Robby Browne brokered countless deals in Manhattan during his long career as a real estate agent, and he also maintained his own portfolio of properties in some of the city’s top buildings.
But he was most at home on the Upper West Side. He loved the architecture, restaurants and proximity to Central Park, which he pedaled through daily on a 10-speed bike to his Madison Avenue office at the Corcoran Group. And above all, he cherished his apartment in the Century Condominium, at 25 Central Park West, with its large, park-facing terrace and sumptuous flower gardens. So much so, that he actually bought it twice.
His two-bedroom, two-bath apartment on the 21st floor of the prewar building is now up for sale by his estate. The asking price is $5.85 million, with $4,276 in monthly carrying costs, according to the listing brokers, Chris Kann and Maria Pashby of Corcoran, his longtime colleagues and team partners.
Mr. Browne’s other real estate holdings are also being sold, including a handful of city apartments (a one-bedroom unit that he owned on the fourth floor of 25 Central Park West just closed at $1.25 million) and a home in the Hamptons (a 4,500-square-foot house on about an acre in Bridgehampton that was listed for $3.95 million and is now in contract after being rented out this summer).
“Selling his real estate is a little bit sad because it brings closure to his life,” said Pamela Liebman, Corcoran’s chief executive and a personal friend. “It’s the end of an era.”
Ranked among the nation’s top sellers for much of his career, Mr. Browne represented many high-profile clients, like the rocker Jon Bon Jovi and the actors Uma Thurman and Alec Baldwin. In 2003, he handled the $43 million sale of a penthouse at the Time Warner Center, which at the time was a record for a single residence in New York City. Outside of work, he was involved in numerous charities, particularly those related to AIDS and L.G.B.T.Q. causes.
Colleagues and friends remember the lavish charitable and social gatherings (even a wedding or two) at the Central Park West apartment. The annual Halloween parties were especially memorable, with Mr. Browne hosting in outrageous costumes. “One year he was a Braniff stewardess,” Mr. Kann said. “He rented airplane chairs and lined them up like a plane.”
The 1,216-square-foot apartment was the place for mingling and networking. “You’d never know who you would bump into,” Ms. Liebman said. “In one room could be an A-list celebrity, and in another someone who was new to New York that he just befriended, and you could have a drag queen in another. It was a total microcosm of society.”
The 800-square-foot landscaped terrace was a source of pride for Mr. Browne and the centerpiece of his parties. “He’d sometimes invite tourists up to his terrace to see the views, and they became lifelong friends,” Mr. Kann said.
All the rooms in the unit, with the exception of the living room, open to the outdoor space. The area is carved out for dining, lounging and sunbathing and includes an outdoor shower and the flower gardens that Mr. Browne had ardently cultivated. “He would pack up the roses and deliver them to people’s desks,” Mr. Kann said.
The Coronavirus Outbreak ›
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated August 24, 2020
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What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
- In the beginning, the coronavirus seemed like it was primarily a respiratory illness — many patients had fever and chills, were weak and tired, and coughed a lot. Those who seemed sickest had pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome — which caused their blood oxygen levels to plummet — and received supplemental oxygen. In severe cases, they were placed on ventilators to help them breathe. By now, doctors have identified many more symptoms and syndromes. (And some people don’t show many symptoms at all.) In April, the C.D.C. added to the list of early signs sore throat, fever, chills and muscle aches. Gastrointestinal upset, such as diarrhea and nausea, has also been observed. Another telltale sign of infection may be a sudden, profound diminution of one’s sense of smell and taste. Teenagers and young adults in some cases have developed painful red and purple lesions on their fingers and toes — nicknamed “Covid toe” — but few other serious symptoms. More serious cases can lead to inflammation and organ damage, even without difficulty breathing. There have been cases of dangerous blood clots, strokes and brain impairments.
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Why does standing six feet away from others help?
- The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart.
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I have antibodies. Am I now immune?
- As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.
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I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?
- The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.
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What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?
The home is entered through a central foyer that leads to a 16-by-20-foot sunken living room, with built-in bookshelves flanking its entrance, as well as an eat-in kitchen outfitted with granite countertops and wood cabinets. The main bedroom features an en suite marble bath and a walk-in closet. The second bedroom, which Mr. Browne used as a den, is just off the living room through folding doors, and contains another marble bath.
Ms. Pashby noted that the apartment retains some original prewar finishes including the oak floors and wood moldings, but it also has all new doors and windows and central air-conditioning as part of an extensive renovation.
Mr. Browne first bought unit No. 21K around 1990, reportedly for about $650,000, then sold it in 1997 and moved to the West Village. Homesick for the Upper West Side, he moved back to 25 Central Park West within a year, buying the adjacent No. 21O (their terraces touch), and undertook a gut renovation. Still yearning for his first apartment and preferring its views, he convinced the woman he sold it to, Judith Wohlman, to switch apartments in 2008.
“He wanted it back so badly that he said, ‘Let’s trade, and I’ll give you $500,000 more and pay all your closing costs,’” Ms. Pashby said.
The 33-story Century Condominium, between 62nd and 63rd Streets near Columbus Circle, was built in the early 1930s on the former site of the Century Theater. The building was converted to condos in the late 1980s.