154 E 71ST St House

RARE OPPORTUNITY to acquire a spectacular and exceptionally large 20-foot-wide neo-Georgian townhouse with over 11,000 interior square feet on one of Manhattan's best tree-lined townhouse blocks. The Adele Kneeland Mansion is located on the south side of 71st Street between Lexington and Third Avenues. It is a six-story plus full basement residence with soaring ceiling heights, magnificent marble fireplaces, and original architectural details throughout. It has an elevator servicing all floors, two entrances, a stunning double-height solarium, and a large 1,250 square foot landscaped rooftop terrace with excellent city views. A dramatic open stair-way that connects all above-grade floors greets you upon entry, and large windows on four sides provide abundant natural light throughout. This house is well suited for a live/work situation or magnificent private residence.

Constructed in 1874 as one of seven row houses, the house was purchased in 1915 by a wealthy heiress named Adele Kneeland who hired the architect John B. Snook to substantially renovate and enlarge the property. She also hired the esteemed architect Ogden Codman Jr. to redesign the front parlor. Codman, who was a distant cousin of Kneeland's and was involved in redesigning her country house in Lenox, MA., likely also had a hand in designing the elegant Georgian red brick and limestone façade, which echoes the style of his many other townhouses and country estates. Kneeland raised the floor levels, added a four-story extension to the rear, added a fifth and sixth-floor extension to the top, and reconfigured the interior layout. After Ms. Kneeland's death in 1937 her heirs converted the house into apartments but preserved most of the original room configurations and architectural detail. In 1982 the first two floors were made into doctor's offices for the renowned ophthalmologist Dr. Stephen Kelly, who retained the architect Jay Specter and interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield to convert the top three floors into an exquisite Art Deco triplex with a double-height glass conservatory and exotic Macassar Ebony - paneled library. Today the townhouse still benefits from these substantial upgrades made over time, many of which would no longer be permitted today. The house will be delivered vacant. Sale proceeds will benefit a charity for medical scholarship.

Current Configuration:
BASEMENT: Half Bath, 8-foot ceilings.
ENTRY FLOOR: Entry, Half Bath, Garden, 9-foot ceilings.
PARLOR FLOOR: Drawing Room, Dining Room, Pantry Full Bath, 13-foot ceilings.
THIRD FLOOR: Livingroom, Bedroom, Kitchen, Full Bath, Half Bath, 11-foot ceilings.
FOURTH FLOOR: Livingroom, Library, Office, Kitchen, two Full Baths, 10-foot ceilings.
FIFTH FLOOR: Livingroom, Dining Area, Library, double-height glass Solarium, Kitchen, Full Bath, 12-foot ceilings.
SIXTH FLOOR: Two Bedrooms, Dressing Room, two Full Baths, 9-foot ceilings.
ROOF: Finished landscaped Terrace.

For more information or to arrange a private viewing please contact brokers…


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