19 East 54th Street

Building in Manhattan, New York September 2025 May 2021 Minnie E. Young House Minnie E. Young House 19 East 54th Street.jpg Seen from the south The house as seen from the south 1900 19 East 54th Street, Manhattan, New York, US 40.760700 -73.974050 dms region:US-NY inline,title 6 1899 Hiss and Weekes Minnie E. Young Interaudi Bank yes NYCL 2577 November 22, 2016 19 East 54th Street, originally the Minnie E. Young House, is a commercial building in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is along 54th Street's northern sidewalk between Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue. The building was designed by Philip Hiss and H. Hobart Weekes of the firm Hiss and Weekes. It was constructed between 1899 and 1900 as a private residence for Minnie Edith Arents Young. The house was designed as a palazzo in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. The 54th Street facade was designed as a four-story structure with a rusticated first story and decorated windows on the upper stories. Because 19 East 54th Street was wider than other houses in the area, the architectural details were designed to be more imposing. The penthouse at the fifth and sixth stories is recessed from the street. The interior was ornately outfitted with a coffered ceiling, a stained-glass conservatory, and staircases with oak paneling. Young commissioned the house after her uncle Lewis Ginter, the founder of the American Tobacco Company, died in 1897 and left her a large bequest. Young leased the home to "Lucille" Lady Duff Gordon in 1920. The house was subsequently occupied by antiques trader Arthur S. Vernay from 1925 to 1943, then by the English-Speaking Union until 1956. Hairdresser Mr. Kenneth operated a salon in the building from 1963 until 1990, when the house's interior was severely damaged by fire. The building was then renovated and has served as Bank Audi's U.S. headquarters since 1993. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated 19 East 54th Street as an official landmark in 2016. Site The Minnie E. Young House is at 19 East 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is on the north side of 54th Street between Madison Avenue to the east and Fifth Avenue to the west. The land lot covers 4201 ft2 with a frontage of 41.67 ft on 54th Street and a depth of 100.42 ft. Nearby sites include the William H. Moore House at 4 East 54th Street and the Aeolian Building to the west; the St. Regis New York hotel to the northwest; 550 Madison Avenue one block north; the DuMont Building to the southeast; and Paley Park one block south.19 East 54 Street, 10022 https://zola.planning.nyc.gov/l/lot/1/1290/14#18.07/40.760731/-73.973388 live March 20, 2020 New York City Department of City Planning https://web.archive.org/web/20210513165135/https://zola.planning.nyc.gov/l/lot/1/1290/14 May 13, 2021 Fifth Avenue between 42nd Street and Central Park South (59th Street) was relatively undeveloped through the late 19th century.June 23, 2009 John Peirce Residence http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2327.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20210610192640/http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2327.pdf June 10, 2021 April 28, 2021 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission 2 live The surrounding area was once part of the common lands of the city of New York.Stokes Isaac Newton Phelps 1915 The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498–1909 https://archive.org/details/iconographyofman06stok live https://web.archive.org/web/20120415060518/http://archive.org:80/details/iconographyofman06stok April 15, 2012 6 Robert H. Dodd 67 Internet Archive The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 established Manhattan's street grid with lots measuring 100 ft deep and 25 ft wide.558 Upscale residences were constructed around Fifth Avenue following the American Civil War.578 1880 The block of East 54th Street from Fifth to Madison Avenues was only sporadically developed until the late 1870s, and it had brownstone residences by 1886.Atlas of the city of New York: embracing all territory within its corporate limits from official records, private plans & actual surveys E. Robinson & R.H. Pidgeon 1885 plate 21 NYPL Digital Collections https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-098a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99/book?parent=26a3f8e0-c5fa-012f-98b6-58d385a7bc34#page/21/mode/2up 2021-06-11 June 11, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210611192951/https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-098a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99/book?parent=26a3f8e0-c5fa-012f-98b6-58d385a7bc34#page/21/mode/2up live Residents of the block included developer William Earl Dodge Stokes at 4 East 54th and merchant John R. Platt at 7 East 54th. On the next block west were the residences of John D. Rockefeller at 4 West 54th, John D. Rockefeller Jr. at 10 West 54th, and Philip Lehman at 7 West 54th.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 4 Architecture 19 East 54th Street is designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style by Philip Hiss and H. Hobart Weekes of the firm Hiss and Weekes.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 1 It is six stories tall, although only four stories are directly visible on the street.