideshow of the penthouse that Donald Trump just sold for 40 percent less than his original asking price.

Also on Yahoo Homes:

Elderly heir marks down mansion $60M, even agrees he'll move out when it sells (36 photos)
From high school teacher to his own private island (43 photos)
Joan Rivers' Marie Antoinette penthouse sells to Mideast royalty (19 photos)

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Editor's note: This post has been edited to add the fact that, as noted in the accompanying slideshow, Trump bought the entire building in 2001 for $115 million, converting the Hotel Delmonico into Trump Park Avenue condos.