Mariah Carey Lists Legendary ‘MTV Cribs’ Tribeca Penthouse for $27M

Mariah Carey is parting ways with one of the most recognizable celebrity homes in New York City.

According to The New York Times, the Grammy-winning singer has listed her longtime Tribeca penthouse for $27 million, nearly three decades after buying the property and turning it into the backdrop for one of MTV Cribs’ most unforgettable episodes.

Carey purchased the top three floors of the 18-story Franklin Tower condominium in 1999 for $9 million. She later combined the spaces into a sprawling 12,728-square-foot triplex with eight bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and three half-bathrooms.

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The home also includes a 1,100-square-foot rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the Hudson River, the Empire State Building, and the Manhattan skyline.

The penthouse became part of pop culture history in 2002 when Carey opened its doors to MTV Cribs. The episode, which featured six outfit changes and a tour through nearly every room she described as her “favorite,” remains one of the show’s most replayed installments. It helped cement both the apartment and Carey herself as symbols of early-2000s celebrity excess.

The residence was designed by legendary interior decorator Mario Buatta, widely known as the “Prince of Chintz.” Buatta filled the apartment with Art Deco-inspired details, soft neutral tones, and one recurring theme: butterflies. The motif referenced Carey’s 1997 album Butterfly and appeared throughout the home, from cabinet handles to bed hangings.

“We put them wherever we could,” Buatta told Architectural Digest at the time. “There are butterfly handles on the cabinets in the bedroom, and butterflies are woven into the bed hangings.” He added that the insects even appeared on the bathroom soap and kitchen tiles.

Some of the home’s most memorable spaces remain intact. The 38-foot-long primary bathroom includes a lounge area, a crystal chandelier, a television, and a jetted bathtub.

Elsewhere, a theater room once known as the “Mermaid Room” features an aquarium and underwater-inspired design. The rooftop terrace, meanwhile, now has a more understated look, though a metallic butterfly tray remains in a Moroccan-style seating area.

Carey explained during her Cribs tour that she preferred the apartment’s softer palette because “I have enough jarring things that happen to me on a daily basis. We don’t need that at home.”

The property was also her first New York apartment after her split from former husband and music executive Tommy Mottola.

The listing arrives as public records show Carey has borrowed heavily against the property over the years, with Realtor.com reporting roughly $18.6 million in debt tied to the penthouse.

Representatives for Carey and the brokers handling the listing declined to comment.