Burrito Baron Steve Ells, Chipotle founder and former CEO, has secretly snapped up a $29.5 million West Village townhouse.
But the super-rich’s spread won’t even be his primary residence – he’s only using it as a crash pad until his nearby mega mansion is ready, sources told Gimme Shelter exclusively.
“This is just his temporary home. It’s crazy,” a source familiar with the deal said. “At this level, there is a lot of money, like playing with money for these people.”
The new digs are located in the cottage at 27 E. 11th Street – just down the street from the two buildings that Ells purchased for approximately $32.5 million in 2014 and 2015 and that he has been putting together since then as part of an epic building project.
A source said recent heavy rains revealed construction flaws that could add years to the project, as “all the bricks have to be rebuilt”. Ells declined to comment.
“The problems of the wealthy,” one real estate insider quipped. “It’s a problem, because he just sold his house which he thought he would move into soon,” the source added.
This penthouse located on 40 Fifth Ave is now sold out. Last June one of the world’s top chefs, Daniel Hamm, bought it for $14.5 million, as Gimme exclusively reported.
Sources tell Gimme that Ells bought this last home in less than a week and that it was just one of several offerings.
“It wasn’t the highest bid, but it was the fastest and cleanest,” a source said. “It was so fast. They were like, ‘Let’s do this.'”
The historic home was also the childhood home of Janet Travell, who was the first female physician in the White House under Bryce. John F. Kennedy, according to the list.
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