A Paris Pied-à-Terre With an Olympic View

The dining side of the living room is a mix of period and modern furniture. The Saarinen dining table came from the couple’s previous apartment. The 18th-century Louis XVI secretaire on the left back wall is from Antiquités Florentin. The four Louis XVI chairs from Antiquités Brion Laurent are covered in red velour, and the Montgolfière Baccarat chandelier is from Galerie de Santos. Photo: Antoine Bootz

Sean Cassidy, who grew up in Maine, fell for Gerry Logue, originally from Georgia, 36 years ago in New York City. That’s where they made their life together. But they would visit Paris whenever they could, dreaming of finding a way to live there, too. Logue worked at NBC News when they met, and went on to become president of Grey Entertainment. Cassidy became head of marketing for Scholastic books.

“I couldn’t simply uproot my life and move to Paris,” Cassidy says. “But I knew I wanted to experience living in this magical city, not as a tourist but as a Parisian.”

During their many Paris sojourns, they got to know Pierre Lafaurie, the owner of a clothing shop off the Place des Vosges. Cassidy wanted to leave the corporate world, and Lafaurie suggested that he open his own clothing store in New York, which he did in 1997. His shop, Sean, was the exclusive retail venue for Lafaurie’s menswear.

In 1998, Cassidy and Logue bought their first apartment in Paris, a six-floor walk-up in the Marais by the Bastille. They would often lend it to friends, and it was after a visit by Corky Pollan (formerly the Best Bets editor of New York Magazine) and her husband, Stephen M. Pollan, their attorney, that the Pollans urged them to sell the walk-up and get a more practical apartment with an elevator. They took that advice and bought their second apartment, on Quai de Montebello with a view of Notre-Dame (and an elevator). Cassidy and Logue’s friend and interior designer, Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz, decorated that apartment in an all-white modernist palette.

But the pandemic changed things. Sean, which at one point had nine locations, closed permanently, and their trips to Paris were curtailed. They decided to sell their apartment, but not before throwing one last New Year’s Eve party — a tradition they’d held since 2006, though not in 2020 — at the end of 2021.

Cassidy wasn’t ready to give it up though. “I secretly searched for another apartment to buy,” he admits, “so that we could still have a footprint in Paris.”

And he found this place. He worried that Logue would nix the idea, but “when we walked in and stepped onto the balcony overlooking Notre-Dame, he said: ‘We have to buy this apartment.’” It was only a few blocks from their former apartment and “it was in horrible shape,” Cassidy says, “but the potential was clear to see!”

They bought it. It is on the top floor of a Haussmann building. It had been four maid’s rooms, but combined into one 675-square-foot apartment in, Cassidy thinks, the 1950s. “We bought the apartment from the family of the original owner. It was originally a family building,” Cassidy says.

Cassidy and Logue now work in real estate together. Logue already “had been doing it while he had a career in TV and entertainment,” Cassidy says. “Along the way, I joined him.”

Noriega-Ortiz worked from New York City — an easier task than it might seem, as he’s done numerous projects for them over the years. He also knew who to work with in Paris to get his plans installed over lots of Zoom and FaceTime meetings.

“He is more than our interior designer,” Cassidy says, “he is like Wendy on Billions. We have been working with him since 1998.”

They did a gut renovation, opening up the space and light toward the windows that face Notre-Dame to the north and the Pantheon to the south, and replacing two skylights. Now there’s a living/dining room, a bedroom, a new entrance foyer, and a new kitchen and bath. The attic level is now used for HVAC, and water heater. ”It’s rare to have AC in Paris,” Cassidy points out.

Noriega-Ortiz added mirrored walls, and installed a pastiche of furniture styles. He painted the walls vibrant colors of blue, red, and gold inspired by the stained glass windows in Notre-Dame. The exuberant décor reflects the spirit of one of Noriega-Ortiz’s  favorite movie musicals, An American in Paris.

But perhaps best of all this summer: It overlooks the Seine, where the Olympics opening ceremony will be held, with the parade of athletes this year taking place on boats. “Although Paris hosted the Olympics two times before, the last time was a century ago,” Cassidy says. “We will have front-row seats from our balcony.”

The living room side of the main room. The banquet and pillows designed by Noriega-Ortiz were upholstered by Richard Leredde. The two coffee tables were found at the Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt. The signed print is by Jim Dine. Photo: Antoine Bootz

The mirrored walls and bright colors have made the apartment more welcoming. Photo: Antoine Bootz

The balcony overlooks Notre-Dame and the Seine River. Photo: Antoine Bootz

The red cabinets are Ikea. Photo: Antoine Bootz

“Since we work remotely,” Cassidy says, “we have been spending a lot more time in Paris for longer periods and have a full life here. We have lots of friends and still host a New Year’s Eve party.” The red and gold kitchen is inspired by Ortiz’s favorite film, An American in Paris. The cabinets are from Ikea; the appliances are from Bosch. Photo: Antoine Bootz

The bedroom windows look out over the Pantheon and rooftops of Paris. Designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz worked remotely with the French architect Nicole Champagnol and project manager, Yolanda Robins, to realize his designs for the project. Photo: @antoinebootz