House: 29 Beekman Place

29 Beekman Place is a remarkable residence was built in 1934 by William S. Paley, head of CBS for his wife, Dorothy Paley and they lived there until 1940. The house was subsequently acquired by Albert and Mary Lasker, the noted philanthropists who lived there for 35 years. Since 1975, it has housed equally notable and accomplished individuals.

The 3 bay façade features red brick over a limestone base with the windows bracketed with white shutters. The front door of polished mahogany is enhanced by a restrained Georgian surround of carved limestone flanked by an iron railing. These subtle touches hint at the sophisticated interiors within this house. Much of the beauty of this residence remains from its original design and decoration by architect, Eldridge Snyder.

The statistics alone describe the grandeur of this townhouse: approximately 10,500 sq. ft. on 8 levels, 17 rooms, 5 public rooms, 8 to 10 bedrooms, a curving staircase rising through the four principle levels, 8 wood burning fireplaces, a banquet sized, oval dining room with a columned Juliet balcony, a commercial kitchen with a silver vault, wood paneled rooms, an elevator, 7 bathrooms, 4 powder rooms, stunning East River views, 2 terraces, a dumb waiter, 2 balconies, soaring ceilings to 11’, graceful rooms of lovely proportions, custom floors of wood, stone and marble and vast amounts of storage.

Beekman Place In a city filled with beautiful neighborhoods, Beekman Place is one of the most exquisite, residential enclaves in Manhattan. Being two blocks in length, it is one of New York’s smallest and most charming areas. It is lined with stately apartment buildings and a dozen elegant, riverfront townhouses. Beekman Place owes its name to the Beekman family, which built its mansion, Mount Pleasant in 1764 overlooking the East River near what is now 50th Street. In the 1860’s, James Beekman created a new street between 49th and 51st Streets running parallel to First Avenue and named it Beekman Place. The street was lined with modest brownstone houses and remained an upper middle class neighborhood into the early 20th Century. The 1920’s witnessed a dramatic change to the area when it developed a considerable cachet, attracting prosperous families and cultural figures such as: John D. and Blanchette Rockefeller III, Noel Coward, Irving Berlin, Ellen Biddle Shipman, William S. Paley, art critic Walter Pach, painter Max Ernst and Peggy Guggenheim. Please call for an appointment

Building Description Provided By Alex Salem