The Gramercy Park landmark tied to Anna Delvey’s rise and unraveling appears to be on the move. The six-story, Beaux-Arts Church Missions House at 281 Park Avenue South has reportedly gone into contract with an unnamed buyer after years of being shopped, relisted and left largely vacant since its museum tenant announced plans to relocate. If the sale closes, it would finally wrap up a long, speculative guessing game over what comes next for the building.
The deal was first reported Thursday by the New York Post, which noted that the buyer and contract terms have not been disclosed.
Building's market run
RFR Holding, Aby Rosen’s firm, bought the Church Missions House in 2014 and later leased the property to Fotografiska New York, according to The Real Deal. The Real Deal also reported that the building was first shopped in 2022 with a $135 million asking price and has been relisted repeatedly as the owners searched for an operator or end user willing to take on all 42,500 square feet.
Most recently, Commercial Observer reported that the property returned to the market in October 2024 with a lower guide, roughly $100 million, and then reappeared for sale again in late 2025 as RFR continued to test demand. Brokers have said the building’s custom interiors and mix of gallery, restaurant and event spaces make finding the right buyer more complicated than a typical office sale.
“RFR is pivoting and refocusing on a different business plan, but they absolutely love this building,” Alexandra Marolda of Avison Young told Commercial Observer. That affection, brokers say, helps explain why the owners have been patient while searching for someone willing to operate the whole package, from the Roman and Williams-designed restaurant to the chapel bar and event spaces.
Why it still draws attention
The property carries a heavy pop-culture footprint. Anna Sorokin, better known as Anna Delvey, once tried to make the building the site of a private club and foundation, a subplot that helped turn her case into national headlines. As reported by The Real Deal, Sorokin was convicted in 2019 on multiple fraud counts after prosecutors said she used forged documents to pursue loans and leases tied to projects like that proposed club.
If the Post’s account proves correct, the contract would nudge the landmark out of limbo and toward a concrete reuse, but being under contract is only one step. As the New York Post noted, terms were not disclosed and the agreement remains subject to the usual approvals and closing conditions that can still reshape or scuttle a deal.
