Janice
09-29-2003, 03:28 PM
WOODY'S HOUSE LOSES ITS GUTS
ARCHITECTURAL experts say Woody Allen will never get $27 million for his townhouse on East 92nd Street because he gutted the lavishly restored interior so it would complement his early American antiques and collection of folk art.
Previous owners George McFadden, the wealthy brother of fashion designer Mary McFadden, and his wife, Carol, had spent enormous amounts of time and money restoring the double-wide limestone mansion built in 1928.
They hired famed interior decorator Mario Buatta to restore the building, which had once been used as a birthing hospital and was later damaged in its conversion to commercial use. "We took it back to what it was in 1928, with marble floors, 18th-century paneling, and bronze balustrades," Buatta told PAGE SIX.
But when Allen bought the house in 1999, "I heard he took out all the moldings, the marble floors, and the paneling from the dining room," Buatta said. "For someone to buy a house like that, which is so important and historic, and destroy it, it's just sad."
Allen's spokeswoman, Leslee Dart, confirmed that Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi, did a major renovation, but said the interior is far from destroyed. "It's spectacular," Dart said. "He [Allen] may have a different sensibility [than Buatta]."
Buatta, known as the Prince of Chintz, said, "Everyone has a different idea about what good taste is. I'm a purist, and he's not, and what can I tell you?"
The high-society decorator, who has refurbished some of the finest homes in the world, said, "It's funny when new money tries to look like old money, but it's sad when new money has no taste."
Allen may be selling the house because he needs to scale back. After a string of box office disappointments, the director is expected to fare no better with his latest film, "Anything Else," starring Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci.
The Post's Lou Lumenick called it "relentlessly mediocre" and "an arthritic third-generation Xerox of 'Annie Hall.' "
Allen, who has had trouble in recent years obtaining financing for his movies, may have to give up his courtside seats at Knicks games next.
© copyright 2003 The New York Post
ARCHITECTURAL experts say Woody Allen will never get $27 million for his townhouse on East 92nd Street because he gutted the lavishly restored interior so it would complement his early American antiques and collection of folk art.
Previous owners George McFadden, the wealthy brother of fashion designer Mary McFadden, and his wife, Carol, had spent enormous amounts of time and money restoring the double-wide limestone mansion built in 1928.
They hired famed interior decorator Mario Buatta to restore the building, which had once been used as a birthing hospital and was later damaged in its conversion to commercial use. "We took it back to what it was in 1928, with marble floors, 18th-century paneling, and bronze balustrades," Buatta told PAGE SIX.
But when Allen bought the house in 1999, "I heard he took out all the moldings, the marble floors, and the paneling from the dining room," Buatta said. "For someone to buy a house like that, which is so important and historic, and destroy it, it's just sad."
Allen's spokeswoman, Leslee Dart, confirmed that Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi, did a major renovation, but said the interior is far from destroyed. "It's spectacular," Dart said. "He [Allen] may have a different sensibility [than Buatta]."
Buatta, known as the Prince of Chintz, said, "Everyone has a different idea about what good taste is. I'm a purist, and he's not, and what can I tell you?"
The high-society decorator, who has refurbished some of the finest homes in the world, said, "It's funny when new money tries to look like old money, but it's sad when new money has no taste."
Allen may be selling the house because he needs to scale back. After a string of box office disappointments, the director is expected to fare no better with his latest film, "Anything Else," starring Jason Biggs and Christina Ricci.
The Post's Lou Lumenick called it "relentlessly mediocre" and "an arthritic third-generation Xerox of 'Annie Hall.' "
Allen, who has had trouble in recent years obtaining financing for his movies, may have to give up his courtside seats at Knicks games next.
© copyright 2003 The New York Post