177-584: The Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House (also 867 Madison Avenue and the Rhinelander Mansion ) is a French Renaissance Revival mansion at the southeastern corner of Madison Avenue and 72nd Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City , United States. Built between 1894 and 1898, it was designed by Alexander Mackintosh of the architectural firm of Kimball & Thompson . Though
354-605: A "world of heritage" department and the RRL brand; and the fourth floor was used by the Black label collection, the RLX activewear label, and a sportswear room. Ralph Lauren opened a shoe salon for men on the mansion's ground floor in 2013. At Lauren's request, the Polo division was relocated upstairs in the mid-2010s, resulting in decreased sales. The company instead displayed expensive accessories and objects in
531-435: A $ 200,000 mortgage on the house. The lower stories were converted to commercial space and leased to the antique dealer Olivotti & Company, which was being forced to relocate from Madison Avenue and 45th Street. Olivotti originally leased the basement, first, and second stories, becoming the house's very first occupant. The New York Times characterized Olivotti's lease as being part of a new "art colony" on Madison Avenue; at
708-412: A French style and contained the family bedrooms and servants' quarters. Many of the rooms retained their original decorations in the 2000s, including doorknobs, chandeliers, and lamps. A New York Times article from 1941 described the house as having 28 rooms, including eight bathrooms. A conservatory room was later installed behind the main second-floor rooms. In the late 20th century, the interior of
885-595: A Historicist example of Classical Palladianism combined with the French Renaissance, a uniquely distinctive interpretation of the Renaissance Revival style. As mentioned above, the Neo-Renaissance style was in reality an eclectic blending of past styles, which the architect selected on the whims of his patrons. In the true Renaissance era there was a division of labour between the architect, who designed
1062-733: A Renaissance influence, its first flight is similar to "The staircase of the Giants" rises from the Doge's Palace Courtyard, designed when the Venetian Gothic was being uncomfortably merged with Renaissance style. Similarly to that at Mentmore, the Staircase of the Giant's terminates on to an arcaded loggia. Perhaps not ironically the Hall and Staircase at Mentmore were designed by Paxton to display furniture formerly housed in
1239-492: A building were of several floors, the uppermost floor usually had small square windows representing the minor mezzanine floor of the original Renaissance designs. However, the Neo-renaissance style later came to incorporate Romanesque and Baroque features not found in the original Renaissance architecture which was often more severe in its design. John Ruskin 's panegyrics to architectural wonders of Venice and Florence in
1416-516: A clothing store operated by the fashion designer Julio Espada also opened there. An entrance for a flower shop was added during the decade. The LPC considered designating the Rhinelander Waldo House as a city landmark in May 1976 and formally designated the building that July. At the time, the first floor had several shops, the second floor hosted Christie's, and the third through fifth floors housed
1593-861: A combined $ 26 million. The purchaser of the buildings was Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani , then the Emir of Qatar , who reportedly beat out the developer Donald Trump and an unknown bidder when he agreed to acquire the properties in August 2002. The sale was finalized the next year. The Qatari government began combining the two buildings into a single house in 2004. The project was designed by Thornton Tomasetti and took six years. The renovations of both buildings had been completed by 2010. The combined mansion at 7–9 East 72nd Street covered 45,000 square feet (4,200 m ), making it New York City's largest single-family house. It also became one of several dozen properties that
1770-552: A combined $ 47,000 a year. The next month, Fischer-Landis resold the Rhinelander Mansion to the 867 Madison Corporation. In 1956, the 867 Madison Corporation leased the building to de Evia's firm, the Denvia Realty Corporation, and Clara Dresses leased one of the house's storefronts. After meeting Vincent Fourcade in 1959, Denning separated from de Evia but continued to live at the house. Denning and Fourcade founded
1947-502: A contemporary style. The opening of the Polo Sport store at 888 Madison Avenue further increased sales at the flagship store in 867 Madison Avenue. Despite the flagship's popularity among tourists, as well as the location's high revenues (which reached $ 33.8 million in 1993), it operated at a net loss in the mid-1990s due to high expenses. The mansion's owner Power Corporation was also experiencing financial difficulties and discreetly placed
