Kelly Killoren Bensimon is making moves, starting with her New York City abode.
The Real Housewives of New York alum, 56, is selling her Manhattan apartment, located in the Little Italy neighborhood, for $8,995,000.
“With my daughters thriving in their careers, it’s the perfect moment to simplify and prioritize building new experiences,” the reality star shared in a statement to PEOPLE. “Change brings fresh opportunities and we’re looking forward to exploring them.”
The two-story unit, which she purchased in the ‘90s with her ex-husband, Gilles Bensimon, and raised their two daughters, Sea Loise, 27, and Thadeus Ann, 25, comes with three bedrooms and three en-suite bathrooms stretching over 2,6000 square feet. However, her adult children are out of the house, and the proud mom is looking to downgrade.
In an interview with Us Weekly, published on Thursday, March 13, Bensimon took viewers through a tour of the lavish home.
“My girls have left the nest, and it’s time for me to celebrate my new life filled with family, love and fun! Who’s coming along?” she said.
In the property’s listing, Bensimon highlighted the architectural significance of the building, which was constructed in the early 1900s and housed the New York City Headquarters from 1909 to 1973.
“It is distinguished for serving as [the] office to [former President] Teddy Roosevelt when [he was] Commissioner,” reads the listing, which also notes the property, nicknamed “The Police Building,” being converted into a luxury residential property in 1988 by the architectural firm, Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects.
Bensimon, who is handling her own listing as a respected real estate agent, also spotlighted her favorite features.
“First, it’s like a home because there’s so much space,” she told Us Weekly. “Second of all, there’s privacy because each person, family member, has their own bedroom. So I was upstairs, the girls were downstairs.”
Additional notable features of the co-op include the 16-foot ceilings, an “inviting” foyer, and a vibrant grand arched window that Bensimon revealed kept her mood upbeat.
“It’s so gorgeous,” she said, “the light is incredible, so you always are in a good mood.”
This sale comes nearly a year after the RHONY star called off her wedding to financier Scott Litner. As reported by PEOPLE, Bensimon canceled the nuptials four days before walking down the aisle because Litner, 54, “refused to sign a prenuptial agreement.”
“It’s like when you’re a single parent, whether you have thousands in your account or you have a 100 million in your account, women are going to need to protect themselves,” she said at the time, “and I’m just not going to take a risk.”
She explained that the prenup was important to her because, as a mom of two daughters, she wanted to exemplify “having respect and value.”
“The biggest takeaway from this is just about protecting myself and my friends and being a solid female that people can come to,” she said last year.
Read the full article here
