Suzy Welch has long considered the Upper East Side home. The author and business commentator—whose late husband, Jack Welch, led General Electric for two decades—moved into her 40-foot-wide East 81st Street mansion four years ago and quickly embraced everything that made the block special—its tree-lined calm, its unusually deep rear gardens, and its quick access to her favorite neighborhood institutions.

“I’ve always lived on the Upper East Side. What other part of New York has Central Park, the Met, and the Frick too?” she tells Robb Report. “And of course, the nearby restaurants and shopping are what make the neighborhood so fun. Every neighborhood in New York has its charms, but 81st Street was right in the heart of my favorite one.”

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The four-story residence spans 7,675 square feet and was redesigned by Williams Lawrence, who helped transform it into what Welch calls a warm, welcoming home. “I wanted the house to feel livable, fun, and delightful,” she says. “A place where family, friends, and dogs could make themselves at home.”

Much of daily life unfolded around the backyard—an enormous 40-by-48-foot private garden that’s almost unheard of in Manhattan. “We use the backyard every day and every way,” she says. “We sit outside and read, we chat with friends over drinks, we throw birthday parties. Plus, the dogs love it, which makes life very easy with them. It’s also beautiful across all four seasons. In the winter, we place a Christmas tree at its center and enjoy looking at it as the snow falls down. In the summer, my grandkids play with the sprinkler.”

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The home balances grand scale with comfort. Think of a soaring, garden-facing living room with 20-foot ceilings, a chef’s kitchen that opens to a double-height family room, multiple fireplaces, and a private garage big enough to park a Range Rover. A mezzanine leads to a wood-paneled library imported from England, along with a guest suite. The full-width primary level includes a sunlit bedroom overlooking the garden, a spa-like bath, and expansive closets. The top floor functions as a private three-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen—useful for guests, extended family, or staff.

After several years in the home, Welch says she’s ready for something that better matches her current lifestyle. “All my kids are grown and out of the house on their own now,” she says. “I will never leave this wonderful neighborhood, but it feels like the right time to find a home a little more my size!”

The property is listed with Deborah Grubman at Corcoran for $26 million.

Click here to see more photos of the Upper East Side residence.