Barbara Walters’ Nearly 30-Year New York City Home Lists For $19.75 Millions
The apartment that celebrated TV journalist Barbara Walters called home for 30 years until her death last year is now on the market for $19.75 million. The sprawling 11-room, full-floor co-op residence at 944 Fifth Avenue is a classic Upper East Side pre-war gem, with Central Park views, five bedrooms, and a layout befitting a resident who entertained and interviewed politicians, princes, stars, and scoundrels alike as just another day on the job, says Compass, which holds the listing.
"Built in 1925, 944 Fifth Avenue is a 14-story building designed by architect Nathan Korn in an Italian Renaissance palazzo style. The facade of the building is limestone and the four-story base is eloquently articulated with many fine details. With just one apartment per floor, this white-glove building offers residents the highest levels of service and privacy," says Compass.
The unit is currently configured into two bedrooms but can be converted to as many as four. Overlooking Central Park, the residence is made up of five bedrooms and five baths. Apart from its towering ceilings, the living room stretches out along Fifth Avenue with three big-picture windows and a wood-burning fireplace. Wide openings between the living room, the dining room, and the library connect the three areas for an easy entertaining flow. The eat-in kitchen also includes a butler’s pantry that might come in handy for those formal dinner occasions. "There is such a special feeling in this wonderful full-floor apartment on Fifth Avenue and 75th Street, the most coveted and beloved location on The Upper East Side," the listing notes.
The wood-paneled primary bedroom suite with a wood-burning fireplace features views of the park, two baths, a sitting room/office, and an expansive closet. Walters’ dressing room is wrapped in chic-looking red lacquer — with a mirrored wall, a dressing table, and a lounge space. The eat-in kitchen features a butler’s pantry and an adjacent laundry room. “It also comes with the provenance of a beloved and revered owner who loved the apartment and frequently made history there,” the listing states of Walters.
The property is still furnished with unique antiques, art, and touching mementos collected by the journalist, though Walters’s estate declined to comment on whether these elements will come with the home or be sold separately, according to The Wall Street Journal.
In her 2008 book, “Audition: A Memoir,” Walters revealed that she had entertained frequently in the apartment and courted potential interviewees there. Monica Lewinsky was among the guests she hosted at the home, dining with Walters at least before agreeing to sit down for an interview about the Bill Clinton sex scandal. According to The New York Post, Walters planned to escape to Florida on her getaways, but her ailing health prevented her from doing so.
Walters was diagnosed with dementia in 2015. She was the first woman anchor of both a morning and an evening television news program. At one point, Walters was considered the highest-paid TV news personality in the country. She was married four times, including twice to television producer Merv Adelson, and had one child, daughter Jacqueline Danforth. Walters also helped develop and starred in the long-running ABC daytime talk show “The View.”
Longtime fans of the journalist, and her decidedly lavish digs, can contact Compass’s Alexa Lambert, who holds the listing, for more details.