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 2 With a width of 40 ft, the house is wider than other townhouses in the area, which typically measured 25 by 100 ft. Russell Sturgis, writing for Architectural Record in 1900, described 19 East 54th Street as being well proportioned because its increased width allowed more imposing design features. According to Sturgis, "if one were to wish for a fairly good idea embodied in solid construction of those villini which the Florentines have been building diligently during the last twenty years, he would find it in this front."Sturgis Russell Jul 1900 The Art Gallery of the New York Streets https://usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1900-1901-07-06.pdf Architectural Record 10 105 August 9, 2021 July 19, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200719065922/https://usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1900-1901-07-06.pdf live Facade The main facade on 54th Street is four stories tall with three bays of vertical openings. Below the ground story is a granite water table with bead molding. The first story is faced with rusticated stone blocks, and it contains bronze-framed display windows on the left and right bays. The main entrance is through a portico in the center bay, with engaged columns flanking a slightly recessed doorway. The doorway itself is set within a carved-stone frame and is topped by a cartouche. A balustrade runs across the bottom of the second story. The windows on that story are topped by pediments that are supported by scrolled brackets. The second-story and third-story windows are flanked by rusticated piers that support a cornice above the third story. The fourth story has recessed panels between the windows and is topped by a large stone cornice with brackets. The fifth and sixth stories, added in 1960 and 1993 respectively, are hidden behind the fourth-floor cornice. These stories form a penthouse that is clad with parged brick and concrete. The house's west and east facades are not visible from the street. Interior According to the New York City Department of City Planning, the house has a gross floor area of 25971 ft2. It is one of several "American basement plan" residences on 54th Street, where the entrance is placed at ground level, rather than on a stoop slightly above ground as in other rowhouses. This type of design enabled the ground-floor reception area to have a central staircase, rather than on one side. Inside the house, a broad staircase connects the first and second stories.Collins Amy Fine May 14, 2003 'Mr. Kenneth' Battelle: The Hairdresser Who Styled Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Katharine Hepburn https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/06/kenneth-battelle-hairdresser-jackie-kennedy May 13, 2021 Vanity Fair April 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210421151645/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2003/06/kenneth-battelle-hairdresser-jackie-kennedy live The interior was originally designed like Renaissance Revival palazzos. Inside the second floor was a parlor that was a common space for guests. The third and fourth floors served as the private rooms. The interior was ornately decorated with a coffered ceiling, a stained-glass conservatory, and rooms with oak paneling. The rooms also had modillioned cornices. When the house was turned into the salon of hairdresser Mr. Kenneth, the interior was richly decorated throughout with flowered carpet and red-and-yellow paisley pattern fabrics. The original salon interior was a rare commercial project undertaken by the interior decorator Billy Baldwin.Nemy Enid November 3, 1985 Beauty; Enduring Style en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/03/magazine/beauty-enduring-style.html May 13, 2021 0362-4331 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513165137/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/03/magazine/beauty-enduring-style.html live Mr. Kenneth's salon was redesigned in 1985 with red walls, painted clouds on the ceiling, Parts of the original interior design persisted through at least 1990, when the salon was severely damaged by fire. History thumb|alt=Detail of the second story of the facade|Second-story detail The residence was commissioned for Minnie Edith Young (née Arents), born in 1855 and married to stockbroker Albert Young.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 5Gray Christopher Christopher Gray (architectural historian) August 19, 1990 Streetscapes: 19 East 54th Street; A Fire-Ravaged, 1900 Mansion Now Enmeshed in a Dispute en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/19/realestate/streetscapes-19-east-54th-street-fire-ravaged-1900-mansion-now-enmeshed-dispute.html May 11, 2021 0362-4331 May 11, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210511195535/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/19/realestate/streetscapes-19-east-54th-street-fire-ravaged-1900-mansion-now-enmeshed-dispute.html live The Youngs had three children: Albert, Lewis, and Edna. Minnie Young was a scion of the prominent Arents family in Richmond, Virginia; her uncle Lewis Ginter was the founder of the American Tobacco Company, while her sister Grace Arents was a Richmond philanthropist.October 21, 1931 Major Ginter's Last Niece Is Taken By Death 4 The Times Dispatch newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41402605/minnie-arents-young/ May 11, 2021 May 11, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210511220441/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41402605/minnie-arents-young/ live Minnie was widowed when Albert died in 1895. When Minnie's uncle Lewis died two years later, he left her a substantial bequest. Residence In 1899, John and Elizabeth Kearny sold two lots at 17 and 19 East 54th Street to Minnie Young.March 4, 1899 Conveyances; Borough of Manhattan https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_023&page=ldpd_7031148_023_00000452&no=1 The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 63 380 columbia.edu 1616 May 13, 2021 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512203818/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_023&page=ldpd_7031148_023_00000452&no=1 live That March, Young commissioned Hiss and Weekes to design an upscale residence.March 31, 1899 The Building Department: List of Plans Filed for New Structures and Alterations 12 The New York Times 0362-4331 95699532 The architects selected the Italian Renaissance Revival style for its classical design attributes. The house was officially completed in the next year,Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 6 but it went relatively unnoticed afterward. According to a 1990 article in The New York Times, the building was last mentioned in a print publication in 1900, when the American Architect and Building News ran a picture with a caption that denoted its client as a "Mr. Young". Minnie Young initially lived in the house with her son Lewis and sister Johanna Arents, as well as a variety of servants.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 5–6 Minnie and Johanna's brother George Arents also lived in the house for a short time. The New York Times wrote that the servants included a "butler, cook, laundress, kitchen maid, [and] parlor maid", as well as Pleasant Read, a "hallman". The house hosted events such as the wedding of Edna Young to Alfred E. Dieterich in April 1900,April 20, 1900 A Day's Weddings. 7 The New York Times newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77582843/ 0362-4331 95984567 as well as a fundraiser of the Junior Auxiliary to the New York Diet Kitchen Association in 1913.April 30, 1913 Diet Kitchen Benefit.: to Be Given by Newly-formed Junior Auxiliary. en-US 11 The New York Times limited http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/04/30/100395572.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 The surrounding neighborhood rapidly became a commercial zone after World War I, and Minnie Young moved to 420 Park Avenue in 1920, though she retained ownership of the house until her death in 1933. Mid-20th century In November 1920, Young leased the house to Lucille Ltd. for twenty-one years.November 22, 1920 Real Estate News, Notes and Gossip 19 New York Herald newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77583977/real-estate-news-notes-and-gossip/ May 12, 2021 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512213257/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77583977/real-estate-news-notes-and-gossip/ liveNovember 13, 1920 Commercial Leases. 24 The New York Times 0362-4331 98112810 The firm, headed by dressmaker Lady Duff Gordon, catered to upper-class clients.April 22, 1935 Lady Duff Gordon, Style Expert, Dies; Pioneer in Bringing Freedom L to Women's Fashions Headed Chain of Garment Shops en-US 17 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1935/04/22/95067850.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 The next month, Mott B. Schmidt filed plans to remove partitions, add rooms, and rearrange spaces in the building for $20,000.December 25, 1920 Plans for Building Alterations; Manhattan https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_066&page=ldpd_7031148_066_00001339&no=1 The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 106 873 columbia.edu 26 May 13, 2021 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513112832/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_066&page=ldpd_7031148_066_00001339&no=1 live Schmidt turned the house into a showroom.December 18, 1920 Plans for Building Alterations; Manhattan https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_066&page=ldpd_7031148_066_00001318&no=1 The Real Estate Record: Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide 106 850 columbia.edu 25 May 13, 2021 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512192849/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_066&page=ldpd_7031148_066_00001318&no=1 live By March 1921, the renovations were complete and Lucille was paying $50,000 annually in rent.March 19, 1921 Lucille Will Move.: Dressmaker Leases House on East Fifty-fourth Street. Realty Notes. Board of Trade Luncheon. en-US 19 The New York Times limited http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1921/03/19/103562672.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 A little more than one year after the lease was signed, in March 1922, Lucille's creditors forced the company into receivership.March 21, 1922 Lucile, Ltd. Forced Into Bankruptcy 4 New York Herald newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77584060/lucile-ltd-forced-into-bankruptcy/ May 12, 2021 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512213258/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77584060/lucile-ltd-forced-into-bankruptcy/ liveMarch 21, 1922 Lucile's Creditors Force Receivership; Dressmakers Established by Lady Duff Gordon Owe $175,000, Have $75,000. en-US 10 The New York Times limited http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1922/03/21/107049492.