Robert De Niro was born and raised in New York City, and much of his adult life has been spent in different homes throughout New York state. “I go to Paris, I go to London, I go to Rome, and I always say, ‘There’s no place like New York. It’s the most exciting city in the world now. That’s the way it is. That’s it,’” the actor has famously said. His love for his hometown has led him to invest an incredible amount of time and energy into the city’s arts and culture scene. He and business partner Jane Rosenthal started TriBeCa Productions in 1989. He opened Tribeca Grill in 1990, and he co-owns the Greenwich Hotel. His love for the city that never sleeps has even earned him the keys to the city, and an entire film fest dedicated to his decades-long oeuvre (De Niro Con, set to take place in fall 2023). But it’s perhaps De Niro’s steadfast decision to live exclusively in New York that has cemented his status as an NYC icon over the years—he not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk. Below, we’re taking a peek into some of De Niro’s homes, including his architecturally stunning Greenwich Village penthouse.
1993
One of De Niro’s homes was left to him by his father, the late painter Robert De Niro Sr. The Montauk beach house was where the actor’s father often retreated in order to escape the bustle of the city; he left it to De Niro Jr. upon his death in 1993. The beachfront property reportedly sits on 1.5 acres, with a 2,278-square-foot house and approximately 740 square feet of decking. The house was built in the 1950s, but not much else is known about its aesthetics. In 2017, De Niro filed an application to have the existing structure razed in order to build a larger home, but his request was ultimately denied. He still owns this residence.
1997
The Irishman actor may be a Hollywood legend, but he’s forever bound to his New York roots. Case in point: In 1997, he dropped $1.5 million on an estate in the small town of Gardiner, and has called that home his main residence ever since. According to reports, the 2,222-square-foot house sits atop 78 acres of land, erected where the original 18th-century farmhouse once stood. De Niro reportedly renovated the place to suit his growing family’s needs; it now includes six bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with the barn converted into a massive 14,000-square-foot recreation center with a gym, a boxing room, a game room, a swimming pool and sauna, a basketball court, and a small film studio. The grounds also boast two guest houses, a tennis court, and a small ski slope.
2000s
The Nobu restaurant co-owner next purchased a Central Park West apartment for a reported $23 million. The famously private star managed to keep most details about the fifth-floor luxury apartment out of the spotlight, but in 2012, the apartment made headlines when a dryer-induced fire completely devastated the home and a good portion of the building. De Niro and his family were out of the country at the time, but neighbors testified to the horrific damage. “Right above my head these 12-foot-tall flames exploded out of the 5th-floor window,” a neighbor told CBS. Consequently, De Niro had to find alternate places to live as the unit was rehabilitated.
2012
Following the fire that devastated their Upper West Side apartment, De Niro and his then wife Grace Hightower rented a stunning duplex penthouse in Greenwich Village. The 1920s building was originally a manufacturing facility for maraschino cherries, and as a result, the layout of the home was rather unique. The contemporary pad featured an impressive two-story foyer with an entire wall of windows overlooking a perfectly landscaped interior courtyard, as well as three wood-burning fireplaces—in the living room, the library, and the primary suite. There were five bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms spread across 11,000 square feet, and an additional 5,200 square feet of private outdoor space. De Niro and Hightower lived there for two years. The penthouse sold for $18 million in 2018.
Later that same year, De Niro rented a 6,000-square-foot full-floor pad at Central Park West, paying $125,000 a month for the luxurious spot. Situated on the 35th floor of the building, the unit featured five bedrooms and six bathrooms, with unparalleled views of the city. (Alex Rodriguez was reportedly also a former tenant.) The apartment boasted eastern, western, and southern exposures, with views of Central Park, downtown Manhattan, and the Hudson River. The actor didn’t stay long, however; by 2014, the unit was back on the market for $55 million.
2014
De Niro’s next project sits atop the Greenwich Hotel, which he partially owns, along with Ira Druckier. The Hollywood icon tapped renowned Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt and Japanese architect Tatsuro Miki to create a penthouse suite that draws on the traditional Japanese concept of wabi, which revolves around the idea of finding beauty in imperfection. The 6,800-square-foot unit’s elegant aesthetic emphasizes neutral color palettes and the use of wood, stone, and other reclaimed materials. “The industrial treatment of the top is in perfect harmony with the building below,” Vervoordt said of the marriage between the hotel below and the penthouse suite above. The three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathroom unit is available for guests to rent, but it is safe to assume De Niro enjoys staying there whenever he pleases.