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#17328515006432124-604: A dinner honoring their son Stephen , and debutante balls for their daughters Sarah and Gertrude . Sanford's wife Ethel lived at the house until her death in 1924. In the late 1920s, the Sanfords continued to host events at their house, such as dinners and dances. Stephen Sanford was recorded as living at the house until he married the actress Mary Duncan in 1933, as did Sarah until her own marriage in 1937. John Sanford ultimately died in September 1939. By that time, many mansions in
2301-506: A divorce in April 1899, when Jessie married Perry Belmont . Under the terms of the divorce, Jessie gave up the 72nd Street residence and agreed not to visit her two daughters until they turned 21 years old. If Henry did not agree to buy back the house, it was to be sold, with their two daughters sharing the profits. Henry agreed to buy the house that May, with the condition that he was to pay off about $ 64,000 worth of Jessie's personal debts. At
2478-475: A double-height dormer, similar to the one at the center of the Madison Avenue elevation. The original interiors of the building are very poorly documented, as it was abandoned upon completion in 1898, and some rooms may not even have been completed. The interior was reportedly lavishly decorated with carvings and rare tapestries. A New York Times reporter wrote in 1984 that 32 commercial tenants had occupied
2655-478: A fireplace with English-style paneling, were also used throughout the house. Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo was born in 1837 into the wealthy Rhinelander family, which had lived in downstate New York since 1696, when Philip Jacob Rhinelander emigrated from Germany to New Rochelle, New York . In 1876, she married the stockbroker Francis William Waldo, and they had one son, Rhinelander Waldo . After Francis died in 1878, his widow never remarried. In 1882, Waldo bought
2832-620: A firm named Creative Playthings had space in the building. The interior decorator Elizabeth Draper leased a section of the second story in 1950. The real-estate company Fischer-Landis Inc. took over the mansion in February 1952 at an assessed value of $ 325,000; by that time, the house was known as the Olivotti Building. Its tenants included de Evia (who lived on three stories), as well as the Tate & Hall and Elizabeth Draper decorating firms, who paid
3009-473: A landmark designation for the house. The British auctioneer Christie's announced in 1967 that it had leased space on the Rhinelander Mansion's first and second floors and that it would restore the interiors. The top three stories became offices. Christie's opened its space to the public in November 1968. The furrier David Bennett opened a store in the mansion in 1970. The nearby St. James Episcopal Church bought
3186-538: A lawsuit against all the other residents of the block in 1914, saying the existence of the restriction dissuaded potential buyers of the site. The Dime Savings Bank asked the New York Supreme Court to grant it an exception to the restriction, but neighboring property owners opposed the move, prompting the bank to file a lawsuit. By then, other parts of Madison Avenue were quickly being redeveloped with commercial structures. The bank argued that an apartment building
3363-516: A lot at the corner of 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue, but that corner was already occupied. Instead, he bought a 54-foot-wide site at 9 East 72nd Street. Initially, Sloane wanted to hire both McKim, Mead & White and Richard Morris Hunt to design competing plans for the house. Hunt's wife said that Sloane had intended to combine elements of both architecture firms' plans, not knowing that doing so would be an ethical taboo for both firms. Sloane ultimately hired John M. Carrère and Thomas Hastings of
3540-510: A more flowing line of design than had been apparent in the earlier Gothic. The Chateau de Blois's triumphal staircase was imitated almost from the moment of its completion, and was certainly the predecessor of the "double staircase" (sometimes attributed to Leonardo da Vinci ) at the Château de Chambord just a few years later. A Grand Staircase whether based on that of Blois, or the Villa Farnese
3717-489: A new building on York Avenue in the 2000s, the school originally considered keeping the six townhouses that it owned, including the houses at 7 and 9 East 72nd Street. However, they were all protected as city landmarks, making it difficult to modify any of the houses without permission from the city government. Instead, the school began looking to sell the six townhouses in August 2000 at a combined price of $ 100 million. Initially, Lycée Français hired Massey Knakal to market
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#17328515006433894-564: A reception for his son's wedding in 1911, The Buffalo News described the house the next year as one of several empty mansions in New York City. Stillman retained the house until he died of heart disease there in March 1918. The carpet manufacturer and former U.S. representative John Sanford leased the house for a short time before buying it in April 1919 at an estimated value of $ 500,000. The Sanfords hosted events such as lecture-musicals,
