Is Johnny Depp Going Downtown?

The online gossip juggernaut TMZ is reporting that dirty boy Johnny Depp has paid $2,000,000 for a penthouse apartment at the newly converted Eastern Columbia Lofts in Downtown Los Angeles (lobby pictured above). Hmmm. Do we smell a publicity stunt?

The E.C. Lofts were developed by the Kor Group, which is headed by budding real estate and hotel magnate Brad Korzen who happens to be married to famed interior designer Kelly Wearstler, who recently incurred the wrath of the Los Angeles zoning boards for running her offices out of a residential property. Oops.

What's inneresting about this Johnny Depp thing is that he already owns a massive, exuberantly landscaped 2.54 acre estate in West Hollywood that includes a 7,430 square foot, 8 bedroom, 10 bathroom house. So why would he need a penthouse downtown?

Your Mama would like to thank Mister Smiley for sending us the TMZ linkage.

UPDATE: Looks like he did in fact buy a penthouse unit for $2,100,000.

Sources: TMZ, Curbed LA