An ’80s time capsule NYC penthouse asks $2.89M

On the Upper East Side, one penthouse listing is proudly embracing its bold past.

A four-bedroom, four-bathroom aerie at 425 E. 63rd St. has listed for $2.89 million, and it looks like it’s hosting a cocktail party from the 1980s that never ended. 

Spread across 2,725 square feet and encircled by a sweeping 1,295-square-foot wraparound terrace, the home is actually a combination of three units, fused together decades ago by its original owner, Fred — who declined to provide his full name — an art collector and self-taught interior designer who now rents the apartment from his nephews.

“It’s three apartments combined into one,” Fred, who originally purchased the first unit in 1978, told The Post. “I did the original design.”

Fred, who now spends most of his time in Florida and works in finance traveling to different cities, still returns to the apartment several months a year. 

“Right now I’m in Vegas,” he said. “But I still spend three to four months a year there.” 

His decision to part with the home, he added, is simple: “I’m getting old.”

Over the years, Fred transformed the triplex into what he considers a livable art installation — complete with circular coffered ceilings, gold-plated fixtures, imported marble sinks, dark wood paneling and oversized mirrors. 

“I originally designed the circular ceilings because I didn’t like straight white ceilings,” he explained. “If you look at the ceiling and you tried to paint it, it would make a lovely painting in a sort of ancient but century contemporary manner.”

Fred, who holds engineering degrees and describes himself as a lifelong collector of art and antiques, said the ceiling designs are inspired by the work of Mustafa Abelseed, an artist he compares to Picasso. 

“The curves go all the way around. Every room has part of the design, and the design flows almost like it’s one piece,” he said.

Today, about 110 of his artworks remain in the apartment, many of which are for sale. 

“There’s an old saying in the art world,” Fred quipped. “Everything’s for sale.”

He originally had more than 1,200 pieces in the home, but many have since been auctioned off in Florida, where he keeps another private collection. 

“The apartment was designed so if you’re lying on the floor and looking up, you’re looking at a painting,” Fred said.

Even the mirrors, he explained, were part of the vision. 

“When you have a room and you put a mirror along one wall and do it properly, it looks like the room is twice the size,” he said. “The light comes in and the mirrors just magnify it. When you walk in, it looks much bigger.”

The aesthetic may not be for everyone, Fred admitted — especially younger buyers. 

“There are two types of people who walk into the apartment,” he said. “You got a Gen Z who normally decorates from Ikea. And then you’ve got people who are a little older and have an appreciation for art — and for walking around and smiling when they see something that catches their eye.”

“It’s like walking into the Guggenheim,” he added.

The penthouse is located in the Royal York, a full-service cond-op with condo-style rules — no board interview, immediate subletting and no land lease. Amenities include a 24-hour doorman, a concierge, a fitness center, landscaped gardens, bike storage and garage parking.

But there is one slight catch — the eye watering maintenance fees. 

Beatriz Moitinho of Serhant, who holds the listing, says the $11,475 monthly maintenance fee reflects both the size of the unit and the fact that it’s three apartments combined.

“If you look at the other numbers in the building, they are in line with the comps,” she said. “The maintenance is also going to be combined, and when you take into account the 1,300-square-foot terrace, it makes sense.”

“Based on the comps, this is really well-priced,” Moitinho added.

Still, for Fred, the value goes far beyond square footage or skyline views. 

“When you get a few years older, one of the things you want to do is walk,” he said. “And I can walk around the apartment — my 4,000 to 5,000 steps inside or outside on the terrace — without having to leave.”

Every time he returns to the place, he said, “it makes me smile.”