4071-427: A regular basis, and the house gained the nickname "House of Mystery". The roof was already damaged by 1904, and one source reported that some of the paintings and gold-leaf decorations had been damaged beyond repair. Bronze decorations and mosaics had become covered with mold, and about $ 15,000 worth of books had been destroyed by water damage. When the house was placed on sale in 1905, one real-estate broker declared that
4248-514: A relatively low price for its time, and there was to be a five-story house to the east, which was to cost $ 18,000. At the time, Waldo was living at the Savoy Hotel. She sold some of the property that she had inherited around 1896 and used the proceeds to cover a portion of the construction costs of two new adjoining homes on the property, which totaled $ 340,000, with the remaining balance in a $ 195,000 mortgage. The Doehring Fireproof Construction Company
4425-489: A site at the southeast corner of 72nd Street and Madison Avenue, announcing plans to construct a home that the Real Estate Record called "quite unique in design". She did not immediately proceed with construction and lived with her sister Laura in a row house on the opposite side of 72nd Street. By the mid-1890s, numerous wealthy families had settled on 72nd Street, and various chateauesque houses were being developed on
4602-638: A style not always instantly recognisable as a derivative of the Renaissance. In this less obvious guise the Neo-Renaissance was to provide an important undercurrent in totalitarian architecture of various countries, notably in Stalinist architecture of the Soviet Union , as seen in some pavilions of the All-Soviet Exhibition Centre . Neo-Renaissance architecture, because of its diversity, is perhaps
4779-442: A year, the store had made $ 31 million. During Christmas holiday seasons, Polo Ralph Lauren replaced the house's awnings and redecorated its interior. The company spent more than $ 100,000 in 1988 to refurbish a room on the third floor for the women's collection, and it opened a "country store" on the fourth floor the same year. The house was placed for sale at the beginning of 1989, and several foreign firms expressed interest in buying
4956-460: Is a balustrade with recessed, arched French windows behind it. The French windows are topped by circular oeil-de-boeuf transom windows, as well as grids of mullions that separate the windows into multiple glass panels. At the top of each French window is an elaborate keystone at the center of each bay, as well as scrolled brackets on either side. The third story is smaller and contains segmentally-arched windows. There are also cartouches above
5133-434: Is a double-height stone dormer. At the fourth story, the central dormer's window is flanked by columns and topped by a stone lunette . At the fifth story, there is a smaller window within the central dormer; there are finials above and beside it. On the extreme north and south ends of the Madison Avenue elevation, there is a smaller stone dormer in front of a section of hip roof . There are two pairs of copper dormer windows on
5310-615: Is a group of 19th-century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes. Under the broad designation Renaissance architecture 19th-century architects and critics went beyond the architectural style which began in Florence and Central Italy in the early 15th century as an expression of Renaissance humanism ; they also included styles that can be identified as Mannerist or Baroque . Self-applied style designations were rife in
5487-438: Is an entrance at the corner of Madison Avenue and 72nd Street, which was added in a 1980s renovation. At the second and third stories, the center bays protrude from the façade. The center bays include such decorations as volutes , finials , colonnettes , and broken entablatures . On both stories, there are five recessed arched windows in the center bays, which are placed behind ornate openwork balustrades (similar to those at
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5664-516: Is an outstanding ensemble of Neo-Renaissance townhouses from the last decades of the 19th century. The most famous Hungarian architect of the age, Miklós Ybl preferred Neo-Renaissance in his works. In Russia, the style was pioneered by Auguste de Montferrand in the Demidov House (1835), the first in Saint Petersburg to take "a story-by-story approach to façade ornamentation, in contrast to
5841-660: Is formed by not only the original Italian architecture but by the form in which Renaissance architecture developed in France during the 16th century. During the early years of the 16th century, the French were involved in the Italian Wars , bringing back to France not just the Renaissance art treasures as their war booty , but also stylistic ideas. In the Loire valley a wave of chateau building
6018-454: Is found in the high-pitched roof of slate, the high, ornate dormers and the tall chimneys." After the Ralph Lauren store opened in 1986, a Chicago Tribune writer likened the building to an English gentlemen's club , while Newsday said the decor evoked the original grandeur of the mansion. Los Angeles Times writers described the house as a "merchant's mansion straight from Lifestyles of
