Dunne and dusted

Here, we look to the gossip column in The Post for a real life lesson about co-op boards.

Livvy Dunne, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model , influencer , former gymnast at LSU , and girlfriend to Pittsburgh Pirates pitching phenom Paul Skenes , was rejected by the co-op board in her pursuit to purchase the former home of NY Yankees legend Babe Ruth.

The $1.59M Upper West Side pad was Ruth’s residence from 1920 to 1940, and boasts high ceilings, oak floors, a modern open kitchen with a breakfast bar , and multiple closets. Some might call it a “home run.”

But, the all-cash purchase was not to be: The board said, “No!”

Said Dunne, “Honestly, it wasn’t financial. It could have been, for all I know, they could have been Alabama fans and I went to LSU . Maybe they didn’t want a public figure living there.”

Is this okay? Can a board reject her application, even with an all-cash offer?

Yes.

In a co‑op, a buyer acquires shares in a corporation (not real property). This discretion is recognized as a core feature of co‑op ownership. Provided that decisions are made in good faith, within the law , and in the co‑op’s interest, it is “fine to decline.”

The co-op’s bylaws may also define restrictions—such as first‑right-of-offer, financing limits, liquidity requirements, or minimum debt‑to‑income/asset thresholds—that apply uniformly to all applicants. Boards must apply these consistently and within the authority granted by those documents.

In this case, the declination was unlikely financial, but it may have had to do with “character and compatibility,” as she intimates.

Will the truth come to light?

This is unlikely, as co‑op boards are not required by law to provide reasons for rejecting a prospective purchaser—even if financially qualified—unless a discrimination claim is filed.

For now, it seems, the ghost of the Sultan of Swat won’t have to worry about sharing space with any Pittsburgh Pirates fans.