A Manhattan townhouse owned by contemporary artists Rashid Johnson and Sheree Hovsepian is hitting the market for $4.995 million. The 4-story home spans roughly 4,200 square feet plus a basement, according to Jeremy Stein of Sotheby’s International Realty, who has the listing with Jennifer Henson. It is located off Lexington Avenue in the Kips Bay neighborhood, Mr. Stein said. [Source: Mansionglobal.com]
Mr. Johnson is a conceptual artist, painter, and filmmaker whose work often focuses on Black history and cultural identity, according to Hauser & Wirth, one of the galleries that represents him. He directed the 2019 film “Native Son.” Ms. Hovsepian’s work, which focuses on photography and collage, is featured in this year’s Venice Biennale, according to Rachel Uffner Gallery, which represents her. The couple declined to comment.
Mr. Johnson and Ms. Hovsepian bought the townhouse in 2013 for $3.7 million, Mr. Stein said. They knew the home because it was owned by a friend, also an artist, who invited them over for dinner parties, according to Mr. Stein. Inside the townhouse, an oval-shaped skylight illuminates a spiral staircase. There are four bedrooms, ceilings up to 12 feet high, and original fireplaces and plaster moldings, Mr. Stein said. While it is not clear exactly when the house was built, Mr. Stein said it is over 100 years old.
“When you walk into it, it has this feel of old New York,” Mr. Stein said. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Hovsepian have made several updates to the house over the years, he said. They renovated the primary bedroom and bathroom, created custom built-ins, and added a seating area to the second level. They also added a garden and lounge area to the roughly 500-square-foot backyard.
They are selling because they are moving closer to their son’s school, Mr. Stein said. Home prices in Manhattan have increased steadily for the past year and a half, Mr. Stein said. According to data compiled by Sotheby’s International Realty, the average Manhattan sale price was $2.01 million in the first quarter of 2022, up 17% from the same period of last year. [Source: Mansionglobal.com]