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 Lucille's attorney characterized the "embarrassment of the company" (as it was described in The New York Times) as being partially caused by the relocation to 19 East 54th Street. Starting in 1925, the house was leased for a long term to a client represented by Augustus H. Skillin.June 25, 1925 $500,000 Rental for House in East 54th St. 27 The New York Herald, New York Tribune 1112916640June 25, 1925 Big Housing Plots Sold to Syndicates: Building Groups Acquire Sites for Several Large Operations in Manhattan. 36 The New York Times 0362-4331 103459079 The client in question was English antiques collector Arthur S. Vernay, whose company sold antiques and decorative artworks.The Business Papers of Arthur S. Vernay, Inc. http://findingaid.winterthur.org/html/HTML_Finding_Aids/COL0739.htm January 3, 2013 The Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library October 29, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203951/http://findingaid.winterthur.org/html/HTML_Finding_Aids/COL0739.htm deadOctober 25, 1960 Arthur S Vernay » Antique Dealers » Antiques Dealers https://antiquetrade.leeds.ac.uk/dealerships/35786 May 12, 2021 Antiques Dealers October 13, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201013131021/https://antiquetrade.leeds.ac.uk/dealerships/35786 live Vernay bought the house outright from the estate of Minnie Young in 1933; at the time, the building was valued at about $450,000 for taxation purposes.April 6, 1933 Antique Firm Buys East 54th St. House; Georgian Structure Acquired by Vernay, Present Tenant -- Latest Leasehold Deals. en-US 34 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1933/04/06/105123778.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 The purchase reportedly was made for $312,500, but this value was not confirmed.September 15, 1943 $60,000 Gift Aids Realty Purchase: English-speaking Union Gets Building in 54th St. For New Headquarters 48 The New York Times 0362-4331 106514680 During the 1930s, the Vernay gallery was used for multiple events, such as a show of English antique furniture,March 16, 1933 Antiques Show Will Aid Adopt-a-Family Fund: English Treasures From Private Collections To Be Exhibited 11 New York Herald Tribune 240060414 a needle-art show with work by artists such as former U.S. first lady Edith Roosevelt,May 7, 1935 Needle Art Show Given for Charity; Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Is Winner of Gold Medal in 1,000-piece Exhibition. en-US 26 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1935/05/07/95074360.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331May 7, 1935 2d Annual Exhibit Held For Needlework of Today: Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Gets 1st Prize for Wall Piece 17 New York Herald Tribune 1330100801 a Tibetan-artifact exhibition to benefit a children's school,May 10, 1936 Junior Group Aids Tibetan Exhibition: Show to Assist Professional Children's School Will Be Opened Tomorrow. en-US 3 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/05/10/85350363.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 and an exhibition of English clockmakers' art. The house was sold in September 1937 to Frederick Brown,September 11, 1937 Real Estate News and Market Transactions of New York City and Metropolitan Area 30 New York Herald Tribune 1249389795 who resold it to Charles F. Noyes.September 2, 1937 Charles F. Noyes Buys Building In East 54th St. D1 New York Herald Tribune 1223325215September 19, 1937 Fifth Ave Section Undergoes Change; Building Operations in That District Total More Than $12,000,000 en-US The New York Times subscription https://www.nytimes.com/1937/09/19/archives/fifth-ave-section-undergoes-change-building-operations-in-that.html May 12, 2021 0362-4331 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512223015/https://www.nytimes.com/1937/09/19/archives/fifth-ave-section-undergoes-change-building-operations-in-that.html live Though Vernay retired in 1941, the business continued to operate at 19 East 54th Street. The house was acquired by the Bank for Savings in May 1941.April 13, 1943 Building Valuation Cut Twice en-US 44 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1943/04/13/85097273.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 The building was sold in 1943 to the English-Speaking Union (ESU) for use as that organization's United States headquarters. The purchase, conducted entirely in cash, was funded partly by a gift of $60,000 toward the organization. The purchase was intended to provide adequate space for the ESU, whose American operation was then headquartered at nearby 30 Rockefeller Plaza.September 15, 1943 English-Speaking Union Buys 54th St. House as Headquarters 44 New York Herald Tribune 1267891347 The Lawyers Title Corporation of New York insured the property title in the purchase.November 3, 1943 Real Estate Notes 36 The New York Times 0362-4331 106640228 The ESU's new headquarters opened in May 1944.May 27, 1944 Mrs. W. H. France Gets British Empire Honor: Lord Halifax Makes Award English-Speaking Union The English- Speaking Union Opens New Headquarters 13 New York Herald Tribune 1322402439May 27, 1944 U.S.