There are ambitious asks and there are downright ridiculous ones. Long Island real estate developer Steve Klar’s $100 million reach for the CitySpire penthouse not only falls solidly in the latter category, it’s almost archetypal. So much so that not even Prudential Douglas Elliman chairman Howard Lorber—whose brokerage has the listing—seems like he has much of an inclination to justify it.
Mr. Lorber, giving a tour of the apartment to CNN is asked if the apartment’s views—as amazing as they are—are really going to get $100 million.
“Pricing apartments today, it’s not a science, you know. If this is what the owner wants for the apartment, it will either sell, or it won’t sell,” Mr. Lorber responds.
Apparently, he does not feel, as Mr. Klar told the The Times that “Art is what people are willing to pay for, and an apartment like this is like a piece of art.”
Mr. Lorber even seems lukewarm when asked if there is interest in the apartment.
Mr. Lorber looks downright glum to be stuck with the task of showing the apartment. (We guess the press-shy Raphael De Niro, did not feel like making an appearance?) At one point he half-heartedly points out the view from the kitchen sink, which is about as animated as he gets.
The actual tour of the interior is somewhat limited, but we do learn that the owner of the penthouse controls when the CitySpire dome is lit. Maybe Mr. Klar should have used that as the selling point, rather than the art argument?