6195-414: Is four and a half stories tall and has a limestone façade modeled on a French château . Although storefront windows have been installed on the ground story over the years, the upper stories retain decorative details such as ornamental carvings and round-arched windows. The red roof contains various stone and copper dormers as well. The original interiors of the building are very poorly documented, as it
6372-434: Is more in the lighter, more columned style of Ottaviano Nonni 's (named il Mascherino) staircase designed for Pope Gregory XIII at Rome's Palazzo Quirinale in 1584, thus demonstrating that architects wherever their location were selecting their Neo-Renaissance styles regardless of geography Gothic influences on both period and revived Renaissance architecture are readily apparent, first as much building occurred during
6549-471: Is particularly evident at Hatfield House (1607–1612), where medieval towers jostle with a large Italian cupola. This is why so many buildings of the early English Neo-Renaissance style often have more of a "castle air" than their continental European contemporaries, which can add again to the confusion with the Gothic Revival style . When the revival of Renaissance style architecture came en vogue in
6726-439: Is the only part of the house for which detailed floor plans have been found. The second floor contained the main dining room, breakfast room, reception room, drawing room, two salon rooms, three kitchens, and six bathrooms. The parlor along 72nd Street had parquet floors, rosettes, and plaster moldings along the walls and ceilings. There were moldings along the arches, walls, and ceilings of the other rooms as well. In addition, there
6903-465: Is topped by a cartouche flanked by scrolled brackets . The rest of the first-story facade has segmentally-arched windows. The facade of the second and third floors is interspersed with double-height Ionic columns. The facade is recessed behind the Ionic columns, giving the facade an appearance of increased depth. The second floor is designed like a piano nobile , the main floor of a palazzo . There
7080-518: The British Raj in 1880, the façades of the 1777 Writers' building in Kolkata were redesigned in the Renaissance Revival style then popular in colonial India, though this version was remarkable in its unique design. Loggias of Serlian arches deceptively form an almost Indian appearance, yet they sit beneath a mansard roof. In what at first glance appears an Indian building, on closer examination shows
7257-509: The Charles Scribner's Sons Building and a Trump Tower storefront on Fifth Avenue before deciding upon the Rhinelander Mansion. He submitted plans that March to expand the mansion's rear and to renovate the exterior. Lauren planned to convert the house into New York City's first standalone Polo Ralph Lauren clothing store (at the time, all of his New York City sales were through other stores). One company executive said they wanted to "restore
Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House - Misplaced Pages Continue
7434-427: The Château of Blois ). Each of the windows is topped by scrolled keystones , while the corners above the arches contain spandrels with round medallions. There are niches with small statues between each of the central second-story windows, while ornamented cartouches are placed between the third story windows. Many of the niches are empty, but some of the niches contain depictions of French Renaissance royalty. Within
7611-495: The Gothic revival can at times be especially tricky, as both styles were simultaneously popular during the 19th century. As a consequence, a self-consciously "Neo-Renaissance" manner first began to appear c. 1840 . By 1890 this movement was already in decline. The Hague 's Peace Palace completed in 1913, in a heavy French Neo-Renaissance manner was one of the last notable buildings in this style. Charles Barry introduced
7788-755: The Palais Leuchtenberg (1817–21), by Leo von Klenze , then adopted as a state style under the reign of Ludwig I of Bavaria for such landmarks as the Alte Pinakothek (1826–36), the Konigbau wing of the Munich Residenz (1825–35), and the Bavarian State Library (1831–43). While the beginning of Neo-Renaissance period can be defined by its simplicity and severity, what came later was far more ornate in its design. This period can be defined by some of
7965-523: The 1850s contributed to shifting "the attention of scholars and designers, with their awareness heightened by debate and restoration work" from Late Neoclassicism and Gothic Revival to the Italian Renaissance. Like all architectural styles, the Neo-Renaissance did not appear overnight fully formed but evolved slowly. One of the first signs of its emergence was the Würzburg Women's Prison, which
8142-666: The 1959 wedding of Boos's daughter Marilyn. In April 1964, the Lycée Français de New York , a French-language school, purchased 7 and 9 East 72nd Street from the Boos family for a combined $ 850,000. The school took out a $ 815,275 mortgage from Massachusetts Mutual , which covered both the 72nd Street houses and Lycée Français's original building at 3 East 95th Street . At the time, the school had already operated 7 East 72nd Street for several years. and Paul L. Wood and Reginald E. Marsh were hired to renovate 9 East 72nd Street as an annex for
