Source: www.instagram.com/taylorswift

The country singer gave us all yet another OMG!-moment a short while back – sending shock waves all across town, and most specifically in the New York City housing market. Yes, we are talking about the new property Taylor Swift bought in the Big Apple, for which she spent a whopping $50 million ($47.4 to be precise) on just one city block along Franklin Street in Tribeca.

Taylor in Tribeca

For those of you who aren’t New Yorkers, Tribeca is a neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan and is probably the city’s richest precinct. There are three properties in total that Taylor has accrued over a short span of time and for exorbitant prices in the same area.

Seems like she is building an empire of her own, isn’t she? The ‘Look what you made me do’ singer already owns a monster duplex penthouse in the very building which is a two-floor unit measuring 8,000 square feet. In 2014, she paid $19.95 million for this property, formerly owned by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. She nabbed the new deal by purchasing a three-bedroom, 3,540-square-foot property on the second floor at 155 Franklin Street.
The Pop star paid $9.75 million in an off-market deal to the financier Jeremy Phillip. As reported by NY Post, the property was bought by a person whose identity was shielded behind an LLC from financier Jeremy.

Last year she also bought an adjoining townhouse at 153 Franklin Street for $18 million along with a paparazzi-proof garage to ensure more privacy. The whole purchase brings the total cost of the properties over an eye-popping figure of $47.7 million.

A Purchase Cloaked in Mystery

Speculation over TayTay’s possible purchase of the property began last, given the fact that it was sold way over the market price to a mysterious LLC. Social media was abuzz on how Taylor might be exploring the option of connecting her existing duplex penthouse with the neighbouring townhouse via this second-floor apartment or might be looking to accumulate the available space within the same building. Taylor’s newest acquisition has even got her ensnared in a bit of controversy – she was sued at the start of this year for allegedly not paying the broker’s commission on it.

Why is TayTay obsessed with Tribeca?

What is she going to do with all of this space? Why does she need so much space in the same neighbourhood? What is about the Franklin Street that enticed her into buying three properties?
Any guesses?
Well, Tribeca is a calm and quiet place. Apart from some clothing boutiques, jewellery stores and home decor shops, there is no other major reason one will walk down the Franklin Street. The place is not in close proximity to any popular tourist spots. All this makes it the perfect place for a celebrity seeking a break from the limelight.
Aziz Ansari might have had the same idea. The actor and comedian purchased a $5.7 million unit in the same building as Taylor’s last year. Former residents include Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom, Director Peter Jackson, and also Academy Award-winning movie Traffic’s director, Steven Soderbergh.
Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Timberlake, Jake Gyllenhaal, Harry Styles all live just five blocks away from Franklin Street – so TayTay is definitely won’t be lacking in star-studded company!

And now, for some details…

The new apartment has three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a 58-foot-long great hall room with cast iron columns, oak-framed windows, high beaming ceiling and a wooden fireplace. It also has a chef’s kitchen decorated with a restaurant stove, a granite island and bars adding to the beauty of the kitchen. It also incorporates a library lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. The aesthetics and amenities available in this space are par excellence and can make one envious.
And if that is not enough, her townhouse includes a home theatre, a steam bath, a gym, and a guest suite with a separate entrance. The two-story penthouse has 9 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms which have been her squad’s go-to-meeting pad for years.
Home sweet home, indeed!