The famous brownstone featured as Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in Sex and the City has become a battleground between fan tourism and private property rights. Recently, the owner of the iconic West Village residence lost her patience in a viral confrontation, declaring, “It’s not Carrie’s, it’s mine!” The heated exchange highlights the ongoing challenges homeowners face when their private spaces turn into public attractions.
The brownstone at 66 Perry Street wasn’t always a hotspot for selfie-snapping fans. Built in 1866, it was a quiet, elegant home before HBO’s Sex and the City made it famous in 1998. The show’s producers chose the exterior to represent Carrie Bradshaw’s Upper East Side apartment, a decision that forever changed life on this block of the West Village.
Owner Barbara Lorber, who has lived in the brownstone since 1978, never expected the attention that followed. She initially allowed filming because a young location scout, fresh out of NYU Film School, convinced her to help him keep his job.
“No one knew this show would blow up like it did,”
she later admitted.
What began as the occasional curious visitor quickly spiraled out of control. Over the years, Lorber and her neighbors have endured a steady stream of fans climbing her stoop, peering through windows, and even attempting to open the front door. Despite a chain barrier and a No Trespassing sign, some overzealous tourists ignored the warnings, leading to damage, graffiti, and unwanted disturbances at all hours.
The situation has only worsened with time. Some fans get aggressive when confronted. One neighbor reported being threatened simply for asking visitors to leave. Online, some sympathizers suggest that they would have sold the property long ago to escape the chaos. Others, however, argue that homeowners in such famous locations should expect this kind of attention.
In March 2025, tensions boiled over when a frustrated resident confronted a group of tourists in a now-viral video. The man, believed to be Lorber’s tenant, can be heard saying,
“You can’t just take over the street!”
Before passionately reminding visitors that the home is private property. His exasperation was clear as he exclaimed,
“It’s not Carrie’s, it’s mine!”
The video racked up over 260,000 views, sparking a heated debate online. Some commenters sided with the homeowner, arguing that fans should respect private spaces. Others, like Andrea Lawton, a grandmother visiting with her teenage granddaughter, felt the response was excessive. “Loitering? That’s ridiculous. We just wanted to see the apartment and take a picture,” she said.
College student Julia Sheets, however, sympathized with the residents. “I love the show, but I’d be so annoyed if strangers kept knocking on my door,” she admitted.
Determined to reclaim some peace, Lorber recently received approval from New York’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to install an iron gate blocking access to the stoop. While she acknowledges the cultural significance of her home, she insists that protecting her property is necessary.
“I love what this house was, but times have changed. What was beautiful in the 19th century now needs more protection,”
she told the commission.
The gate, set to be made of steel and cast iron, is designed to keep trespassers at bay while preserving the building’s historic charm. The installation marks a new chapter in Lorber’s long battle to reclaim privacy in a home that’s become a pop culture landmark.
Despite the show’s storyline moving on—with Carrie now living in a luxurious Gramercy Park apartment—die-hard fans continue to flock to Perry Street. In fact, And Just Like That… recently wrapped filming season 3 with a photo of Sarah Jessica Parker in front of the brownstone, reigniting interest.
Former Sex and the City location scouts have expressed regret about the unintended consequences. Rob Striem, who worked on the original show, admitted,
“I feel terrible for the owner.”
Tyson Bidner, now an executive producer for The Bear, acknowledged,
“There’s probably some truth to how she was convinced to allow filming.”
The Sex and the City brownstone remains a cautionary tale of what happens when fiction seeps into reality. A decision made decades ago to help a young filmmaker has led to years of disruption for the homeowner. While the upcoming gate may provide some relief, only time will tell whether it will be enough to keep persistent fans at bay.
For now, the message from the owner is clear: Carrie Bradshaw may have lived in our hearts, but this brownstone is not hers—it belongs to a real person who just wants a little peace and quiet.