-British Unity Hailed by Halifax: He Decorates Mrs. W.H. France for Her Work as Member of English-speaking Union en-US 5 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1944/05/27/86857596.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 The building had enough space for the ESU's offices, including those of the United Nations Officers Club, Committee for Overseas Children, and War Relief Workroom. In addition, the building was used for events, such as exhibits of British veterans' products,March 25, 1948 Exhibiting Products of British Veterans en-US 30 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1948/03/25/94941996.pdf May 12, 2021 0362-4331 early-20th century English art,September 28, 1950 British Paintings Arrive for Display: $58,000 Collection Traces Enslish Art From 1900 21 New York Herald Tribune 1336727023 and a needlework tapestry in memory of the Battle of Britain.January 14, 1951 War Tapestry on View; Work Showing Battle of Britain Here Through Thursday en-US 43 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/01/14/306380622.pdf May 13, 2021 0362-4331 The ESU ultimately sold the building in 1956 to Henry Payson and relocated the next year to a new home on 69th Street.January 22, 1957 New Home Purchased On E. 69th St.: English Speaking Union Will Move B4 New York Herald Tribune 1325596588January 22, 1957 New Skyscraper Will Be Started; Work Will Begin Tomorrow on Lexington Ave. Building -- E. 69th St. House Sold Church Sells Rectory en-US B60 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/01/22/87212709.pdf May 13, 2021 0362-4331 The sale was not finalized until 1958 because of a lawsuit over delays in the sale.English Speaking Union v. Payson N.Y. Sup. Ct. Misc. 2d 11 669 1958 https://casetext.com/case/english-speaking-union-v-payson/case-details?PHONE_NUMBER_GROUP=P https://web.archive.org/web/20210513165134/https://casetext.com/case/english-speaking-union-v-payson/case-details?PHONE_NUMBER_GROUP=P dead May 13, 2021 Payson had initially refused to take the title because of these delays, saying that the building's entrance portico and underground vaults projected slightly into the street. The New York Supreme Court ruled that the ESU was entitled to demand specific performance; namely, Payson was obligated to take the title. Late 20th century to present thumb|alt=Detail of the upper stories of the facade|Upper story detail Mr. Kenneth signed a 50-year lease in the building in 1962,Davis Deborah https://books.google.com/books?id=TLk0K4LSjE0C&pg=PT138 Party of the century the fabulous story of Truman Capote and his black and white ball John Wiley 2006 9780470893579 Hoboken, N.J. May 13, 2021 August 10, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210810001353/https://books.google.com/books?id=TLk0K4LSjE0C&pg=PT138 liveDonovan Carrie Carrie Donovan October 10, 1962 Hairdresser Using Skills For Charity; Kenneth Waiting to Open New Salon en-US 54 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/10/10/83524250.pdf May 13, 2021 0362-4331 backed by salon-and-beauty-supply firm Glemby Company. After Billy Baldwin renovated the interior, the salon officially opened on March 4, 1963.Bender Marylin Marylin Bender April 30, 1963 Beauty Is Big Business To a Lionized Coiffeur en-US 56 The New York Times subscription http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/04/30/90564738.pdf May 13, 2021 0362-4331 It had a wig boutique and special cold storage for fur coats on the first floor; drying rooms on the second floor; washing and styling rooms on the third floor; and massage rooms, steam baths, waxing chambers, whirlpool spas, and a Pilates studio on the fourth floor. Clients could have manicures and pedicures while being served lunch or tea, and a Mercedes car was on call to bring clients to the salon or take them home afterward. Some women would drop in simply for lunch, or to sit and leaf through magazines while enjoying the relaxed, club-like atmosphere. By 1985, the salon was starting to become aged. That year, it was closed for one month and the house was renovated for $1.3 million. The main room's furniture was redesigned and a pedicure room was added. Part of the main floor was subdivided for a men's division, with specially designed chairs.Schiro Anne-Marie April 18, 1987 Men Discover the Joys of Salon Pampering en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/18/style/men-discover-the-joys-of-salon-pampering.html May 13, 2021 0362-4331 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513170634/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/18/style/men-discover-the-joys-of-salon-pampering.html live A New York Times article describing the 1985 renovation referred to Mr. Kenneth as an "institution". The salon burned down on May 16, 1989, when a fire arose on the third floor and ultimately destroyed the rear of the second and third floors. The fire was extinguished after four hours with the help of 125 firefighters.Dullea Georgia May 17, 1990 Fire Destroys the Fashionable Kenneth Salon en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/nyregion/fire-destroys-the-fashionable-kenneth-salon.html May 11, 2021 0362-4331 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512084633/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/17/nyregion/fire-destroys-the-fashionable-kenneth-salon.html