Joan Rivers’ former New York penthouse is back on the market – for a staggering amount.
The comedy queen, who sadly passed away in 2014, lived in the celebrity paradise in the heart of the city. The home – which could beat Hollywood mansions on the west coast – was believed to be snapped up by a buyer from the Middle East after she died. But it seems Joan Rivers’ special penthouse is now up for grabs. If you can part with millions, of course.
Joan Rivers’ penthouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side
The stunning home is back on the market for an eye-watering $34.5 million, and it’s said the new buyer didn’t change a thing inside Joan Rivers’ iconic penthouse.
As it hasn’t been redecorated, the furnishings, decor and gentle touch of the TV host remains in every inch of the apartment.
Joan, a beloved comic, had fans laughing in hysterics during her stand-up performances. Never afraid to take a risk (or make headlines), her in-your-face routines are still favorites with fans. The award-winning star knew what she was doing. The author penned 12 books, starred in 27 movies, designed jewelry and even dabbled in directing – what couldn’t she do?
But it seems architecture and interior design was something she held close to her heart. We can take a peek inside the lavish home thanks to TopTenRealEstateDeals.
The history of the apartment trails back to the early 20th century. John and Alice Troth Dexel moved in back in 1903. It had a few different owners for a couple of decades before being transformed into an apartment house in the 1930s. Fast-forward to 1987 and Joan called it her home, a year after her husband, Edgar Rosenberg, passed away.
Let’s take a look inside Joan Rivers’ penthouse, kept just as she liked it.
Celebrity guests included Princess Diana
The penthouse was Joan Rivers’ home for 28 years. She would throw parties, host some of the world’s most famous guests – like Princess Diana. Nancy Reagan and Martha Stewart would also pop by. The entertainer knew how to host.
She loved decorating the apartment, keeping true to the French architecture while giving her own spin on the decor.
Inside, the 23′ ceilings and private elevator entry hall scream glamor. While the corner library and formal dining room whisper elegance.
As you walk in, wood-burning fireplaces roar in the entry hall and two-story gallery, as well as the living room. Your feet touch the parquet-de-Versailles flooring as you wind round to see the south-facing terrace. Her own suite had views of Central Park, light peering through to the bedroom and a walk-in-closet.
Made up of four bedrooms, there is plenty of room to entertain – which was at the heart of Joan Rivers’ philosophy. The 81-year-old sadly died from brain damage from low blood oxygen during a routine medical procedure, an endoscopy. She was undergoing treatment to check her voice changes and reflux. Her family settled a malpractice suit against the clinic in 2016, almost two years following her death.
If you’re not up for a dinner party, you could try a gathering in the ballroom or music room. The antique columns and bold colors would be the perfect backdrop to any costume party.
Joan herself knew it was ‘over the top’ but that’s how she loved it.
Joan Rivers once said herself the penthouse decor was “Marie Antoinette” but “if she had money”. Another time, she tried to describe it as “Louis XIV meets Fred and Ginger”. We’re sure the dancing duo would have tapped their heart out in the ballroom.
Penthouse is as colorful as Joan Rivers herself
The three-floor apartment spans 5000 square feet and is every bit opulent.
You could live there alone, or choose to have family or your squad join you. With two kitchens, staff quarters and five marble fire places, you’ll never be left hungry – or cold for that matter.
The space sold via The Corcoran Group following her death for around $28 million, it’s believed. But the price has jumped up a cool $6.5 million since the last time it was on the market.
The regal paradise is filled with ornate 24-karat gold finishing, bay window seats and glistening chandeliers.
The dining room can fit a large party with a 14-seat table and is fully Instagram-worthy. Perfect size for the hectic Thanksgiving dinners.
The pink sun room also featured its own private terrace if you didn’t want to chomp on breakfast inside.
Not only that, but the walls were home to ‘secret’ doors that blended in to the paneling. Some would lead to the parlor room, an entryway filled with rose slab marble, or Joan’s private study. The comic chose the rose slab marble because she joked it complimented her skin tone as she grew older.
We never doubt Joan.
Blast from the past – ‘haunted by the ghost of Mrs Spencer’
Although Joan would invite some of the world’s most famous icons inside her home, there was one attendee who wasn’t on the guest list. The ghost of Mrs Spencer reportedly haunted the hallways decades after she was ‘evicted’ from the living.
Joan was adamant Mrs Spencer was up to no good and claimed she once bit the heads off the cherubs on a chandelier.
Exhausted over the torment, she hired a voodoo priestess from Louisiana to take care of it. Apparently she managed to erase the spirit throughout her whole apartment.
However, Joan was still unsure on what would happen in the future, so she made sure to keep Mrs Spencer happy if she ever did return. Finding an old photo of the previous owner down in the basement, she hung it in the hallway.
The comedian then left flowers out on a table underneath the painting as a peace offering.
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