Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has his plan for $78million New York megaRussian oligarch Roman Abramovich has his plan for $78million New York mega-mansion made from three houses knocked into one REJECTED because city officials believed it is a 'whole new level of egregious consumption' New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission told billionaire his plans to knock three town houses into one was unjustified Was rejected despite winning approval for a similar design in London Russian was told there is ‘more than a dollars and cents price tag when one purchases history’ Over the course of the past 18 months Mr Abramovich has paid a combined $78 million to buy 11, 13, and 15 East 75th St and create a mega-mansion By DANIEL BATES IN NEW YORK FOR DAILY MAIL ONLINE PUBLISHED: 21:10 GMT, 7 April 2016 | UPDATED: 00:33 GMT, 8 April 2016 He took three years to win approval for his $140 million mega mansion in London. But now Roman Abramovich has entered into another battle over a near-identical property in New York. The Chelsea FC owner has had his plans for a $78 million (£58 million) mansion rejected and branded ‘a whole new level of egregious consumption’. The Russian billionaire was told by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission that his proposal to turn three landmarked townhouses into one property was an ‘unjustified tear-down’. Roman Abramovich had his plans for a $78 million (£58 million) mega-mansion in New York's Upper East Side (proposed design pictured) rejected and branded ‘a whole new level of egregious consumption’. Roman Abramovich had his plans for a $78 million (£58 million) mega-mansion in New York's Upper East Side (proposed design pictured) rejected and branded ‘a whole new level of egregious consumption’. The Russian billionaire was told by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission that his proposal to turn three land-marked townhouses into one property was an ‘unjustified tear-down’. Pictured are proposed designs of the rear facades The Russian billionaire was told by New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission that his proposal to turn three land-marked townhouses into one property was an ‘unjustified tear-down’. Pictured are proposed designs of the rear facades Mr Abramovich (pictured left with partner Dasha Zhukova) was told that there is ‘more than a dollars and cents price tag when one purchases history’ by the group of historians and architects Mr Abramovich (pictured left with partner Dasha Zhukova) was told that there is ‘more than a dollars and cents price tag when one purchases history’ by the group of historians and architects Mr Abramovich won approval for exactly the same thing at his home in Lowndes Square, one of London’s most exclusive streets. In 2010 he purchased all nine flats of the prime London block with Harvey Nichols and Harrods as their corner shops. Spread across two stucco-fronted properties in Knightsbridge in London, the eight-bedroom building - which was approved by Kensington and Chelsea council - was expected to be worth up to £150million once completed. Mr Abramovich had bought the individual flats over the years to convert the building into the single home, but did not change the exterior. He first bought a flat there in the late Nineties, spending £1.2million. He and his then wife, Irina, spent a similar amount gutting and remodelling it and it was their London home for several years. By cannily buying up individual flats, the Russian ended up paying between £15million and £20million for the two historic houses, a great deal less than their eventual worth. In 2010 he purchased nine flats of the prime London block with Harvey Nichols and Harrods around the corner In 2010 he purchased nine flats of the prime London block with Harvey Nichols and Harrods around the corner Spread across two stucco-fronted properties in Knightsbridge, the eight-bedroom building - which was approved by Kensington and Chelsea council - was expected to be worth up to £150million once completed Spread across two stucco-fronted properties in Knightsbridge, the eight-bedroom building - which was approved by Kensington and Chelsea council - was expected to be worth up to £150million once completed He bought the freehold for the buildings from Sun Life for only £1.8million. But by 2011 it was reported that he had suspended the renovation plans and he put the property up for sale for £70million in 2012.

• published: 08 Apr 2016
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