A Manhattan Townhouse Once Mellon’s Garage Lists for $80 Million

A six-story limestone townhouse at 165 East 70th Street, once the private garage of philanthropists Paul and Bunny Mellon, has come to market for $80 million. That makes it the highest-priced townhouse currently listed in New York City. The property, owned by former Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and his wife Christy, could set a new Manhattan townhouse record if it trades near its asking price, surpassing the $77.1 million sale of 14 East 67th Street in 2019.

The building was designed in 1902 by C.P.H. Gilbert for banker Henri P. Wertheim, with a 33-foot width that stands out among Manhattan’s narrow rowhouses. Over the years, it has served as a horse stable, auto garage, and storage space for some of the city’s wealthiest families, including Singer sewing machine heir Stephen C. Clark before the Mellons acquired it for their own use. John and Christy Mack bought the building in 2009 for $13.5 million, at a time when it still functioned as a garage, and spent six years converting it into a residence.

Christy Mack led the design process, working with architecture and interiors firm Sawyer Berson to transform the structure. The renovation kept the landmarked limestone facade, added a floor, and reinforced the interior with steel beams. That resulted in a roughly 16,000-square-foot mansion with 20 rooms. Listing agent Mike Fabbri of The Agency described the project as a “six-year gut job,” noting, “It took our client six years to do this and build this.”

The interiors blend traditional and modern elements, including quarter-sewn, hand-pillowed oak floors, custom wallpapers by Holland & Sherry, and lighting by Armani, Ralph Pucci, and Allison Berger. The parlor floor holds a living room spanning the building’s width, a dining room wrapped in gray lacquered wood, and an eat-in chef’s kitchen that opens to a garden terrace. The third floor includes a library paneled in dark Sapele Mahogany, a den with a wet bar, and the primary suite with three separate dressing rooms and two bathrooms finished in marble. Three more bedrooms with their own bathrooms and another den with a wet bar open onto a terrace of nearly 600 square feet. The top floor includes two soundproof offices and a glass-roofed solarium, with stairs leading to a landscaped rooftop terrace.

Several features reflect the building’s history. The basement gym is lined with thick chestnut wood salvaged from the original horse ramps, now used as wainscoting. The ground floor retains a private curb cut leading to a garage, which can also serve as a party space, a rarity in Manhattan. Behind the garage and foyer are a 13-seat soundproof theater and a guest or staff suite with its own kitchen. The finished basement includes a temperature-controlled wine cellar for 6,319 bottles, a wellness area with a hot tub, cold plunge, steam room, sauna, massage room, and a laundry room that doubles as a catering kitchen.

Among the security and comfort features are a bullet-resistant front door, rooms for security staff, an advanced alarm system, and a snowmelt system that clears the sidewalk during winter storms. Radiant heat runs throughout the house, and the HVAC system was replaced this year. The property is served by two elevators, including a high-speed model, has six fireplaces that burn wood, and three terraces with landscaping.

Mike Fabbri called the property “completely turnkey,” adding, “It’s not just a showpiece, which it is. It’s also somewhere that’s really functional.” The Macks, who spent nearly a decade searching for a move-in-ready townhouse before deciding to build their own, are now retiring to North Carolina.

The magazine has also looked at a transformed art-filled West Village townhouse.