Inside Eleanor Roosevelt’s fashionable Upper East Side home - currently on the market for $16 million
This chic townhouse belonged to the longest-serving First Lady - explore this stylish shrine to US history
If you’ve ever wanted to live in a luxe kingdom of American heritage, now is your chance. While the White House isn’t up for grabs, you can stay in the second-best thing - Eleanor Roosevelt’s former Manhattan townhouse.
The modern home, which is currently listed for $16 million, is located in New York’s prestigious Upper East Side neighborhood at 55 East 74th Street. Mrs. Roosevelt was known to overlook the Brown-Stone-filled street as she wrote her syndicated newspaper column, My Day, from her desk in the window of this property.
Before her era as a writer, Eleanor served as the longest-serving First Lady of the United States while her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, spent four terms in office between 1933 to 1945. After her time in the most recognized building in DC, Eleanor served as an activist and diplomat, standing as an American Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly until the 1950s.
With such a prominent position in society, it is unsurprising that Mrs. Roosevelt welcomed a host of dignitaries through these townhouse doors. Guests include John F. Kennedy, the former President of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, and esteemed composer Leonard Bernstein who also sought sanctuary in one of the home’s six-bedrooms.
Listing agents, Compass, have suggested the property has enough room to accommodate up to 500 guests - so these esteemed parties can continue just as soon as the pandemic allows.
The home has a particular way of drenching all who enter through its historic doors in the quintessential Manhattan glamor with its Louis XIV chandelier that hangs from the 12-foot ceilings. Leading from this space is a grand staircase, which has access to the property’s twelve rooms, five floors, and five and a half bathrooms. The main bathroom has a therapeutic soaking tub which is perfect for detoxing after a day amid the New York City hustle.
Beyond the bright white tones of the entrance hall, the house boasts a stylized living room - complete with a statement fireplace and period curved windows. The refined minimalist design continues into its striking and stylish white kitchen with its large island and adjoining dining area.
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The exterior of Eleanor Roosevelt’s former home is equally as impressive - with a secret garden at the rear and the crowning glory - a private rooftop garden with views across Central Park and the Carlyle Hotel, which towers above East 76th Street. It is from this verdant haven that guests and homeowners alike can raise a glass of champagne to the unrivaled style and sophistication of architects Buchman and Deisler’s nineteenth-century property. The townhouse was home to Mrs. Roosevelt until her death in 1962.
See: Explore an elegant apartment in Manhattan's Upper East Side
We have a certain feeling this iconic home will remain a bright and timeless jewel in the Upper East Side’s crown for centuries to come.
Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.
Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.
Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment.
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