A Dr. Seuss Collaborator’s Former N.Y.C. Townhouse Can Be Yours for $13.5 Million

Ever wish walls could talk? If the ones within this Upper East Side townhouse long owned by the late Phyllis Cerf Wagner could indeed speak, they most assuredly would have their share of fascinating tales to spin. Think stories of all the famous guests from Judy Garland to Frank Sinatra who visited the historic premises at some point during a 60-plus-year tenure that saw the Manhattan socialite, onetime movie actress, and collaborator with Dr. Seuss on a series of landmark children’s books outlive not just one but two prominent spouses.

Records show Wagner purchased the Italianate-style property in 1941 with her first husband Bennett Cerf, co-founder of the Random House publishing company. After he died in 1971, she went on to wed former New York City mayor Robert Wagner Jr., who passed away in in 1991, and then remained in the home until her death in 2006 at age 90. The residence subsequently sold for $8.5 million to jewelry designer Suzanne Sheik, the mother of Barely Breathing singer Duncan Sheik, before going to the current unnamed owner in 2010 for $14 million.

Now the towering 16-room spread between Lexington and Park avenues in the Lenox Hill neighborhood is being offered for $13.5 million, with the listing shared by James Weiss, Andrew Schwartz, and Ty Mabry of The Corcoran Group.

RELATED: Art Dealer Barbara Gladstone’s Elegant Manhattan Row House Lists for $12 Million

Designed and built in the 1870s by architect Robert Sexton, the recently renovated brick structure clocks in at 20 feet wide with five bedrooms and seven baths in 7,200 square feet of art deco-inspired living space boasting high ceilings, several wood-burning fireplaces, and a hydraulic elevator to all five levels. A security system and air-conditioning have also been added to the mix.

Upon entry, a marble-clad foyer flows to an eat-in kitchen flaunting a pricey La Cornue range. From there, a coffered-ceiling sitting and dining area opens to a private trellis-covered garden featuring a water wall, mature plantings, and custom lighting. The parlor level, meanwhile, hosts a reception lounge with a black-and-white-striped living room on one side and a library/dining room on the other.

RELATED: Abraham Lincoln’s Granddaughter Lived in This N.Y.C. Townhouse. Now It Can Be Yours for $10.5 Million.

The third level lends way to a bay-windowed primary suite outfitted with a morning bar and a pass-through wardrobe that connects to a bath sporting dual vanities, a large glass-encased shower, and a soaking tub alongside window coverings embellished with glass orbs. More bedrooms and a sky-lit den/office can be found on the top two floors, while a wine cellar and laundry room are situated down in the basement.

When the townhouse was last sold, it came complete with artwork by Andy Warhol, Anish Kapoor, and Roy Lichtenstein; books signed by William Faulkner and Joan Didion; and an oil painting by Frank Sinatra. Those items are currently on display but are not, unfortunately, included in the sale this time around.

Click here for more photos of the Upper East Side residence.