Phil Jackson—the NBA head coach who brought the Chicago Bulls into prominence in the 1990’s, before joining the Lakers—has listed his Manhattan pied-a-terre on the open market. Jackson purchased the two bed, three bath unit in the Osborne building in 2014, for $4.85 million, and has offered it for $4.95 million.
The Osborne, a landmark well known to residents of the city, dates to the middle of the 1880’s, and is situated on 57th Street, across from Carnegie Hall. The building is designed in the Romanesque and Renaissance revival style, with a rusticated exterior, and an almost impossibly ornate lobby which features floors and walls of tile, carved wood, gilt, and marble.
Jackson’s unit fulfills the expectations set by the lobby of the building. The apartment features oak parquet floors with ornamental cherry inlay, limestone fireplaces, carved mahogany paneling, plaster walls, moldings, stained glass, pocket doors, and 14’ ceilings. Elements of extraordinarily meticulous craftsmanship are everywhere. Renovations have been conducted carefully, and do not break the spell of timelessness established by the myriad period details. It’s an impressive residence.
The apartment measures a little over 2,500 square feet. Rooms include a formal gallery that opens beaux-arts style to the common spaces, a library rendered traditionally with mahogany paneling and a fireplace, a living room with flanking fireplaces, and a combination kitchen and dining room with yet another fireplace.
Jackson’s run as head coach of the Bulls lasted nine seasons; he spent eleven as guiding spirit of the Lakers. Of those twenty seasons, he ended his coaching career with eleven Championship wins to his credit to spend three years as President of the New York Knicks.
