The world is a less colorful place without flamboyant Broadway luminaries like the Tony-winning producer Chase Mishkin, who passed away last July at age 85. But her legacy lives on in her grand two-bedroom home in Midtown Manhattan’s Stella Tower, which now seeks a new generation of owners.
That 1,851-square-foot apartment, unit 12H at 425 W. 50th St. in Hell’s Kitchen, has listed for $2.84 million via Mishkin’s estate. That figure comes at a loss, as Mishkin bought the spread from the developer in 2016 for $3.97 million, according to city property records. What’s more, Mishkin’s home can be purchased along with the adjacent unit 12G. That home, which isn’t currently listed, will entertain offers close to its previous $3.25 million asking price — and can help create a spacious combined 3,450-square-foot, four-bedroom dwelling. Together, they would cost around $6 million to buy.
Although always intimately involved in the arts and entertainment (Mishkin served on President Carter’s Advisory Committee on the Arts) she only started producing plays commercially later in life — just before turning 60, following the death of her carpet manufacturer husband, Ralph Mishkin. Her career change prompted her to jump into the Manhattan real estate market from Bel-Air in Los Angeles, selling her Siena Way mansion for a mighty $10 million in 1998 — some $18.42 million today.
Within two decades of her New York arrival, Mishkin became one of the most prominent female producers, with some 30 Broadway and 10 off-Broadway shows. She won two Tony Awards, one — a Special Tony Award — in 2000 for producing the appropriately extravagant “Dame Edna: The Royal Tour.” The other came in 2010 for the musical ”Memphis,” which was named Best Musical. Mishkin was notorious for riding around town in her chauffeured London taxi cab with a custom Burberry interior — and often held court nearby at Sardi’s, her favorite restaurant.
Like Mishkin, the stunning Stella Tower epitomizes elegant, old school New York. Compass listing broker Jason Haber said, “Chase lived a big life in an era gone by. People don’t have that kind of lifestyle anymore. They don’t take Rolls Royces down the street to Sardi’s anymore. When they say, ‘They don’t make it like that anymore,’ they literally don’t make Broadway producers like Chase or apartment buildings like Stella Tower anymore.”
A beautiful example of pre-war architecture, Stella Tower was designed in 1927 by Ralph Walker, who named the building after his wife, Stella. Originally designed for the New York Telephone Company, CetraRuddy, JDS Development and Property Markets Group painstakingly restored the building in 2014. Stella Tower’s handsome handcrafted brick facade is accented with Art Deco ornamentation, and features a dramatic Hollywood-esque entryway, a terrazzo lobby floor — and is topped with a striking winged crown.
Haber assisted with Mishkin’s long search for the perfect apartment after selling her Upper West Side home. She was looking for “a sense for drama and of the stage,” he said. He added, “We must have looked at over 20 apartments. She would sit in each home and wonder if it could work for her, but within 30 seconds of entering her Stella Tower unit, she knew it was for her.” She adored how one could not see the kitchen when entering the unit. (Mishkin was a foyer fan.)
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Blending older-world pizazz with modern living, the home’s historic bones are strong and noteworthy, including 11-foot-high beamed ceilings; oversized, brilliantly bright rooms; and massive windows with unobstructed views to the north and Hudson River views to the west.
Handcrafted by the bespoke designer Smallbone of Devizes, the open kitchen includes European oak cabinetry, polished concrete countertops and Miele appliances. The living and dining rooms have broad walls suitable for any art collector.
The primary bedroom, for its part, has two exposures facing north and west, where Mishkin liked to sit in a chair and admire the water view. The ensuite bathroom features radiant-heated floors, a steam shower, a cast-iron soaking tub and a chevron mosaic-patterned Black Zeus marble floor.
The adjacent unit 12G, meanwhile, is a two-bedroom, 2½-bathroom corner unit with a split layout. The two units can be easily combined by removing a kitchen wall.
Beyond Mishkin, Stella Tower has also been home to Trevor Noah — who recently listed his penthouse aerie there for $12.95 million after announcing his departure from “The Daily Show.” It remains for sale for that price.
Stella Tower’s amenities include a 24-hour attended lobby, a fitness center, a residents’ lounge and a garden.
