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The Wall Street Journal

House of the Day | Upper West Side Escape

By: Maya Pope-Chappell. Photos by Daniella Zalcman.
Published: 5/25/2011Source: The Wall Street Journal

Upper West Side Escape

 

Price: $1,395,000

 

Location: Manhattan, NY

 

The owners once used this renovated duplex on West 81st Street for weekend excursions from the suburbs, but now family life comes first.

 

Andrew Wilder first bought this Upper West Side co-op as a bachelor in 2003 for $750,000, drawn by the location and loft-like space.

 

The next year, Mr. Wilder and his wife, Nichole, purchased a house in the town of Bedford, N.Y., but kept the Manhattan apartment for weekend excursions to the city. Ms. Wilder called the co-op, located on West 81st Street at Columbus Avenue, 'the ultimate pied-à-terre.'

 

Starting in 2004, the couple began renovations to the home—the same year they bought the house in Westchester Country. The changes to the Manhattan apartment took over a year to complete.

 

The roughly 1,000-square-foot duplex has one bedroom and 1 ½ bathrooms. The master bedroom is located on the upper level.

 

Mr. Wilder works in the hedge fund industry. Ms. Wilder, a stay-at-home mom, previously worked on Wall Street.

 

Many of the home's finishes and details were inspired by the couple's stays in luxury resorts around the world.

 

The kitchen's floors are heated and the green-blue marble counter 'looks like a satellite image of the earth,' said Ms. Wilder.

 

The shower in the full bath is paneled in colorful onyx slabs.

 

The exterior of Lincoln Center inspired the limestone fireplace, according to the couple.

 

There are two outdoor spaces, including a small balcony on the first level and a second, larger terrace off the master bedroom.

 

Walnut floors replaced oak throughout the home.

 

The Wilders, who have two young daughters, once used the home nearly every weekend, but now spend Saturdays and Sundays at home with family.

 

They placed the co-op on the market in December for $1.495 million, reducing the price in February to $1.395 million.

 

Agent Lawrence Schier of Corcoran holds the listing.

 

Please click here to view the slideshow on wsj.com

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