RuPaul and 296 West 10th Street (building photo source: PropertyShark)

When RuPaul Charles, the drag queen, model, author and reality television host, hit it big, he did what many New York City celebrities have done for years: he invested in real estate in the West Village.

“The odds are very high that the cycle of poverty will repeat itself. I knew at least to save what I had and not spend it on flashy crap meant to impress other people… I knew it was safe to invest in real estate that wouldn’t depreciate,” he wrote in his latest book, “Workin’ It: RuPaul’s Guide to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Style,” which came out this year. Indeed. According to Streeteasy.com, RuPaul dropped $1.095 million on a 1,490-square-foot unit at the River West Condominium at 296 West 10th Street in 1998, and a deed recorded today shows that he resold that apartment earlier this month for $2.4 million. [more]

Actress Kristen Johnson and her home at 296 West 10th Street

Kristen Johnson, the actress best known for her turn on the alien comedy show “Third Rock from the Sun,” has closed on the sale of her two-bedroom duplex apartment at 296 West 10th Street. The home, which is between West and Washington streets in the West Village, was listed for $1.795 million and sold for $1.7 million. The home had been on the market since June.