Tuesday, March 4, 2008

So, What Did Joan Collins Buy?

BUYER: Joan Collins
LOCATION: 9255 Doheny Road, West Hollywood, CA
PRICE: $2,700,000
SIZE: 2,117 square feet, 1 bedroom, 3 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: You'll find this unit high above the Sunset Strip in the renowned Sierra Towers with breathtaking views of the hills, ocean and points west. This full amenity building is located at one of the areas most prestigious addresses. Ready to move into so bring your clients.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Ages ago, Your Mama received a tip from a friendly boa constrictor who hissed in our big ear that the wonderfully well preserved television diva Joan Collins purchased a condominium high up in the celebrity friendly Sierra Towers on Doheny Road in West Hollywood. At the time, we were not able to confirm the purchase and, unfortunately, our mind being mush most of the time, we just plum forgot to keep looking.

Then last weekend, the venerable Miz Ruth Ryon at the LA Times reported that the still trying to be slinky and sexy 7o-something Miz Collins and her much younger fifth husband Percy Gibson purchased a 2,700 square foot unit on the 27th floor with northwestern views for $2,700,000. Well all those 27s looked and sounded awfully sweet strung together like triplets wearing matching outfits, but there was something fishy about some of the details reported.

See children, the only unit on the 27th floor of Sierra Towers that would qualify as having northwestern views is the very same unit that rehabbed starlet Lindsay Lohan sold in March of 2007 for around $2,500,000. Remember that? It just seemed strange and not quite right to Your Mama that the non-celebrity buyer of Miss Lohan's unit (which she never even occupied) would fork over $2,500,000 for a place that was in dire need of a significant renovation only to turn around and sell it just a year later for $2,700,000 which would leave no profit after taxes and real estate fees.

So Your Mama went digging and we got on the horn to our spider web of sources and contacts. Before Our Fairy Godmother in Bel Air got back to us with the scoop (and the property listing), Mister Big Time had written up his own report/Ruth Ryon smack down. As Mister Big Time reported, the condo that Miz Collins and her boy toy purchased is indeed a 2,117 square foot unit on the 25th floor. According to property records, the insanely May/December couple purchased the place for $2,700,000.

Miz Ryon reported the condo had two bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and Mister Big Time reported that property records indicate three bedrooms. However, according to the listing, the condo has been reconfigured and now sports just 1 bedroom and 3 bathrooms. Which means that the high-lariously bawdy Miz Collins, her huzband, and their dinner guests will never have to do the dirty bizness on the same terlit.

The unit, which was formerly owned by the dee-lishusly tawdry Tawny Kitaen, was listed at $2,950,000 and includes parking for two vehicles. Now kids, what sort of car do you suppose Miz Collins drives? Or does the ladee get driven at all times?

Normally Your Mama does not get into the financing and mortgages of the properties we discuss, but we found it interesting that the lender for Grandma Collins and her walker/huzband was an entity called Marmara Shipping, Ltd. Hmm. Is that some Greek shipping magnate pal who fronted her the money so she wouldn't have to pay bank fees? Or is this just the normal financial ways of an international and jet-setting social fixture like Miz Joan Collins?

The quasi-high rise residential building boasts 24-hour security and staff including valets to porters, deeded and secure parking, a city view and heated swimming pool on the sixth floor with his and hers locker rooms and spas, and a ballroom and caterers kitchen is available (presumably for rent).

In addition to the Queen of the Cougars, other screamingly famous residents of Sierra Towers include divalicious pop icon Cher, Sir Elton John and his huzband David Furnish, nutty diet guru Nikki Haskell, the dee-voon Diahann Carroll, and of course, Russ Filice, the real estate agent to anyone who is anyone in Sierra Towers.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

She lived there back in the late 80's/early 90's.

luke220 said...

Is Ellen's mother still in the building?

Anonymous said...

MATTHEW PERRY LIVES THERE TOO, I HAD NO IDEA ELLEN DEGENERES' MOTHER LIVED THERE...

Anonymous said...

Is it possible for a building to jump the shark? Funny to think it used to be an exalted geriatric ward.

Anonymous said...

Jag or Bentley. A car that one can drive, be driven in, navigate labyrinthine UG parking and most assuredly not be a goddamn Town Car.

Do these units have private elevators or do Cher and Elton ride with the great unwashed?

