On The Street Where We Live

Preserving the past is something that is extremely important to us.  Luckily, we happen to be located in Carnegie Hill, an area of Manhattan that is teeming with beautifully and historically preserved architecture. The land that used to be home to the Wechquaesgek Indians are now dotted with rowhouses in styles ranging from Neo-Grec to Renaissance Revival.

Our next door neighbors are in the process of renovating their building, and we couldn't be more excited that they are petitioning to have the Landmarks Preservation Commission approve a restoration which falls in line with the caliber of other façades on the block .  

One of our absolute favorite structures are the two joined clapboard houses located on East 92nd Street.  According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, these were thought to be built around 1859 and 1860.

There are two other wooden houses still erect in Carnegie Hill believed to be constructed around 1852 and 1866.  Together, these four homes comprise the oldest buildings in the neighborhood.

Our own building was used for many different purposes in it's lifetime.  The design of the mansion was executed by John Russell Pope for Virginia Graham Fair Vanderbilt in 1930. The building went on to become the Permanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations in 1957, and then the Lycée Française de New York in 1978.  The mansion has been listed on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1982.

Soon after our building was completed, two more impressive houses were built on the same block. Across the street there stands a Georgian townhouse built for George F. Baker Sr., president of First National Bank. Commissioned by his son, George Jr., the house was designed by architects Delano & Aldrich. The firm had previously completed the younger Baker's mansion (on the corner of Park Avenue and 93rd) in the same style and in the neighboring lot.

The second house was built for William Goadby Loew, who married the elder Baker’s daughter, Florence. Loew commissioned his English Regency-style house to be built next door to our Vanderbilt mansion.  It was designed by A. Stewart Walker in 1931 and was the last of the luxury townhouses.

With all the history present on our street already, we look forward to seeing our neighbors beautiful façade added to the list!

Posted via email from carltonhobbs's posterous