John Steinbeck, the great American writer of “Of Mice and Men” and “East of Eden,” lived in this Upper East Side home from 1963 until his death in 1968 at age 66.
A plaque outside the building, at 190 E. 72nd St., honors Steinbeck, known as the Bard of the People, for the way he sought, through words, to tell the stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary economic and political upheavals beyond their control.
Now this apartment has hit the market for $2.99 million. The Nobel- and Pulitzer-winning author lived in this 34th-floor, penthouse-level co-op with his third wife, Elaine Anderson Steinbeck. She remained in the home until she passed away in 2003.
A vicious inheritance battle ensued.
While the Steinbecks’ home was 2,200 square feet, the apartment was later combined with a neighboring one. It’s now a 4,100-square-foot combo unit, with six bedrooms, six baths and views in three directions. The home opens to a foyer that leads to a large living/dining area and a windowed chef’s kitchen.
Three bedrooms are also in this wing, with three marble baths — and Steinbeck’s former study where he wrote, with views of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
The main bedroom is in a separate wing, with views of Central Park, and a spa-like bath with a wet bar and a large dressing room, along with an additional two bedrooms with ensuite baths. The 34-story building dates to 1962. Building amenities include a gym, a garage, a bike room, a roof deck, a children’s playroom and individual storage.
In April, Steinbeck’s Hamptons home in Sag Harbor sold for $13.5 million to the Sag Harbor Partnership, which hopes to create a writers’ residency retreat program there, The Post reported.
The Upper East Side listing brokers are Nicole Hechter, Asaf Bar-Lev and Jamie Gorman of Corcoran.