Imperial House
150 East 69th Street
New York, New York
(Apartment 22G 1968-1973)

Joan's Residency
     Following her accountant's advice, Joan reluctantly sold her apartment at 2 East 70th Street and Fifth Avenue and moved into the more economically accommodating apartment 22G in Imperial House. Joan purchased Apartment 22G in the late summer of 1968 for approximately $500,000, and hired interior designer Carleton Varney to decorate. (Source: Carleton Varney) Several of Joan's larger furniture pieces from the 2 East 70th Street apartment was auctioned at Sotheby Parke Bernet before the move. Apartment 22G consisted of two large connected living rooms (which Joan referred to as being one large "L-shaped" room) three bedrooms, a maid's room, dining room, kitchen, a large entrance hall, four bathrooms, 6 walk-in closets throughout the apartment, and one small closet.

     After several months of planning, which included using masking tape on the floors to outline where furniture was to be placed in the apartment, Joan moved into Apartment 22G in late October 1968. Joan's custom-made sofa from the 70th Street apartment was too large to be transported by the Imperial House elevator or stairs. Therefore, it was raised by crane the 22 stories and inserted into the 22G apartment via the terrace. (Source: Carleton Varney)
     Joan removed the bathtubs in favor of shower stalls, saying she did not "like to sit and soak in her own dirt," and installed white plastic laminate over the interior window ledges. Joan also installed custom-made cabinets to house her china, sliver, and glassware, and turned the apartment's maid's room into a hat and shoe closet. A second bedroom next to Joan's own bedroom became Joan's dressing room, and wall-to-wall closets were installed that lined the walls of the room. The third bedroom was designed for Joan's maid, Mamacita. (Source: Carleton Varney)


Apartment 22G Room Measurements (During Joan's residency):
Entrance Hall/Gallery: 23'6ft X 10ft
Living Room: 28ft X 16ft
Great Room: 24'6ft X 17'6ft
Dining Room: 20ft X 14Ft
Kitchen: 15ft X 10ft
Joan's Bedroom: 20ft X 15ft
Bedrooms (Both): 16ft X 13ft
Maid's Room/Joan's "Hat and Shoe closet": 10ft X 8ft

Property History (The Imperial House Building)
     Construction on the Imperial House apartment building was completed in 1961. Click here for a history of the building, along with sales material and vintage and contemporary photos of the lobby.

Joan In apartment 22G (These photos were taken by Motion Picture magazine for a February 1973 article)

Interior photos of apartment 22G (These photos were taken between 1970 - 1972)

A blueprint of apartment 22G and of the 22nd floor of Imperial House at the time of Joan's residence

Apartment 22G in 2007, with an updated blueprint. The apartment was sold on May 30th, 2008 for $5,300,000 - $200,000 less than the listing price

Apartment 22G in April 2017. Photos taken by this Webmaster

Apartment 22G in April 2017

Vintage and contemporary floor plans of Apartment 22G