8319-415: The 1980s. Philips, Son & Neale continued to own the house until 1984, when the 867 Partnership reportedly bought it for $ 6.36 million. At the time of the sale, Eat and a kitchen appliance store named La Cuisiniere occupied the first floor. 867 Partnership unsuccessfully sought to lease the second through fifth floors to a bank. Throughout the years, the interiors had been significantly modified, and many of
8496-646: The American architect Henry Hobson Richardson whose work in the Neo-Renaissance style was popular in the US during the 1880s. Richardson's style at the end or the revival era was a severe mix of both Romanesque and Renaissance features. This was exemplified by his "Marshall Field Warehouse" in Chicago (completed in 1887, now demolished). Neo-Renaissance was adopted early in Munich , often based directly on Italian Palazzi, first appearing in
8673-654: The Chicago store was 37,000 square feet (3,400 m), nearly twice the Rhinelander Mansion's size. The arrangement of other Polo Ralph Lauren locations in London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, and Milan were based on the layout of the Rhinelander Mansion store as well. 888 Madison Avenue, immediately to the west, was inspired by the designs of the Rhinelander Mansion and the nearby James B. Duke and Henry Clay Frick mansions. Renaissance Revival architecture Renaissance Revival architecture (sometimes referred to as " Neo-Renaissance ")
8850-525: The Doge's Palace. Paris is home to many historicist buildings that partake equally from Renaissance and Baroque source material, such as the Opera Garnier . However, the Parisian Hôtel de Ville faithfully replicates the true French Renaissance style, complete with the steeply pitched roofs and towers, as it was a reconstruction, completed c. 1880 , of the previous Hôtel de Ville . In
9027-471: The French Beaux-Arts style, and was built from 1894 to 1896. The house, along with the neighboring structure at 7 East 72nd Street , has been owned since 2002 by the government of Qatar , which has combined the two buildings into a single residence. The limestone facade is divided vertically into four bays and rises four stories from the street. The facade includes rusticated limestone blocks on
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#17328515006439204-845: The German version of Neo-Renaissance culminated in such projects as the Town Hall in Hamburg (1886–1897) and the Reichstag in Berlin (completed in 1894). In Austria, it was pioneered by such illustrious names as Rudolf Eitelberger , the founder of the Viennese College of Arts and Crafts (today the University of Applied Arts Vienna ). The style found particular favour in Vienna , where whole streets and blocks were built in
9381-851: The London Foreign Office in this style between 1860 and 1875, it also incorporated certain Palladian features. Starting with the orangery of Sanssouci (1851), "the Neo-Renaissance became the obligatory style for university and public buildings, for banks and financial institutions, and for the urban villas" in Germany. Among the most accomplished examples of the style were Villa Meyer in Dresden, Villa Haas in Hesse , Palais Borsig in Berlin , Villa Meissner in Leipzig ;
9558-684: The Neo-Renaissance to England with his design of the Travellers Club , Pall Mall (1829–1832). Other early but typical, domestic examples of the Neo-Renaissance include Mentmore Towers and the Château de Ferrières , both designed in the 1850s by Joseph Paxton for members of the Rothschild banking family. The style is characterized by original Renaissance motifs , taken from such Quattrocento architects as Alberti . These motifs included rusticated masonry and quoins , windows framed by architraves and doors crowned by pediments and entablatures . If
9735-520: The Qatari government owned in New York City. Qatari Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani used the houses as her New York City residence, displaying her art collection across numerous rooms. The state of Qatar bought the adjacent 12 East 73rd Street in 2017 to house the servants who were employed at 7–9 East 72nd Street. Upon the house's completion, the New-York Tribune called the residence "one of
9912-404: The Rhinelander Mansion since 1986, also operates additional structures across Madison Avenue. These include 888 Madison Avenue, a 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m) store completed in 2010 as Ralph Lauren's secondary flagship; it is designed in a Beaux-Arts style with a limestone façade and marble interiors. The Rhinelander Mansion shares the block with St. James' Episcopal Church immediately to
10089-447: The Rhinelander Mansion store caused rents at nearby buildings to increase and prompted Lauren to build other flagship locations. Polo Ralph Lauren became one of several upscale fashion outlets along Madison Avenue from 57th to 72nd Street; one observer credited its presence with having inspired the openings of other stores on the avenue. Despite a retail downturn in the late 1980s, Polo Ralph Lauren's Rhinelander Mansion store remained one of
