Raging Bull star and famous Manhattan-phile Robert De Niro is reportedly in the market for a London residence, having bid £750,000 on a two-bedroom flat in a converted jam factory. The Oscar winner has had property scouts touring London for months and, after seeing video footage of the sprawling penthouse, he quickly put in an offer.
De Niro is scheduled to cross the Atlantic later this month to check out the 2,100-square-foot space, located in a renovated jam factory in the less-than-posh borough Southwark. Real estate insiders anticipate the Analyze This star’s arrival will give the area a certain hip cachet, driving up property values and ushering in new restaurants and businesses – not unlike his effect on New York’s now-trendy TriBeCa.
“It is very exciting that such a megastar wants to move to Bermondsey,” says one estate agent. “It is going to electrify the area. We don’t have many Hollywood stars here at the moment.”
De Niro’s would-be pied-a-terre boasts a roof terrace with magnificent 360-degree panoramic views of the city. The building features a modern gym, an extensive DVD library and state-of-the-art internet connections.
The Godfather: Part II star has no plans to abandon New York, though. He’s currently crashing at a £16,000 a month flat on Central Park West while his downtown abode undergoes extensive renovations.
De Niro owns several Manhattan restaurants, including the ultra chic Tribeca Grill, but has seen his beloved neighbourhood struggle since the September 11 attacks. He recently treated 500 friends and firefighters to dinner to revive nightlife in the area, and has just announced plans to launch the first annual Tribeca Film Festival this May with similar aims.
“This film festival, its programming and the many associated activities will not only commemorate the spirit of the neighbourhood as we knew it but will also celebrate what is yet to come, the rebirth of downtown, whose future is now more promising than ever,” reports Jane Rosenthal, the famed actor’s business partner.
Celebrated actress Meryl Streep joined directors Martin Scorsese and Ed Burns for the festival announcement at De Niro’s Tribeca Film Center. The five-day movie fest is to include 40 feature films as well as shorts, documentaries and student submissions.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
