Every building tells a story and few places offer tales as colorful as those in New York City and its summer playground, the Hamptons. You can walk through the years at these historical homes – and also own your own piece of them:
The Epitome of Sophistication
Since opening more than a century ago amid much fanfare, the Plaza Hotel has maintained its status as one of New York City’s most storied locations. The Plaza has served as the backdrop for the classic children’s book character, Eloise, and featured in big screen moments in North by Northwest, The Way We Were and The Great Gatsby. The Beatles slept here, Truman Capote partied here (with his Black and White Ball) and now you can partake in its classic amenities, like the Oak Bar, Grand Ballroom and meticulously landscaped gardens. This three-bedroom Plaza private residence offers park views from every room.
A Penthouse With Artistic Ambitions
This 7,652-square-foot penthouse at 1 West 67th Street, known as the Hotel des Artistes, fittingly offers a 55-foot-long, double-height great room that’s ideal for displaying art. Once owned by silent film legend Rudolph Valentino, the historical home features a contemporary update by renowned architect Ettore Sottsass. The Hotel des Artistes, recognizable from movies and TV shows, like Manhattan Murder Mystery, Friends and Gossip Girl, also offers such amenities as a pool, squash and basketball courts and a roof garden,
Iconic Central Park Address
The Dakota, built in 1884, was one of the first luxury apartment buildings in New York City. Still one of Gotham’s most exclusive buildings, the Dakota has been home to the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Judy Garland and John Lennon and Yoko Ono; the latter still lives there. This 2,700-square-foot apartment 1 West 72nd Street offers a spacious formal square foyer, floor-to-ceiling bookcases and a wood burning fireplace.
The Power of the Pen
The Brisbane House, a full-service co-op built in 1926 on New York City’s Upper East Side, was designed by architects Schultze and Weaver, also known for The Pierre, The Sherry-Netherland, Waldorf Astoria and The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida. The historical home’s name honors financier Arthur Brisbane, one of the most widely read journalists in the 1930s who worked for William Randolph Hearst and occupied a sprawling penthouse on the top three floors. This apartment features Pre-War details, Central Park views, a formal dining room and large eat-in kitchen.
A Slice of Brooklyn Heights History
One of the oldest homes in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, this historical home on 24 Middagh Street may date back as far as 1790. The “Queen of Brooklyn Heights” is a rare example of New York’s wood-frames homes that in 1852 were prohibited in Brooklyn Heights. The corner property includes a five-bedroom main house with views of the Manhattan skyline, as well as a two-bedroom carriage house.
Entertaining History in Southampton
Once the summer home of CBS founder and CEO William S. Paley, the Four Fountains dates to 1928 and commands nearly seven acres that include a pool and pool house, greenhouse and private pond. Today, the 10-bedroom, eight-bath home is still the backdrop of many parties and major social events.
A Hamptons Home with Deep Roots
The well-known Tick Hall in Montauk at 165 Deforest Road has been part of the lore of The Hamptons and Montauk for well over a century. Currently owned by talk show host and author Dick Cavett, it was originally built in the early 1880s by Stanford White of McKim Mead and White as one of the “Seven Sisters” homes for wealthy businessmen. The property sits on a 20-acre parcel with over 900 feet of ocean frontage. After a fire destroyed the home in 1997, its owners used “forensic architecture” to recreate the original design.
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