10266-441: The Rhinelander Mansion, few similar boutique flagship stores existed, and most of Madison Avenue's stores were private boutiques rather than large chains. Fashion-industry executives predicted that the store's opening would encourage retail activity on Madison Avenue, and department store officials feared that people would stop buying Ralph Lauren merchandise at their stores, though that prediction did not come to pass. The success of
10443-560: The Rich and Famous " and compared it to a country estate. Paul Goldberger , who at the time was an architectural critic at The New York Times , said the renovation was "the most successful conversion of a New York house into a luxury emporium" after the renovation of the Morton F. Plant House for the jeweler Cartier in the early 20th century. Another New York Times writer in 2006 said the mansion's rooms were an "interior design fantasy", complementing
10620-452: The Riker family. The Lycée Français de New York , which already occupied the neighboring mansion at 7 East 72nd Street, moved into the house in 1964. The house became a New York City designated landmark in 1977. The school vacated 7 and 9 East 72nd Street in 2002, when they were sold to Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani , the Emir of Qatar . After the Qatari government finished renovating and combining
10797-531: The St. James Church, The auctioneer Phillips, Son & Neale moved into the Rhinelander Mansion in 1977, using it as its headquarters. The house was also renovated to accommodate Phillips, Son & Neale. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1980. Phillips, Son & Neale acquired the mansion from St. James Episcopal Church the same year. When Philips, Son & Neale placed
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#173285150064310974-409: The Upper East Side just east of Central Park . Waldo hired Francis Kimball and George Thompson to design a chateauesque house in New York City after being inspired by a chateau in France. In November 1894, the architectural firm of Kimball and Thompson filed plans for two houses near the southeast corner of 72nd Street and Madison Avenue. The five-story house at the corner itself was to cost $ 65,000,
11151-425: The adjacent house at 28 East 72nd Street to the east. By then, 867 Madison Avenue's windows and doors were dirty, and the mortar was peeling off the façade because of a lack of maintenance. Waldo reached an agreement to sell the house through a broker, but reneged on the deal when the papers effecting the transfer were ready to be signed. She said "I don't think I'll sell" and walked out on the offer. Baier foreclosed on
11328-413: The ambitions of wealthy Americans in equaling and surpassing the ostentatious lifestyles of European aristocrats. During the latter half of the 19th century 5th Avenue in New York City was lined with "Renaissance" French chateaux and Italian palazzi , all designed in Neo-Renaissance styles. Most of these have since been demolished. One of the most widely copied features of Renaissance architecture were
11505-460: The beginning of the 20th century, Neo-Renaissance was a commonplace sight on the main streets of thousands of towns, large and small, around the world. In southern Europe the Neo-Renaissance style began to fall from favour c. 1900 . However, it was still extensively practiced in the 1910s in Saint Petersburg and Buenos Aires by such architects as Leon Benois , Marian Peretyatkovich , or Francisco Tamburini ( picture ). In England it
11682-423: The block to the north; 907 Fifth Avenue and 9 East 71st Street on the block to the south; and the Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House and St. James' Episcopal Church on Madison Avenue to the east. In addition, Central Park is one half block to the west. The building was designed by Carrère and Hastings in the French Beaux-Arts style. It is five stories high, although only four stories are visible from
11859-635: The breadth of its source material, such as the English Wollaton Hall , Italian Palazzo Pitti , the French Château de Chambord , and the Russian Palace of Facets —all deemed "Renaissance"—illustrates the variety of appearances the same architectural label can take. The origin of Renaissance architecture is generally accredited to Filippo Brunelleschi (1377–1446). Brunelleschi and his contemporaries wished to bring greater "order" to architecture, resulting in strong symmetry and careful proportion. The movement grew from scientific observations of nature, in particular, human anatomy. Neo-Renaissance architecture
12036-422: The building until 2034. When the building was constructed, numerous sources described the project as costly and extensive. In 1906, the New York Evening World called the mansion "one of the most pretentious in the city" before the Andrew Carnegie Mansion , Charles M. Schwab House , and other large dwellings were finished. The architect and writer Robert A. M. Stern wrote in his 1983 book New York 1900 that
