Profit unlikely for Sir Peter in multimillion-dollar deal

One of the spectacular New York penthouses.

Sir Peter Jackson has been unable to profit on two luxury apartments in a trendy New York neighbourhood, which he is thought to have sold for $20.6million.

The New Zealand director bought the side-by-side penthouses in Franklin St in Tribeca for around the same amount in 2008 with plans to combine them and sell them together, according to Luxury Listings NYC.

He put them on the market for $25.6million in May but couldn't find a buyer so decided to list them separately.

Peter Jackson

The larger seven-bedroom "unit", measuring 545sq m, was listed at $16million, while the neighbouring three-bedroom, 226sq m condo was listed at $4.6million.

Both apartments are now "in contract" to an as-yet undisclosed buyer.

According to the real estate company Corcoran, the larger apartment is a "spectacular mansion in the sky ... custom designed and built from its inception for a discerning and sophisticated family".

It features 38 windows and doors, a mahogany staircase, a powder room, an "extraordinary and enormous eat-in kitchen" and a "museum quality living room".

When Jackson bought the penthouses, the New York Observer said it was one of Tribeca's most expensive apartment deals.

According to last year's NBR Rich List, Jackson is estimated to have a fortune worth $585million.

He owns a multimillion-dollar mansion near Masterton.

It is thought to contain a 100-seat cinema and studio, a private pub and a lake.

He also owns a private jet worth tens of millions of dollars.