‘Sound of Music’ Star Mary Martin’s Former New York Penthouse Lists for $9.8 Million

A New York City penthouse that was once the home of the late Broadway actress Mary Martin hit the market on Thursday for $9.8 million. 

Martin, who was a muse for many of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musicals, originating the role of Maria von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” as well as the titular role in “Peter Pan,” lived in the Midtown East apartment from the 1950s until her death in 1990, according to the listing agent Tyler Whitman of the Agency. 

Occupying the entire top two floors of the 16-floor co-op the Campanile, the duplex is located along the East River, surrounding the apartment with water views.

“The way the city is shaped, 52nd Street kind of juts out, and you’re so high up … it actually feels like the apartment is in the middle of the river,” Whitman said. 

While the building dates to 1927, the penthouse was completely renovated by its current owners. The sellers, whose information was not accessible in public records, bought the apartment in 2013 for $8.25 million, Whitman said, and spent $5 million on the four-year renovation.

“It’s really an architectural masterpiece,” he said.

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The main living room, once lined with plaster, some small windows and two doors leading to the terrace, is now outfitted with a wall of windows, capitalizing on the south-facing view. The same change was made to the main bedroom. 

“That’s nearly impossible to get approved in the city in these pre-war buildings,” Whitman said.

With a combined indoor-outdoor square footage of about 5,000, the apartment has plenty of space despite currently being set up as a one-bedroom. There’s also a study with a Murphy bed, which could be turned into a full-time second bedroom, and two and a half bathrooms.

In addition to the primary suite and the study, the entry level also houses the main living room, which has a wood-burning fireplace, and terraces on both the north and south sides of the floor.

Replacing a small ladder, the sellers added a marble floating staircase that leads to the upper level, which, after the renovation, is now home to the kitchen and dining area, which has a powder room and a wood-burning fireplace. A sun room off the dining area leads to a large terrace that nearly surrounds the top floor on all sides. 

The second level previously served as the primary suite, but because of the large terrace space, the current owners wanted to turn it into a place to entertain. 

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“It’s a little unorthodox to have your kitchen upstairs, away from the rest of the living space, but for them, there’s so much ‘wow factor’ upstairs, they wanted to make sure that was an area where they could entertain and have their guests,” Whitman said. 

Other additions to the apartment include central air and an iron gate from a bank in Pennsylvania, which was placed in the entryway. 

The apartment has been on the market previously—in 2021, it was listed for $12 million, and in May, it was on the market for a month with a different brokerage for the same price as it is now. 

Martin isn’t the only star who’s called the Campanile home over the years. Greta Garbo, Ethel Barrymore and Rex Harrison have all lived in the building as well.