If you walked into 1 East 62nd Street during the nineties, you weren’t just entering a building. You were stepping into a curated explosion of gold leaf, 18th-century French panels, and the kind of unapologetic vanity that only a woman like Joan Rivers could pull off. She famously quipped that the place was "what Marie Antoinette would have done if she had money." Honestly? She wasn't exaggerating. The Joan Rivers NYC apartment wasn't a home so much as it was a stage set for a life lived at maximum volume.
But here’s the thing. Since she passed away in 2014, the place has become a bit of a real estate enigma. It’s a 5,100-square-foot triplex that has bounced on and off the market, saw its opulent "bordello-meets-Versailles" interior reportedly gutted, and has sat empty for long stretches. It’s weird. In a city where billionaires trip over each other for Central Park views, this particular crown jewel has had a rocky decade.
The Gilded Bones of 1 East 62nd Street
Location is everything, sure. This place is nestled in the Spencer Condominium, a limestone mansion designed by Horace Trumbauer back in 1903. Trumbauer was the guy you called if you were a Gilded Age millionaire—think the Drexel family—and you wanted to show everyone exactly how many zeros were in your bank account.
Joan bought the penthouse in 1988, right after the devastating loss of her husband, Edgar Rosenberg. She needed a project. She needed a fortress. She found it in a three-story limestone perch half a block from Fifth Avenue.
The specs are enough to make any New Yorker weep with envy:
- Ceiling Height: 23-foot soaring ceilings in the main reception rooms.
- Square Footage: 5,100 square feet of interior space.
- Fireplaces: Five wood-burning ones, including a massive one in the ballroom.
- Terraces: Two of them, offering views of the Central Park skyline that look like a postcard.
Louis XIV Meets Fred and Ginger
Joan’s style was... specific. She called it "Louis XIV meets Fred and Ginger." Most decorators today would tell you to "neutralize" a space for resale. Joan did the opposite. She leaned into the theatricality. She had museum-trained professionals restore the original parquet-de-Versailles flooring. She draped the master bedroom in silk and velvet until it looked, in her own words, like a high-end bordello.
The ballroom was the heart of the house. It could fit 125 people. This is where she hosted her legendary Thanksgiving dinners. It wasn't just a room; it was a cathedral of comedy. Gilded columns, massive crystal chandeliers, and walls that looked like they belonged in the Louvre.
But it wasn't all just for show. Tucked away in a corner was her office, which housed her famous joke cabinet. This wasn't a digital server. It was a massive filing system of thousands of typed index cards, organized by subject. That apartment was the engine room for her career. While the ballroom screamed "Royalty," the office hummed with the work ethic of a woman who never took a day off.
The Ghost in the Chandelier
You can’t talk about the Joan Rivers NYC apartment without talking about Mrs. Spencer. Joan was convinced the place was haunted by the building’s original owner, J.P. Morgan’s niece.
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Apparently, the ghost was a bit of a critic. Joan claimed the spirit would make the rooms freezing cold and would even bite the heads off the cherubs on the chandeliers. You can’t make this up. To fix the "vibe," Joan reportedly brought in a voodoo priestess from Louisiana to cleanse the space. Eventually, she found a portrait of Mrs. Spencer in the basement, cleaned it up, and hung it in the hallway with fresh flowers.
"Once the ghost felt acknowledged, she calmed down," Joan used to say. It’s a very Joan solution: if someone’s bothering you, give them a little attention and a better spotlight.
What Happened After 2014?
When Joan died, her daughter Melissa Rivers inherited the property. It hit the market in 2015 for $28 million. The buyer was Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Fahd.
This is where the story gets a little tragic for fans of Joan’s aesthetic. Reports surfaced almost immediately that the Prince intended to "gut" the place. The gilded boiserie? The "bordello" bedroom? Likely gone. The Prince reportedly wanted a more contemporary, sleek look. Neighbors were allegedly "shocked" by the scale of the renovations.
Since then, the apartment has been a bit of a ghost ship. It was re-listed in 2021 for a staggering $38 million, then dropped to $34.5 million, and most recently, in early 2025, it was priced back at $28 million. Melissa Rivers recently told People that her mother’s best friend, who lives across the street, has only seen the lights on in the penthouse about a dozen times in ten years.
It’s sitting there. Silent.
Why It’s Hard to Sell a Legend
Why does a 5,100-square-foot palace overlooking Central Park struggle to find a permanent resident?
- The "Bland" Problem: Real estate experts often say that Joan's decor was so specific it required too much imagination for new buyers. But when the Prince gutted it, he may have stripped away the very soul that made it valuable. Now, it's just another expensive box.
- The Condo Board: 1 East 62nd Street is an exclusive building with only nine units. Joan was the president of the board for years. These buildings have notoriously strict rules.
- The Market Shift: Modern billionaires often want floor-to-ceiling glass and "smart" amenities. A 120-year-old limestone mansion requires a buyer who loves history, and that’s a shrinking pool.
Honestly, the apartment feels like it's waiting for someone with a personality as big as Joan’s to fill it up again.
Lessons from 1 East 62nd Street
If you’re looking at this through the lens of real estate or design, there are some pretty clear takeaways.
- Extreme Customization is a Double-Edged Sword. Joan’s apartment was a masterpiece because it was her. But that same personality made it "un-sellable" to anyone who didn't want to live in a comedy queen's museum.
- Renovation Doesn't Always Equal Value. The fact that the price has dropped back down to exactly what it sold for in 2015—despite a massive renovation—suggests that the market might have actually preferred the "Louis XIV meets Fred and Ginger" madness over a generic modern refresh.
- The Power of Storytelling. People don't just want to buy 5,100 square feet. They want to buy the "Joan Rivers Penthouse." The history is the selling point.
If you’re ever walking by the corner of 62nd and Fifth, look up. The penthouse is still there, perched over the park. It might be quieter now, and the cherubs might be replaced by recessed lighting, but that building will always belong to the woman who was too big for her own zip code.
If you're fascinated by New York's iconic celebrity homes, you can look up the current listing on StreetEasy or Zillow to see how the floor plan has evolved—or hasn't—since the 2015 sale.