152 East 38th Street

Historic house in Manhattan, New York September 2025 152 East 38th Street 152 East 38th Street.jpg 250px Forecourt of 152 East 38th Street in 2012 40 44 54 N 73 58 38 W type:landmark_region:US-NY inline,title Federal1967 http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/0579.pdf 152 East 38th Street House New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission August 29, 2023 152 East 38th StreetNew York, NY 1858 1934–1935 Robertson Ward Alfred OffnerHouse & Garden 1936 38 yes NYCL May 25, 1967 579 152 East 38th Street is a historic house located between Lexington and Third avenues in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Constructed in 1858, the house was renovated from 1934 to 1935 and was designated a landmark in 1967 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. History Development and early ownership The property that the house is located on was purchased in 1855 by Patrick McCafferty as a vacant lot. McCafferty was a contractor who had also purchased the abutting lot on the north side of East 37th Street.Gray Christopher August 12, 2001 https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/12/realestate/streetscapes-152-east-38th-street-1857-row-house-stood-back-its-neighbors.html 152 East 38th Street: An 1857 Row House Stood Back From Its Neighbors The New York Times August 29, 2023 Construction of the three-story brick house was completed in 1858. The building was unique compared to others in the neighborhood as it was situated at the rear of the lot, leaving almost 60 ft m between the front of the house and the street. McCafferty resided in the house into the 1860s and then the property was sold several times until it was acquired in 1888 by Mary L. Van Buren, the widow of James Van Buren, who had died in 1878.September 26, 1878 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/130848709/the-new-york-times-james-van-buren/ City and Suburban News The New-York Times August 29, 2023 newspapers.comPommer Alfred Pommer Joyce 2013 https://books.google.com/books?id=vNR2CQAAQBAJ&pg=PT47 Exploring Manhattan's Murray Hill Charleston Arcadia Publishing 47 9781625845153 August 29, 2023 Google Books Although a plaque installed by the New York Landmark Preservation Foundation outside the street entrance to the house indicates the structure "was originally a gatehouse for an estate belonging to a member of President Van Buren's family,"https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=158408 152 East 38th Street Historical Marker Historical Marker Database August 29, 2023 some historians doubt this claim because the estate era in the Murray Hill neighborhood had ended by 1858 and James Van Buren was not listed as a descendent of Martin Van Buren in the 1993 book American Presidential Families written by Hugh Brogan and Charles Mosley.Brogan Hugh Mosley Charles 1993 American Presidential Families New York MacMillan 9780028973050 20th and 21st centuries In 1934, engineer and antiques collector Russell Pettengill leased the house at 152 East 38th Street along with the adjacent building at No. 150 and hired architect Robertson Ward to renovate the two structures into his residence and office, respectively. Pettengill had previously experimented with having an office in his home on Sniffen Court off East 36th Street.House & Garden 1936 37 The front yard of No. 152 was divided with a one-story wall, separating the forecourt that provides access to both buildings and screening the rear house and its front garden from the street.Quertermous Grant https://classicalamericanhomes.org/discoveries/a-chronology-of-richard-h-jenrettes-historic-properties-part-i-the-houses/ A Chronology of Richard H. Jenrette's Historic Properties, Part I: The Houses Classical American Homes Preservation Trust August 29, 2023 A glassed-in sitting room was added as an extension on the first floor of No. 152 that extends into a corner of the rear garden of No. 150.House & Garden 1936 37November 12, 2015 https://hdc.org/testimony/hdc-designation-testimony-for-backlog95-hearing-november-12-2015/ HDC Designation Testimony for Backlog95 Hearing Historic Districts Council August 29, 2023 Other changes made to No. 152 included adding a rear wing with servants' rooms, deepening the cellar to provide additional storage space, and painting of the brick façade in an off-white color with gray details.House & Garden 1936 38–39 Pettengill only stayed in the newly renovated complex for a couple of years before the house at 152 East 38th Street was sold to publisher Cass Canfield, the president of Harper & Brothers. Canfield resided at the home until 1970, when he sold the property to Richard Jenrette, an investment banker who owned a collection of historic homes.May 17, 1970 https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/17/archives/news-of-the-realty-trade-big-leases-signed-in-55-water-st.html News of the Realty Trade The New York Times August 29, 2023Reif Rita April 4, 1971 https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/04/archives/a-man-and-his-homes-.html A Man And His Homes The New York Times August 29, 2023 The property was later acquired in 2000 by Harry V. Quadracci, the owner of Quad/Graphics, who removed the paint from the brick façade and added more landscaping to the front garden to provide additional privacy from the street. 152 East 38th Street was designated as a landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on May 25, 1967. LPC had also considered including the adjacent building at 150 East 38th Street as part of the original landmark designation, but declined to take action at that time. The building was again considered for landmark designation in 2015 at a public hearing to address properties that had been under consideration prior to 2010.Bindelglass Evan November 16, 2015 https://newyorkyimby.com/2015/11/three-historic-houses-considered-at-landmarks-backlog-hearing.html Three Historic Houses Considered At Landmarks Backlog Hearing New York YIMBY August 29, 2023 LPC decided to remove No. 150 from the calendar by issuing a no action letter.https://www.nyc.gov/assets/lpc/downloads/pdf/calendar/02_23_16.pdf Notice of Public Meeting – February 23, 2016 New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission August 29, 2023 Architecture The renovations made by Robertson Ward from 1934 to 1935 converted both structures from an Italianate design to the Regency Revival style and also architecturally harmonized the two buildings. Ward added a loggia with columns and wall details including blind arches and paired pilasters supporting a frieze, cornice and pediment to the forecourt, which was separated from the street by a unique iron fence decorated with anchors and drafting tools that extended in front of No. 150. Lanterns on the sides of the front gate to the forecourt depict "150" and "152" to represent the house numbers of the complex.House & Garden 1936 38 The front doorway to No. 152 is raised four steps from the ground and has glass side lights with delicate pilasters supporting a molded entablature and a transom; iron trellises were used in lieu of columns to support a scalloped bronze canopy covering the stoop. The front façade of the house has double-hung sash windows with black shutters and includes a frieze and a cornice crowned by a brick parapet. A formal garden was located behind No. 150, which contained a patch of grass edged with boxwood and was surrounded by pathways, shrubs and trees.House & Garden 1936 80November 1937 https://usmodernist.org/HG/HG-1937-09.pdf Garden in Town House & Garden 37 August 29, 2023 USModernist See also List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets References Notes Sources November 1936 https://usmodernist.org/HG/HG-1936-11.pdf Miracle on Murray Hill House & Garden 36–39, 78, 80 August 29, 2023 USModernist House & Garden 1936 Category:1858 establishments in New York (state) Category:Federal architecture in New York City Category:Houses completed in 1858 Category:Houses in Manhattan Category:Murray Hill, Manhattan Category:New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan