222 West 71st Street

222 West 71st Street

NB Number: NB 459-1891

Type:  Rowhouse

Architect:  Pelham, George F.

Developer/Owner/Builder: Edelmeyer & Morgan

Row Configuration: Originally part of a larger row of seven houses of which this, 212, 214, and 224 West 71st Street are the only remaining houses.

NYC Landmarks Designation:  Historic District

Landmark Designation Report: Addendum to the West End-Collegiate Historic District Extension Designation Report

National Register Designation: N/A

Primary Style:  Stripped Romanesque Revival

Primary Facade:   Brownstone

Stories: 3 and basement

Historic District: West End-Collegiate HD Extension

Significant Architectural Features: Molded cornice with foliate frieze

Alterations: Renaissance revival style details removed (c. 1939); stoop removed, original main entry altered into window opening, and new main entry installed at basement (c. 1939); resurfaced with stylized faux-Chinese characters imprinted into surface (after c. 1980s tax photograph); replaced sashes (one-over-one double-hung sashes present in c. 1939 tax photograph); conduit at basement; address numbers at basement; light at main entry; intercom at main entry.

Building Notes: Originally part of a larger row of seven houses of which this, 212, 214, and 224 West 71st Street are the only remaining houses. Although it is not known what the houses at 216-220 West 71st Street looked like (demolished for construction of the existing apartment house), it is evident based on the c. 1939 tax photograph for no. 224 that this building was originally identical in appearance to the row house at no. 214. Curiously, the c. 1939 tax photograph for this building shows the building already stripped of its details (with the exception of the cornice) and with the stoop removed, while the c. 1939 tax photograph for no. 224 shows this building still intact. This indicates the original details were removed some time between the photographing of this building and its neighbor at no. 224, or that the tax photograph was retaken sometime shortly thereafter.

Site Features: Low concrete threshold at main entry; brick stairs with non-historic handrails descend into areaway.

North Facade: Designed (resurfaced)
Stoop: Removed
Door(s): Replaced primary door
Windows: Replaced (upper stories); replaced (basement)
Security Grilles: Possibly historic (basement)
Cornice: Original
Areaway Wall/Fence Material(s): Painted/resurfaced concrete or masonry with non-historic metal railings
Areaway Paving Material(s): Concrete
Sidewalk Material(s): Concrete
Curb Material(s): Concrete and metal