Owner of the New England Patriots Robert Kraft sold his long-term condo in the famed Plaza hotel in New York for $22.5 million. The off-market agreement was made soon after Kraft bought a brand-new Manhattan property at 220 Central Park South, which is close to Billionaires’ Row.
Property records show that Kraft paid $14.74 million for the Plaza apartment in 2007, during the time when part of the famous hotel was being transformed into condominiums.
A comment from Kraft could not be obtained right away. It was not possible to immediately identify the buyer.
Since the Plaza unit was not put up for public sale, not much is known about it. The Plaza, built in the early 1900s and inspired by the French Renaissance, is situated on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. Over the years, prominent purchasers of the condos have included London developer Christian Candy and fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. Records reveal that Hilfiger sold his unit for $31.25 million in 2019 while Candy sold his unit for $32.7 million in 2017.
In the book “The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel” by Julie Satow, Kraft recalled touring the building when it was still under construction. He had a “nostalgic connection” to the hotel, Satow wrote.
Having led the Patriots to a record-breaking 11 Super Bowls, Kraft drew on his players’ jersey numbers to help him determine which unit to acquire, according to the book.
“They said I could have any apartment I wanted, so I was thinking I would do the 12th [floor] because that’s Brady,” he told Satow, referring to former quarterback Tom Brady. However, once he decided to buy two units and combine them, there was only one available floor—11.
“So I went from Brady to Edelman,” he said, referencing former wide receiver Julian Edelman.
The Plaza’s condos have lost some of their luster in recent years as newer, taller towers have sprung up in the area around Central Park South.
Less than a month ago, an entity tied to Kraft purchased two units at 220 Central Park South for a combined $34 million, property records show. The newer building, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, has drawn big-name buyers including the entertainer Sting and hedge funders Ken Griffin and Dan Och.
After accumulating money as the chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group, a privately owned company that consists of manufacturing, real estate, and sports assets, Kraft purchased the Patriots in 1994. Recently, Kraft was seen on Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady” taking a shot with former Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
He has an extensive portfolio of luxury homes, including a penthouse in Palm Beach, Fla., which he bought for $23.75 million in December 2022. In 2021, he bought a property on Meadow Lane in the Hamptons for $43 million. He also owns a home in Chestnut Hill, Mass., records show.