Tom Cruise helped Penelope Cruz pick out apartment in Katie Holmes building

Katie Holmes may have fled to her own apartment at luxe Chelsea Mercantile to escape Tom Cruise, but the Mission: Impossible star should know Katies hideaway anyway he once helped his ex Penelope Cruz pick out her apartment there.

Cruise was seen with Cruz and her lawyer touring an apartment in the building at 252 Seventh Ave. in 2002, after he and Cruz had starred in Vanilla Sky together and started dating. And it was Cruise who helped advise Cruz to buy in the building.

Cruise showed up with shaggy hair and braces while he was in town promoting Minority Report to look at the apartment when Cruz was looking for a New York pad, a source said.

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Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz

Cruise had plenty of time to scope out the spot. He looked around for more than an hour, a building source said. After looking with Tom, Penelope decided to buy the apartment she didnt rent. The couple dated for two more years, until 2004.

But its unclear whether Holmes might be running into Cruz in the elevator anytime soon to swap Cruise stories.

Although some reports said the Spanish star has since sold her unit, a source close to the property tells Page Six that Cruz still owns it. And a Chelsea Mercantile resident told us the To Rome With Love star has been there within the last six months.

Cruz and husband Javier Bardem have a 1-year-old son together. She told French mag Madame Figaro this week that she and Bardem live in Madrid, but, regarding New York, I love it! When I walk through its streets, I feel like an eternal student.

A rep for Chelsea Mercantile told us, Sorry, have no idea, when we asked if Cruz still lived there. Cruzs rep wouldnt say either.

Holmes and Cruise co-own several properties together that could be up fo! r grabs during impending divorce proceedings, including an 8,100-square-foot townhouse in the West Village.