This home is ready for its next chapter.
In Manhattan’s Beekman neighborhood — a quiet cul-de-sac on the East River where literary history lingers in the limestone — an iconic penthouse tied to two of America’s most acclaimed writers has reemerged on the market with a reduced ask.
The duplex atop 444 E. 52nd St., once occupied by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker — according to the listing — is now available for $4.5 million, down sharply from its $6 million listing earlier this year, The Post has learned.
A storied Beekman penthouse once home to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dorothy Parker has returned to market with a steep price cut, relisted for $4.5 million after initially asking $6 million. Brown Harris Stevens
F. Scott Fitzgerald. Bettmann Archive
The price drop marks a rare markdown for a property of such architectural and cultural pedigree.
Spanning the 10th and 11th floors of a 1929 Art Deco cooperative, the residence offers nearly 3,000 square feet of interior space and an additional 1,400-square-foot wraparound terrace — a garden in the sky with panoramic views of Midtown’s skyline and the East River.
It is currently owned by music executive Mel Lewinter. But it is unclear exactly when he purchased it and for what price. But records indicated it was sometime in the 1970s, meaning this is the first time the residence is available in decades.
Perched atop 444 E. 52nd St., the Art Deco duplex spans nearly 3,000 square feet with an additional 1,400-square-foot wraparound terrace offering sweeping East River and skyline views. Brown Harris Stevens
Inside, the three-bedroom, 5.5-bath residence features a dramatic 60-foot arched gallery, woodburning fireplaces and French doors in every room. Brown Harris Stevens
Dorothy Parker. Bettmann Archive
Inside, the three-bedroom, 5.5-bath home channels the grandeur of the Jazz Age.
A 60-foot-long arched gallery leads to a living room with a woodburning fireplace, hand-pegged oak floors and French doors that open onto the landscaped terrace from nearly every room.
The formal dining room overlooks the garden, while the windowed chef’s kitchen features mahogany cabinetry, granite countertops and an adjacent staff room currently used as an office.
Upstairs, the primary suite includes dual windowed bathrooms, a dressing room and generous mahogany-lined closets. A second fireplace can be found in one of the guest bedrooms.
Built in 1929, the building retains its original architectural charm, with thunderbird sculptures crowning its façade and white-glove service including doormen and a live-in manager. Brown Harris Stevens
Mel Lewinter is the current owner. FilmMagic
The apartment blends literary history with prewar luxury. Brown Harris Stevens
The penthouse’s literary lineage is well-documented.
According to the Dorothy Parker Society, Parker moved into the building in 1934, calling it “far enough east to plant tea.”
At the time, she was transitioning from Manhattan socialite to Hollywood screenwriter, newly in love with actor Alan Campbell.
Fitzgerald, her friend and frequent companion during that era, was preparing to publish “Tender Is the Night,” which included characters inspired by their mutual friends, Gerald and Sara Murphy.
Parker lived here in 1934 with her future husband, actor Alan Campbell, while Fitzgerald frequented the apartment during the same era, as he prepared to publish ‘Tender Is the Night.’ Brown Harris Stevens
The upper level opens directly onto the landscaped terrace, while the lower level includes a sprawling primary suite with dual baths and a second fireplace in a guest bedroom. Brown Harris Stevens
Married authors F Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzgerald, with their daughter doing a kick step in front of Christmas tree, in the mid 1920s. Bettmann Archive
The pair — along with Ernest Hemingway, John O’Hara, and Alexander Woollcott — formed a circle that turned this quiet block into a constellation of 20th-century intellect and excess.
Today, the building retains much of its original charm.
Designed by De Pace & Juster, the 13-story co-op is crowned with three massive thunderbird sculptures. The limestone-clad lobby is serviced by full-time doormen and a live-in superintendent.
Bonnie Goldner and Paul Anand of Brown Harris Stevens hold the listing.