The New York Times reports on its front page today that the real estate downturn is finally hitting Manhattan, hard. The key example? 99 John Street, apparently Alex McCord's favorite condo conversion.

A tipster spotted either McCord or a lookalike in a Web video for the prewar, Lower Manhattan building. The Real Housewives of NYC star appears to be devouring an infant in the marketing clip, although our tipster argues the creature is actually computer generated. Either way, "it's definitely not screaming [McCord tot] Francois." You can see the video at left, or on the building website under Residences/2 bedroom.

A Curbed.com spy spotted the McCordish video back in October, so it's been online for a while. What has the professional actress done for sales in the interim? Not much, apparently, judging from what's in the Times:

At 99 John Street... buyers were offered a chance to "rent to own," and a promise that Rockrose would buy back an apartment after five years at 110 percent of the purchase price. The developer also began offering the apartments in bulk to investors, in packages of 15 apartments.

Maybe it would help to mention that McCord doesn't actually live in the building, but all the way over in Brooklyn? (Best not to point out how close the bridge is.)