Anonymous said...

she drives a bentley at her main home in the south of france. when she used to live in los angeles back in the early 90s she had a white rolls.

Anonymous said...

i would doubt elton & cher are there much. her main home is malibu, his the u.k.

TonyV said...

She used to drive an early 70s cream Corniche when she lived here last. And yes, she did have one of the penthouses in Sierra Towers until earlier this decade (according to her former stepson).

Anonymous said...

she doesn't drive. she rides a broom and is joining the cast of Wicked. she wont need any makeup.

so_chic_darling said...

Joan Collins is old school Diva.Thanks for the report Mama I love her.

Anonymous said...

I found this on TMZ - it is a video of her leaving Spago in BH on Jan 17th, 2008.

It looks like Bentley guessed right

:)

Anonymous said...

^ Mr. Smiley

Anonymous said...

Is Oprah's Dad still in the building?

Anonymous said...

I was wondering when "trout pout" would show up . . .

Anonymous said...

Miz Joan Collins' unit closed on December 11 and I know that she was staying in Bev Hills hotel till mid January, I'm thinking that perhaps the Lady had one of the bedrooms restored so that one of her kids and their assorted families could crash if necessary, perhaps the owners had converted one into an office and JC undid that work.

The unit must be damn fabulous for 2.7 million, JC would not be cheaping out on a place in LA, she knows the fame game, she's been at it longer and doing it better than most. Marmara Shipping Ltd is a Euro shipping company, I wouldn't doubt the Greek billionaire thang, JC has had a few high powered friends in her day.

And she drives a bronze Rolls Royce in LA.

Anonymous said...

Holy crap! Alexis Carrington Colby and Dominique Deverraux living in the SAME BUILDING??? I'd love to see those two old broads have one more good cat fight.

Anonymous said...

Hey, that old lady and her young man are living in my old apartment and parking their white Rolls Royce where I used to park my Corvette!

Will someone please ask her to look under the bathroom sink in the hall because I think I left one of my boobs there.

Call me! I love you!

Anonymous said...

Marmara Shipping is based in Istanbul, Turkey & has absolutely nothing to do with any Greek shipping families.

Anonymous said...

Marmara sounds like it comes from Marmaris which is a turkish coastal city

Anonymous said...

Mamara also sounds like mammary, one of which Tawny Kitaen apparently left behind in her hurried exit . . .

;-)

Anonymous said...

Dahling Tawny...Was that yours? My puppy found it and it has become his favorite chew toy. You really should think about where you throw those things around.

Anonymous said...

This is totally unrelated to the current post, instead it's about Sean Hayes' house. I drove by it today after dropping my mom off (she lives on the next block). It's shielded a bit by a large hedge and fence. My mom went to the open house and she said that while she loved the stone in the entry and the marble countertops, the rest of it was really nothing spectacular. I think she was expecting much more for the price tag. She also said it wasn't very big. Again, I think she was expecting more. I think someone was smoking crack with that asking price because other Hancock Park properties are selling well.

Anonymous said...

Great building, great new resident. Joan Collins is hip, sexy and cool. I don't care how old she is, she'll always be the baddest bitch in showbiz. Interesting about her mortgage broker...an indecent proposal perhaps?

Anonymous said...

I have $12.90!
Wait
There is a penny
MINE I CALLED IT

I have $12.91 for Just Jacks house

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Ramtha will instruct Linda Evans that her destiny is to be Ms. Collins new "ladies maid?"

Anonymous said...

^
^
^
LOL...with the way Linda Evans' career is going being Miz Joan Collins' 'ladies maid' would be a step up. But with only one bedroom in the Sierra Towers pad and with her own home currently rented, where will Linda live?!

Anonymous said...

Viva,

I'm sure she could bunk up in one of the lockers in the 6th floor swimming pool . . .

Anonymous said...

does he have money? wikipedia says percy is an "actor" and "technician". sounds broke to me.

does he have to change her diapers?

Anonymous said...

lil' gay boy,

True enough about the pool lockers. Miz Joan Collins would likely spring for a full length one knowing that Linda 'Lips' Evans would need the room.

No, Percy (Mr Collins) doesn't have comparable money. His family, however, in Peru is rich. I don't know how much he's got, he's well spoken and well mannered if that means anything.

