‘East of Eden’ Filmmaker’s Former UES Townhouse Asks $9M

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This Upper East Side townhouse has a guest list straight out of Old Hollywood. Located at 167 East 74th Street, the home has been owned for 60 years by MoMA trustee and art collector Barbara Jakobson. Previously, it belonged to legendary film director Elia Kaza, who directed East of Eden and Splendor in the Grass. (To note, Netflix is launching a new adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel this fall starring Florence Pugh, so it’s timely for a rewatch of Kaza’s film.) 

During those years, the director welcomed a number of iconic guests. Think James Dean, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Philip Roth, and Natalie Wood. “Anyone who loves art and design will feel connected to the people who passed through its doors, and the double-height living room still feels like a gallery,” offers listing agent Leslie Hirsch.

The 6,406-square-foot residence has eight bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms. A private 350-square-foot garden adds to the home’s charm, while its signature red lacquer doors and bronze squirrel sculptures by artist Jane Canfield have earned it the nickname, “The Squirrel House.”

Inside, triple arches and custom wallpaper designed by artist Peter Halley lead to expansive living spaces with dramatic 19-foot ceilings. Naturally, the space can accommodate large-scale works of art like the Josef Albers, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Jeff Koons pieces in Jakobsen’s collection. 

The listing is represented by Leslie Hirsch and Benjamin Anderson, along with brokers Edward Joseph and Howard Morrel of Christie’s International Real Estate New York.