Forest Whitaker Bags Historic Upper East Side Duplex

Not quite a year on from selling his Hollywood compound for $3.85 million, Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker has headed back East — specifically, to the Big Apple — where he’s ponied up almost $1.6 million for a garden duplex on Manhattan’s ritzy Upper East Side.

Situated on a quiet, tree-lined street in the tony Lenox Hill neighborhood, a block away from Central Park and Museum Mile, Whitaker’s new three-bedroom and three-bath residence is located in an eight-unit, four-story building that dates to 1920. Though modernized, the home, likely a pied-à-terre for the perennially busy actor, has throwback reminders of its former incarnation as a grand townhouse. On the two-story co-op’s upper level, an entrance foyer leads to a spacious living/dining area with pre-war features such as original wood columns and a gas fireplace. Thickly stacked crown moldings are matched with light hardwood floors and mirrored walls, while French doors open to a long, slender courtyard terrace decked out with a lavish exterior portico with faux Greek/Roman columns. Though unquestionably quite compact, the kitchen is up-to-date with florid marble floor tiles, bright-white Shaker-style cabinets and gleaming stainless steel appliances. A serving hatch between the kitchen the living/dining room feels like a throwback to a previous era.

The main floor master suite, entered via a zig-zagged dressing corridor lined with a couple of closets — one of which hides a washer and dryer, includes a small bathroom decadently sheathed in marble. A second main floor bedroom, which is also en-suite, lies just off the living room with direct access to the garden terrace. A tightly spiraled staircase winds down to the lower level, which has multiple potential uses; an office, work-out space or, as appears to be the case most recently, a third bedroom. Along with a marble bathroom, there are four closets and French doors to a small, well-like patio bordered by boxwoods with lattice covered walls.

The accomplished character actor’s new co-op was originally listed last October for $1.895 million, and the purchase price was about eight percent below the home’s last ask of $1.74 million. Elizabeth “Lib” Goss of Compass was the sales agent. The story was first reported by 6sqft.com.

Whitaker is best known for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 2006’s “The Last King of Scotland” for which he won his Oscar. He also notably appeared in 2019’s blockbuster megahit “Black Panther” and was most recently seen in Epix’s critically acclaimed series “Godfather of Harlem.” He will soon be seen on the silver screen, along with Jennifer Hudson, in the upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” and he is slated to executive produce the ABC series Chicano starring Eva Longoria.

Launch Gallery: Inside Forest Whitaker's Upper East Side Duplex

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