Upper East Side penthouse owned by Joan Rivers back on market after $10M price cut
Photos by The Real Estate Production Network
An opulent triplex penthouse on the Upper East Side—formerly owned by late comedian Joan Rivers—is back on the market for $28 million after a significant price cut, as first reported by the New York Post. Located at 1 East 62nd Street within the Horace Trumbauer-designed Spencer Condominium, the breathtaking residence spans a remarkable 42 feet wide and boasts soaring ceiling heights and intricate Versailles-esque details. The penthouse, which Rivers called home for 25 years until she died in 2014, was listed for $38 million in 2021 and saw another price cut last year to $34.5 million.
Designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1904 for millionaire John Drexel, the Spencer Condominium is a seven-story limestone mansion converted to 12 apartments in the 1930s.
Rivers once described the lavishly-decorated condo as “what Marie Antoinette would have done, if she had money,” and likened the decor to “Louis XIV meets Fred and Ginger,” as 6sqft previously reported. Rivers was also convinced the ghost of J.P. Morgan’s niece haunted the apartment, as she detailed in a 2009 episode of “Celebrity Ghost Stories.”
In 2009, the New York City native listed the home for $25 million, and later for $29.5 million in 2013. After her passing in September 2014, Rivers’ daughter Melissa inherited the apartment and listed it in February 2015. Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Al Saud bought the apartment that year for $28 million.
In 2021, the home was listed for $38 million but failed to find a buyer. Last year, it returned to the market with a reduced price of $34.5 million.
Upon entering via private elevator, you’re greeted with a regal two-story gallery that opens onto a dramatic Louis XIV-inspired ballroom. Featuring a wood-burning fireplace and soaring 23-foot ceilings, the ballroom flows seamlessly into the music room.
Together, these spaces create an opulent setting ideal for entertaining, with room for up to 125 guests.
Museum-trained professionals meticulously restored the home’s original parquet-de-Versailles flooring and intricate details, including gilded antique boisserie paneling and columns, preserving its timeless charm.
The dining room offers a more intimate gathering space, with three French doors that open onto a south-facing terrace. An adjacent wood-paneled library also boasts impressive Manhattan skyline and Central Park views.
On the second floor, a mezzanine overlooks the music room and ballroom. The master suite, which features a private terrace, is also located on this level, as well as a separate two-bedroom guest wing.
[Listing details: 1 East 62nd Street, Unit PH on CityRealty]
[At Compass by Zina Raslan and Carl Gambino]
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