This $80M Lenox Hill Mansion Could Set Record

Built for a banker in 1902, the East 70th Street property later served as a private garage before becoming a 20-room home.

By Miranda Levingston, Patch Staff

Oct 14, 2026 4:42 PM EDT

The townhouse, located at 165 East 70th St. between Lexington and Third avenues, could set a new record for the most expensive townhouse sold in Manhattan. (Google Maps)

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A palatial limestone mansion in Lenox Hill owned by former Morgan Stanley CEO John Mack and his wife Christy is on the market for a whopping $80,000,000, making it the most expensive townhouse on the market in the city.

The townhouse, located at 165 East 70th St. between Lexington and Third avenues, could set a new record for the most expensive townhouse ever sold in Manhattan.

The current record was set in 2019 when the nearby 14 East 67th St. was bought for $77,100,000.

The landmarked mansion was first built in 1902 as a carriage house, designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert for banker Henri P. Wertheim.

"What I love about this home is how it is a part of New York history," Mike Fabbri, the real estate agent selling the home, said.

The building was converted in 1920 into a garage and chauffeur's quarters for Singer heir Stephen C. Clark, and was later used as a private garage by Paul and Bunny Mellon.

A renovation completed in 2011 turned it into a 20-room residence spanning about 15,978 square feet, according to the listing.

"My client completely transformed it into the modern age, with no expense spared to make this both a really historic property and a future-forward type of living," Fabbri said.

The five-story home has six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, six wood-burning fireplaces and three landscaped terraces.

The second floor includes a living room, glass-enclosed dining room and eat-in kitchen with a terrace.

The primary suite occupies part of the third floor, alongside a library. Three more ensuite bedrooms open onto a terrace on the fourth floor, and the fifth floor has two offices and a solarium.

The lower floor includes a gym, sauna, steam room, massage room, Jacuzzi and cold plunge, as well as a temperature-controlled wine cellar designed to hold 6,319 bottles.

The house also has a one-car garage, a private theater, and two elevators.

"A lot of times, these homes that are grand can feel very cold, but I think the most surprising thing is how warm the home is and how much it feels like a home that deserves to be filled with people and memories and laughter," Fabbri said.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.