Shortly after Billy Bush became a victim of so-called “cancel culture” — with his dreams of being an NBC “Today” show host extremely short-lived — he was forced to sell his newly purchased Manhattan townhouse back in 2016.
Located in the upscale Chelsea neighborhood, the townhouse is expected to hit the market again in the coming week for $16 million, The Post has learned.
Bush, 49, initially purchased the home in December 2015 for $8.8 million and sold it at a loss a year later for $7,425,000 following a few price cuts, property records show.
Made up of four floors, the seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom property was last purchased in March 2020, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and has been undergoing several renovations since.
The four-story townhouse in Chelsea is made up of seven bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Compass
The dining area boasts an open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling, double-height windows. Compass
A living space. Compass
One of 11 bathrooms. CompassAmong the extensive changes taking place are:
- Installation of an elevator
- Fully excavated cellar with options for a home gym, theater and sauna/spa
- Double-height ceiling from the 4th and 5th floors to allow for the projection of movies/concerts/sporting events
- Multiple private terraces, balconies, rear yard with BBQ station and paved upper roof deck
- Flex spaces
- Smart home audio/video automation and Wi-Fi boosters throughout the home for optimal internet connectivity, all controlled from a smartphone
- Whole-house humidification system
- Energy-efficient home with superior waterproofing and hydronic heating and cooling system
- Extra sound barriers and insulation in the floors
- Steel structure and sustainable home to last generations
The transformation features a 10-foot gated front courtyard with a stoop (pending approval), two private terraces and three additional balconies, according to the listing.
Renovations are expected to be finished in the coming months, according to the developer Innovative Design & Development.
The spiral staircase is located in the center of the home. Realtor.com
The roof deck with a spa tub. Realtor.com
Another living area. Realtor.com
The kitchen. Realtor.comMeasuring 7,640 square feet of interior space and coupled with approximately 1,065 square feet of exterior space, the home boasts already an abundance of rooms, including a roof deck.
A private elevator serves the garden level through to the penthouse floor.
“The house has been built to be “fortress-like” with steel reinforcements, optimal waterproofing, sound barriers on the floors, and sustainable smart home with touchscreen automation in all rooms, discrete thermostats, a home security system, and plenty of “work from home” office options and recreational space,” the listing states.
Diane Sender of Compass holds the listing.
The primary ensuite bathroom with marble flooring. Realtor.com
The garden and BBQ area are set for al fresco dining. Realtor.comBush was fired from “Today” after an infamous tape surfaced of him engaging in crude talk with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. He moved back to Los Angeles after the controversy.
In 2019, three years later after his firing, he was hired to host “Extra, Extra,” replacing Mario Lopez on an updated version of the entertainment show “Extra.” In September of that year, he and his estranged wife, Sydney Davis, finalized their divorce after 20 years of marriage.
Last fall he told Men’s Health that, after his “Today” show exit, he drank heavily and felt betrayed by now-disgraced ex-anchor Matt Lauer, who he said didn’t adequately push to keep Bush. “That he didn’t fight for me is so deeply hurtful because I’ve known him for absolutely ever,” he said of Lauer, who himself was booted from “Today” in 2017 over allegations of inappropriate behavior.
Early last year on Dennis Quaid’s “The Dennissance” podcast,” Bush claimed to be a much-changed man since his own very-public scandal unfolded.
“I’m a much nicer person. I’m much more curious about other people’s experiences,” he shared. “I only take the good out of it at this point.”
He also called the hot mic incident “such an ugly moment,” adding, “It’s humiliating, it’s embarrassing, it’s s–tty. There’s no denying the moment is a terrible moment.”
