317 West 77th Street

317 West 77th Street

NB Number: NB 1610-1890

Type:  Rowhouse

Architect:  Taylor, Van Campen

Developer/Owner/Builder: Francis M. Jenks

NYC Landmarks Designation:  Historic District

Landmark Designation Report: West End – Collegiate Historic District

National Register Designation: N/A

Primary Style:  Elizabethan Renaissance Revival and Romanesque Revival

Primary Facade:   ashlar, rock-faced brownstone, and rock-faced masonry

Stories: 5 with basement

Elements: As designed, No. 317 was a mirror image of No. 315 West 77th Street. No. 317 retains its mansard roof with two round-arched dormers, later period copper cornice with modillion blocks, raised party walls with coping, and brick chimney.

315 – Five-story rowhouse with basement; originally built with mansard roof; rock-faced brownstone base at first floor with smooth, ashlar upper stories; curved bay, capped by balustrade and balcony, rises three stories;double-hung, wood, sash windows; stylized Romanesque arcade over entrance arch (shared with No. 317) embellished with foliate carving, voussoirs and S-scroll keystone; double leaf, wood and plate glass semi-circular doors at main entry with pellet molding motif; rock-faced masonry frieze at arcade forms second floor balcony parapet; groups of five one-over-one curved sash windows each in bay at second and third stories; three round-arched windows asymmetrically grouped with flush bead molding enframement at fourth floor.

Historic District: West End - Collegiate HD

Alterations: Two of the five windows at each level of the bay  are blocked up; the remaining bay windows have had original one-over-one curved wood sash replaced with four-over-four sash; other windows have replacement six-over-six wood sash with entrance bay window openings partially blocked in and French window installed at second floor; storm windows installed at second and third floors; areaway wall removed and fence installed; wrought-iron grilles replaced at basement windows and added to first floor windows; wrought-iron railing added above entrance arcade and balustrade at bay; wire mesh fence installed at roof ridge line.

History: Built as one of a row of eleven houses (Nos. 307-327) by McDowell & Hoeney, masons,at a cost of $12,000,00. Nos. 307-311 and Nos. 323-327 have since been demolished. As designed, No. 317 was the mirror image of No. 315. The house was sold to Louis L. Browne on September 27, 1892.

References: New York City, Department of Buildings, Manhattan, Plans, Permits and Dockets.