For sale: the $2.2M Phoenix penthouse where Hitchcock shot part of 'Psycho'

The tallest private roof deck in the Valley is attached to a penthouse in downtown Phoenix, and it’s newly on the market.

How much, do you ask? Well, a lot. We'll get there. But some things you can't rightly put a price on.

The split-wing unit sits on the 11th floor of the Orpheum Lofts high-rise in downtown Phoenix on the corner of Adams St and 1st Ave, and spans 2,660 sq ft with 2 beds and 2.5 baths. Local architects Lescher & Mahone built it in 1930, and the home still boasts original tile and other Art Deco elements that Phoenix deserves more of.

The marble and terrazzo tile in the lobby take you to a bygone time. A dizzying elevator ride up to the top floor gets you to the penthouse, a unit added to the roof in 2005 when the high-rise — originally the Title and Trust Building — was converted to condos. If you pony up a mere, um, $2.2 million, you too can enjoy the valet parking, the gym and the pool.

For most of these standard amenities you'll have to head to the basement. But you're here for the same je ne sais quoi that captured Alfred Hitchcock's eye 65 years ago. The director shot the opening to "Psycho" — arguably the most important horror movie ever made — was filmed from the building's roof, which is now split into a private roof deck with two access points. As Variety wrote in 2022, "There’s hardly a frame of Alfred Hitchcock’s cataclysmic slasher masterpiece that isn’t iconic."

From this vantage, you can take in that very vista: The opening scene of the American classic includes views of Camelback Mountain and the recognizable Hotel San Carlos. A sunset on the roof would leave anyone in awe. If you’re more of a sunrise person, just be advised that skyscrapers in the east might obstruct your serene morning.

No one has upgraded the landscape since the late '50s, but they have added more modern comforts — a Sub Zero fridge, a Wolf Dual Fuel range. The previous owner added a projector and built-in a remote-controlled projector screen that divides the living room from the dining area when extended. Great for movie nights. 

The broker on the unit, Nick El-Tawil, hosted an open house for the unit on May 22. Clad in a black-and-white plaid blazer, El-Tawil repeatedly braved the 104-degree heat as new guests arrived, eager for their glimpse off the patio deck. A hot tub sits atop the deck's paneled floors, which owners might be inclined to use during the three months of the year when it drops below 70 degrees. Less fancy but far more useful: your own trash chute.

In all, for the asking price, you might prefer a cozy, historic home in the Coronado and Encanto-Palmcroft neighborhoods. Or you might take a stab at this high-rise downtown living, if you really need the mother of all Phoenix views.