live The damage was extensive enough to uncover large portions of the original decoration work. As a result of the fire, Kenneth Salon relocated to the Palace Hotel.September 29, 1991 Postings: 19 East 54th St.; An 1890 Granite-Front Phoenix en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/29/realestate/postings-19-east-54th-st-an-1890-granite-front-phoenix.html May 11, 2021 0362-4331 May 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210512061531/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/29/realestate/postings-19-east-54th-st-an-1890-granite-front-phoenix.html live Kenneth said later, "There had never been anything like [the 54th Street salon] before, and nothing like it will ever exist again." For over a year, the house sat empty and no restoration work was performed. The owner of 19 East 54th Street, Donald J. Gordon, was planning to rebuild the house, and Kenneth Salon's lease was effectively terminated. While Kenneth Salon's lease ran until 2010, a "fire or earthquake" clause allowed the owner of a severely damaged building to end a lease if they wished to demolish or rebuild it. Gordon spent $1.2 million to refurbish the interior, adding an elevator and mechanical areas to designs by Emery Roth & Sons. The existing stories were extended to the rear and a sixth story was added.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 6–7 Gordon then sought a tenant who could sign a net lease, thereby assuming the maintenance and upkeep costs. Bank Audi leased the house by 1993; it had initially wanted to buy the house, but the owner did not want to sell it. The wide facade enabled Bank Audi to add offices and a conference room lit by large windows. In addition, the bank installed its name over the entrance portico.Deutsch Claudia H. July 25, 1993 Commercial Property: Town House Headquarters; Foreign Banks Pay a Premium for a Smart Address en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/25/realestate/commercial-property-town-house-headquarters-foreign-banks-pay-premium-for-smart.html May 13, 2021 0362-4331 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513165132/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/25/realestate/commercial-property-town-house-headquarters-foreign-banks-pay-premium-for-smart.html live The bank became the InterAudi Bank in 2003.Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 . 7 When the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) started considering buildings in Midtown for city landmark status in 2013, including the Minnie Young House, a group of development organizations wrote a report advising against a landmark designation for the house, saying it was "now isolated and lacks the context that would enhance its value".Gray Christopher Christopher Gray (architectural historian) 2013-09-12 Friars Club Proposed for Landmark Status en-US The New York Times limited https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/realestate/landmarking-the-friars-club.html 2021-05-15 0362-4331 April 12, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210412163851/https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/realestate/landmarking-the-friars-club.html live In mid-2016, the LPC proposed protecting twelve buildings in East Midtown, including 19 East 54th Street, in advance of proposed changes to the area's zoning.Hurowitz Noah 12 Midtown East Buildings Are Up for Landmark Consideration, City Says DNAinfo New York May 10, 2016 https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160510/midtown-east/12-midtown-east-buildings-are-up-for-landmark-consideration-city-says March 30, 2021 November 8, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201108185138/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160510/midtown-east/12-midtown-east-buildings-are-up-for-landmark-consideration-city-says/ dead On November 22, 2016, the LPC designated 19 East 54th Street and ten other nearby buildings as city landmarks.Bindelglass Evan November 23, 2016 Eleven New Landmarks Designated in Midtown East https://newyorkyimby.com/2016/11/eleven-new-landmarks-designated-in-midtown-east.html May 13, 2021 New York YIMBY en-US May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513161637/https://newyorkyimby.com/2016/11/eleven-new-landmarks-designated-in-midtown-east.html live12 of NYC's Newest Landmarked Designated Buildings in Midtown Untapped New York Xu Susan December 13, 2016 https://untappedcities.com/2016/12/13/12-of-nycs-newest-landmarked-designated-buildings-in-midtown/ May 13, 2021 May 13, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210513161635/https://untappedcities.com/2016/12/13/12-of-nycs-newest-landmarked-designated-buildings-in-midtown/ live See also Architecture New York City List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets References Citations Sources https://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2577.pdf Minnie E. Young House November 22, 2016 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Landmarks Preservation Commission 2016 External links Category:1900 establishments in New York City Category:1900s architecture in the United States Category:Houses completed in 1900 Category:Houses in Manhattan Category:Midtown Manhattan Category:New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan Category:Renaissance Revival architecture in New York City