12213-456: The building was owned by Flushing Acres, who took over a $ 100,000 mortgage on the property. The fashion designer Elizabeth Hawes opened a store within the building in early 1948. The photographer Edgar de Evia also moved to one of the house's apartments with his partner Robert Denning , an interior decorator, in the 1940s or 1950s. De Evia's tenure in the mansion is particularly well-documented compared with those of other residents. In addition,
12390-433: The building, as it was more economically feasible to do so; all of the existing tenants' leases were scheduled to expire by 1966, and Central Ison planned to lease some of the newly vacated space out to an auction house. By then, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) was considering designating the house as a landmark, though an LPC representative said in 1971 that the commission had not formally considered
12567-419: The building. The Dime Savings Bank of New York took ownership in 1912, and two developers attempted to build apartments on the site in the 1910s. The building was partially converted to commercial use in 1920, when the antique dealer Olivotti & Company moved into the lower stories. Through the early 1980s, the building was sold several more times and hosted various commercial and residential tenants. In 1984,
12744-438: The buildings in 2010, the two structures comprised New York City's largest single-family residence. The Henry T. Sloane House is at 9 East 72nd Street, along the northern side of 72nd Street between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue , on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The house originally had a frontage of 59 feet (18 m) on 72nd Street and a north–south depth of 102 feet (31 m). Since 2010,
12921-459: The buildings; school officials refused an offer to buy the buildings for $ 43 million. When Lycée Français hired the Corcoran Group as the new broker the next year, it sought $ 51 million for the two 72nd Street houses, including $ 30 million for 9 East 72nd Street. By early 2001, the school had reduced its asking price for 9 East 72nd Street to $ 25 million. Dozens of buyers expressed interest in
13098-452: The center of the ground (first) floor was the original main entrance. The ground story originally had decorations and an iron fence, but these were removed in the 20th century, when the house became a commercial building. The round-arched doorways at ground level were originally windows, while the other ground-floor openings were enlarged into storefront windows. The ground floor contains storefront windows, round archways, and smooth walls. There
13275-478: The charm and dignity the building had to create an interior that's elegant and clubby", and Lauren himself told Architectural Digest that "I've always thought that showing clothes in a townhouse would be the ultimate for me". Rhinelander Florist, Eat, and La Cuisiniere all had to relocate to accommodate the Polo Ralph Lauren store. Naomi Leff & Associates were hired to design the house's renovation; this
13452-574: The classical method, where the façade was conceived as a unit." Konstantin Thon , the most popular Russian architect of the time, used Italianate elements profusely for decorating some interiors of the Grand Kremlin Palace (1837–1851). Another fashionable architect, Andrei Stackenschneider , was responsible for Mariinsky Palace (1839–1844), with "the faceted rough-hewn stone of the first floor" reminiscent of 16th-century Italian palazzi. The style
13629-416: The decorative details are ornamental carvings and round-arched windows in the French Renaissance style, which are concentrated on the upper stories. The roof is red and contains a copper cresting, as well as various dormers and finials . The primary elevation of the façade faces Madison Avenue and is divided vertically into three parts: a central section flanked by projecting pavilions at either end. In
13806-511: The design of the house. According to a photo caption published when the house was nearly complete, a local designer with the firm, Alexander Mackintosh , was responsible for most of the work. The mansion was designed in a Francois I style and was modeled on the châteaux of the Loire Valley in France . It is alternatively known as the Rhinelander Mansion. The mansion has a limestone façade. Among
13983-514: The designations in January 1977, despite the school's opposition to either designation. By the late 1970s, the houses at 7 and 9 East 72nd Street contained Lycée Français's kindergarten through fourth-grade classes. Lycée Français bought 12 East 73rd Street, a five-bedroom mansion behind the two 72nd Street houses, for $ 4.3 million in 1994. The 73rd Street mansion was subsequently linked to the existing 72nd Street houses. After Lycée Français developed
14160-403: The designer Ralph Lauren leased the building and had it renovated to serve as the flagship store of his company, which opened in 1986. Ralph Lauren has been the mansion's sole tenant since then, though the house was sold several more times after Ralph Lauren moved in. The building became a Ralph Lauren menswear store in 2010. The Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House is at 867 Madison Avenue , along
