Inside The LA Penthouse That Belonged To Johnny Depp And Amber Heard
Johnny Depp's ongoing $50 million defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard has apparently spurred interest in some of the real estate he owned during their one-year marriage in 2015, per The New York Post. Depp first purchased a residence in the Eastern Columbia building at 849 South Broadway in downtown Los Angeles in 2007, per Curbed, and eventually owned four four-bedroom penthouses and a one-bedroom penthouse in one wing of the famous Art Deco building. He listed the units for sale in September 2016, just after his divorce. Although they were initially listed together, they ended up selling separately for a combined $12.78 million.
The Eastern Columbia building is a 13-story building located in the Broadway theater district of downtown Los Angeles. It was built in 1930 and is considered the greatest surviving example of Art Deco architecture in the city; and is a world-renowned Art Deco landmark. The exterior of the building is clad in glossy turquoise terra cotta trimmed with deep blue and gold terra cotta, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. The façade is decorated with sunburst patterns, geometric shapes, chevrons, and stylized animal and plant forms. It's capped with a four-sided clock tower with the name "Eastern" in bright white.
Rooftop seating area and fireplace
The Eastern Columbia building was originally built for a department store of the same name. It is often referred to today as the Eastern Columbia Lofts, according to High Rises Condos. After retail operations ceased in 1957, Eastern Columbia was transformed into studio and office space for local garment businesses and arts organizations, per Top LA Lofts. West Coast swimwear icon, Jantzen, was among the tenants. In fact, just up until residential conversions began, a fashion runway blazed through the building's eleventh floor.
The downtown landmark underwent a $30 million conversion in 2006 into luxury condominiums, earning a 2008 Conservancy Preservation Award, reports the Los Angeles Conservancy. Today, there are 147 lofts of various sizes ranging from about 800 to 3,208 square feet, according to High Rises Condos. The building's main entrance has a spectacular, recessed two-story vestibule adorned with a blue and gold terra cotta sunburst. Amenities provided to the residents include a rooftop saltwater pool, sundeck and fireplace, a spa, Zen garden, and a fully-equipped fitness studio, per Redfin.
An open plan loft penthouse on 3 levels
Johnny Depp's one-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse of about 1,839 square feet was the last one of his penthouses to sell, according to Curbed. It sold in November 2017 for $1.425 million. Like all of Depp's other residences in the Eastern Columbia building, the one-bedroom penthouse was decorated in an eclectic and colorful style. The open plan living area of Johnny Depp's former residence, shown here, features a wall mural painted by Brazilian street artist Osgemeos.
As its loft name implies, the conversion to residential units left high ceilings with exposed pipes, beams, and brick walls. The Art Deco-style chandelier in Depp's former penthouse is a complement to the industrial vibe. Much like a studio, the first level of this residence includes the kitchen along one wall, with professional-grade stainless steel appliances and whimsical locker room-type storage cubes painted blue to match the walls. The mezzanine, overlooking the first level, has a large seating area with two couches tucked alongside the stairs and railings, as seen on Redfin.
Primary bedroom features original brick walls
The master suite sits on the top level of the penthouse unit. Ceilings of up to 14' were the perfect showcase for Johnny Depp's art collection at the time he owned the residence. The bedroom continues the industrial decor of the loft with the exposed brick walls and black, metal-framed windows. Black wall-to-wall carpeting and black trim molding set off the white walls.
According to Curbed, after Depp's 1-bedroom unit sold in 2017, it became a rental unit priced at $5,500 per month, perhaps capitalizing on the association with Depp. That was five years ago, before the housing crisis. There is no record of information available about the penthouse's current status. However, information from the Downtown Loft Connection reports a one-bedroom of similar size that was rented in April for $6,500 per month. Of course, it wasn't a penthouse, and it didn't have the famous association.