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The home pays lovely nods to "Annie," as seen in the artwork.
Nathan Patrick Media
There are no hard knocks in this sprawling Parc Vendome residence, formerly owned by the late Tony, Grammy and Emmy-winning composer Charles Strouse, which has listed for $3.99 million.
Strouse, who passed away earlier this year at age 96, composed the music for “Annie” and “Bye Bye Birdie.” His film scores included “Bonnie and Clyde,” and he composed “Those Were the Days” for Norman Lear’s “All in the Family.”
The 3,760-square-foot residence, at 350 W. 57th St., comes with four bedrooms and four baths. It features a sunken living room, where Strouse hosted readings while workshopping projects.
It’s also where visitors included Jay-Z, Arthur Miller, Harry Connick Jr. and Jason Alexander, said his son Ben Strouse, who is one of Charles’ four children with the late actress/director/choreographer Barbara Simon Strouse.
Strouse’s music was recorded by Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Duke Ellington and Jay-Z, who featured music from Broadway’s “Annie” on his 1998 hit song, “Hard Knock Life.”
“We have a lot of memories there,” Ben said. “It was the place for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We were the Jews who had a Christmas tree by the fire with my parents, my siblings and all our kids. It was really like a scene out of a Norman Rockwell painting.”
The 19th-floor residence is a combo of a three- to four-bedroom unit and a one-bedroom apartment that can function as a guest/staff suite with its own separate kitchen. The layout features high ceilings, hardwood floors and stunning views of the city skyline.
The home opens through a gallery that leads to a living room with a woodburning fireplace and city views. There’s also a large library/den, a formal dining room and a separate kitchen.
The landmarked building, built in 1930 and designed by Farrar & Watmough, features a doorman, an English tea garden with a fountain, a landscaped rooftop and a private library.
The listing brokers are Katherine Gauthier and Will Rivera of Douglas Elliman.
English (US)