Does Rupert Know About This?

Attention Page Six: Your old friend Ron Burkle is moving to town.

Burkle, the Californian supermarket magnate and perennial almost-purchaser of newspapers, has bought Sky Studios, a duplex penthouse and event space, at 704 Broadway and 4th in Greenwich Village.

When not expressing interest in buying newspapers -- he has publicly expressed interest in the Knight-Ridder chain, the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal, but never stumped up a serious offer -- Burkle has spent time recently battle Page Six, the gossip column in Rupert Murdoch's New York Post.

Burkle videotaped a Post reporter asking for cash in return for favorable coverage last year, and he effectively accused the newspaper of extortion, though the authorities declined to press criminal charges.

About 5 years ago, the owner, Jonathan Leitersdorf, an Israeli entrepreneur, put the 11,000-square-foot penthouse on the market for $27 million.

A series of high profile potential buyers toured the place including Bono and Billy Joel and a few offers were made, but no deals were ever sealed.

Over the years, Burkle has remained interested but only now has he signed a contract for a $17 million cash deal.

Leitersdorf, an architect, once owned the entire building and personally designed the three-bedroom loft-style apartment with a rooftop garden and swimming pool -- it became famous when it was used in a few episodes of Sex and the City as the bachelor pad of Samantha Jones's hotelier boyfriend.

(Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin lives a few floors down and David Bowie once lived in the building).

Sky Studios is also frequently rented out for photo shoots, movie shoots, corporate events and swanky private parties.

It's a very popular place for weddings -- Jerry Seinfeld married Jessica Sklar there.

by Portfolio Staff