And Ms Deveraux: Believe it or not Joan Collins and Diahann Carroll are actually very good friends and have been for years! Joan supported Diahann when she was battling breast cancer years ago.

Stacey said...

Hey Mama what did you think of Real Housewives of NYC? Do they really own those gorgeous Hamptons homes? I was shocked at how nice they were, TBH.

Anonymous said...

It all doesn't matter - she lives in France anyway.

Anonymous said...

Viva,

At the rate Linda Evans career is sinking, she won't have to worry about stabling those horses of hers - she'll probably be eating them.

Anonymous said...

Let's be honest. Linda Evans hasn't had a career since she dared to help foist Yanni on an unsuspecting and uncaring world. She woke up one morning and all the surgery and botox and animal injections turned her skin and face the texture of my wallet. I think my feelings about Linda Evans can best be described from dialogue from the Monty Python movie Holy Grail; "Run away! Run away!"

Anonymous said...

Yanni's music is so soothing. I always put his cds on to go with my martini after reading the comments on this blog.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:08,

Careful you don't slip into a coma . . .

Anonymous said...

This building is the most hyped and overpriced building in town.

I saw a 1 bed/ 1 bath in there selling for $2.5M that was totally done... who gives a shit if it's totally done - it's a 1 bedroom and was nothing spectacular!
Are people out of their minds!?!?!

Buy a completely decked out 1 bedroom for no more than $1M in most buildings and donate the rest if you will... just don't buy in this building... it's ridiculously overpriced and overglamourized!

- your Hollywood Mayor... out!

Anonymous said...

Cool location though...

Anonymous said...

BTW, has anyone heard from Strapping Hunk? He's up to something, can feel it in the air.

Anonymous said...

Haven't heard from Strapping Hunk but noticed "Hollywood Mayor" just used Hunk's signature "Out!"

Anonymous said...

Sushhhhh. It's all in good fun. :)

Anonymous said...

My fave building in LA. Joan's got great taste in real estate.

Anonymous said...

my bad... didn't realize anyone else did that (maybe subconsiously)... not trying to steal anyone else's flair

Hollywood Mayor - "Bitch please!"

Anonymous said...

Does Matthew Perry still live there too?

Anonymous said...

Sierra Towers is great and all, but it is like a secret society. I have tried to find properties for sale in the building for years now and am never able too, yet I always hear about celebrities getting in. What's the deal???? Do you have to be "Hollywood Famous" before Russ Filice let's you in??? Who the F..k is he?!

Anonymous said...

Russ Filice is Mr Sierra Towers...he's the top dog, agent wise, in the building because he is also a resident. Listings are available at www.sierratowersales.com which happens to be a website Russ owns.

He was both the buying and selling agent for Joan Collins' place. Funny that he got the price down to 2.7 from 2.95...the Divine Ms J must drive a hard bargain.

Anonymous said...

The best way into any LA business... buy a condo in the Sierra Towers and hob knob with the "who's who's"...

The best way to get the least for your money as far as "living wise" = Sierra Towers

Anonymous said...

Joan Collins said:

Dahling Tawny...Was that yours? My puppy found it and it has become his favorite chew toy.

It's two days later and I'm still chuckling about it.

Anonymous said...

^
^
^
Now, hypothetically, would it have been Joan or her hubby Percy who gained access to Sierra Towers?

Anonymous said...

It's got one bedroom, an office, his and hers bathrooms and dressing rooms, another bathroom, living room, dining room and some of the nicest mountain and ocean views in the building. A solid buy.

Unknown said...

Joan Collins must still be raking in the dough somehow-- and we doubt her "theatre manager" hubby makes much.

Maintenance on her homes in London, The South of France, NYC and now Sierra Towers--- alone must be a fortune.

Maybe she invested wisely her Dynasty dollars.

Anonymous said...

According to a biography of Joan, Joan Collins The Biography of an Icon, she's a lot richer than any of us thought. According to the author, Graham Lord, she made over $9 million a year for about 7 years through the 80s and in the 90s her income went down to about $4 million a year. She also never invested in the stock market, thus she never lost any money.

Then, the author notes that the guy who Joan dated for more than 10 years just prior to her marriage to Mr Percy Gibson, Robin Hurlstone, managed her money and increased her wealth 'substantially'...

Thus, it seems that Miss Collins has had the world fooled into thinking that she's some humble star. Girlfriend is no fool. She's a rich bitch!