Burkle’s new pied-a-terre

Billionaire Ron Burkle has a new crash pad in New York, complete with a heated swimming pool and a panic room.

Burkle, one of former President Bill Clinton’s best friends, has purchased a swank Manhattan apartment for a whopping $17.5 million, plus nearly $100,000 a year in maintenance fees. Burkle already owns the lavish Green Acres estate in Beverly Hills, where frequent Democratic fundraisers are held.

The three-level apartment with 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms doesn’t have a doorman and is situated in a fairly uninteresting part of lower Manhattan.

But, according to the Real Estalker, the 11,000-square-foot “behemoth has ridiculously high ceilings, 50+ windows, walls of glass, a panic room behind the library bookcases, and a carpet of green grass and a small forest on the eastern terrace. But by far the most remarkable and notable feature of the aerie is the heated swimming pool that hangs over the city with 360 degree views as far as the eye can see.”

The apartment is said to be exquisitely detailed with massive Danish Tudor wood-burning fireplace, two separate sound systems controlled from every room with speakers throughout. Perfect for more Democratic fundraisers.

Burkle is best known as Clinton’s pal and as a major donor to the Democratic party. He earned his fortune buying and selling grocery chains; Forbes magazine calculates that he has been involved in 17 major business deals worth $15 billion - 11 of which involved grocery stores. He recently expressed interest in buying the Tribune Company, or the Los Angeles Times, but was beat out by real estate magnate Sam Zell.

Venture capitalist Jonathan Leitersdorf reportedly purchased the entire building at 700 Broadway for about $2.5 million before gutting it and renovating. Burkle’s new home was first put on the market in 2002 for $27,500,000, but was reduced to its final asking price of $18,750,000. Burkle apparently cut the price even more.

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