For an actor, it’s all about timing. Or, rather, it’s mostly about timing. So with the near-complete renovation of their East Village townhouse, Alan Cumming and his husband, Grant Shaffer, have decided it’s time to sell their East Village co-op. The 1,500-square-foot apartment at 297 East 10th Street is listed for sale for $2.2 million.
The 4-bedroom is neat as a pin and can’t be mistaken for anything else except an artist’s space, characterized most by its long and winding-ly quirky layout. Note the Scottish plaid throw blanket on the couch. And, while the floor-thru apartment has only a single bathroom, it does sport views of Tompkins Square Park. The couple purchased the pad in 2005 for $1.65 million.
The couple has been working up to this big move. Their “new” townhouse is around the corner at 404 East 9th Street. They paid $4.65 million for it in early 2014, and have been working on the 1899 red brick townhouse — though given their preference for original detail, no one’s expecting bamboo floors and skylights. The kicker for the couple in buying the 20-foot wide townhouse with 7 bedrooms was certainly not the 4 bathrooms. It’s the huge “forest-like garden” that will let Cumming and Shaffer experience the great outdoors of the East Village.
Cumming, who is a 3-time Emmy nominee for his role as Eli Gold in “The Good Wife’’’ and a Tony winner for his performance in “Cabaret,” sold a Gramercy Park co-op in 2014 for $762,500. The studio unit at 7 Lexington Ave. has since sold again this January for $835,000.
