Jemima Kirke Crosses the East River: Brooklyn Fixture Buys Chelsea Co-op With Her Mother

On a golden September afternoon, the lobby at London Terrace Towers in Chelsea saw an unexpected pair: Jemima Kirke, the artist and actor best known for her Brooklyn roots, and her mother, Lorraine Kirke, a downtown fashion maven. Sources close to the building confirm the two have closed on a classic prewar co-op, marking a notable shift from Jemima’s long-held stance as a Brooklyn loyalist.

Kirke, who became synonymous with bohemian Brooklyn thanks to her breakout role on HBO’s ‘Girls,’ spent years in Carroll Gardens and later Red Hook, raising her children and painting in sun-drenched studios. But this latest real estate move plants her squarely in Manhattan territory—and not just any stretch, but the historic heart of Chelsea, where the Hudson breeze and gallery crowds mingle on West 23rd.

London Terrace Towers is no ordinary building. The sprawling 1930s complex, known for its art deco flourishes and storied residents, has long been a draw for creative types seeking Old New York charm with a dose of modern luxury. With its heated pool and panoramic rooftop, it’s a far cry from the brownstone stoops of Brooklyn, but perhaps just the right setting for an artist evolving into her next act.

This week, Chelsea brokers have been buzzing about the deal, speculating on whether Kirke’s purchase signals a larger migration of Brooklyn mainstays back to Manhattan. While the real estate market remains fiercely competitive on both sides of the river, Kirke’s address change is already inspiring chatter at nearby galleries and coffee counters—some see it as a homecoming to the city’s original creative core, others as a sign of shifting neighborhood tides as autumn takes hold.

Whether this is a permanent move or a pied-à-terre remains to be seen, but for now, Jemima Kirke’s name on a Chelsea mailbox is a reminder: in New York, reinvention is always in season.