14337-474: The early 1980s, the interior of the second story remained largely intact, but the third and fourth stories had been significantly modified with dropped ceilings and fluorescent lights . After the 1980s renovation, it had green walls with portraits, in addition to elaborate plasterwork, wood paneling, and vaulted ceilings. The rooms were variously designed in the style of a rural cottage or an English clubhouse. Display cases were carefully installed to blend in with
14514-414: The entrance, a large fireplace, and a plaster ceiling with classical design details. A large curving staircase leads up to the second floor, with a metal balustrade, wall sconces , and various green-and-gold decorations. At the front of the second floor is a drawing room measuring 25 by 26 feet (7.6 by 7.9 m) and a salon measuring 28 by 46 feet (8.5 by 14.0 m). The upper stories were designed in
14691-465: The exterior highly visible shell, and others—the artisans—who decorated and arranged the interior. The original Italian mannerist house was a place for relaxation and entertaining, convenience and comfort of the interior being a priority; in the later Baroque designs, comfort and interior design were secondary to outward appearance. This was followed by the Neoclassical period, which gave importance to
14868-404: The family of Henry T. Sloane , son of the founder of the carpet firm W. & J. Sloane . Following an acrimonious divorce, Sloane abandoned the house in 1899, and the family of Joseph Pulitzer rented it the next year. In 1901, it was purchased by the banker James Stillman , who lived there until his death in 1918. The house was then occupied by the carpet manufacturer John Sanford and then by
15045-405: The fifth story between the stone dormers. Each pair of copper dormers is separated by a stone chimney with carvings of rhombuses on its side, which are designed to resemble those on the Château de Chambord . On the 72nd Street elevation, the first floor has storefronts (similar to those on Madison Avenue), and the entire width of the façade is curved at the second and third floors. On both stories,
15222-514: The finest of the Gallic limestones" to be developed around the Upper East Side's millionaire's row . When the building was placed for sale in 2000, a reporter for the same paper said the building was "regarded by architects as one of the finest Beaux-Arts town houses in the city". Christopher Gray of The New York Times wrote in 2011 that the house's design was "ultra-French" but was beaten out by
15399-615: The firm of Denning & Fourcade, Inc. , and opened an office within the building. The spaces on the first floor were divided and leased to various tenants in the 1960s and 1970s. The restaurateur Larry Ellman, owner of the Cattleman Restaurant , leased some space in the building in the 1960s, and the Roko Gallery also had space at 867 Madison Avenue. The building was sold by the 867 Madison Avenue Corporation to Central Ison Ltd. in 1964 for $ 590,000. The new owner planned to preserve
15576-563: The firm. Drawings of the house's interiors were publicized in The American Architect and Building News as early as December 1893. Plans for the house were not formally filed with the New York City Department of Buildings until August 1894, at which point the house was planned to cost $ 100,000. The house took two years to construct, and plans for the interior were modified during the construction process. The house
15753-502: The first "picture windows", but also the blending of architectural styles allowed interiors and exteriors to be treated differently. It was at this time that the concept of "furnishing styles" manifested itself, allowing distinctions to be made between interior rooms and external appearances, and indeed between the various rooms themselves. Thus the modern concept of treating a room individually, and differently from its setting and neighbours, came into its infancy. Classic examples of this are
15930-420: The first story, a colonnade of Ionic columns on the second and third stories, and a mansard roof on the fourth story. The house originally spanned 25,363 square feet (2,356.3 m ), with various living spaces on the second floor and bedrooms on the upper stories. After 7 and 9 East 72nd Street were combined, the residence included a swimming pool and a roof terrace. The building was originally constructed for
16107-573: The fourth floor was intended to link it with the arched windows on the lower stories. The house originally spanned 25,363 square feet (2,356.3 m ) and is decorated with details such as fireplaces and molded decorations. It was originally designed in the Louis XIV style , with rooms arranged around a "court of honor". The first floor has an entrance hall that is accessed via the court of honor. This hall measures 22 by 28 feet (6.7 by 8.5 m) and contains leaded glass windows, oak-and-iron doors from
16284-604: The great Rothschild house in Buckinghamshire , hybrids of various Renaissance chateaux , and 16th century English country houses , all with interiors ranging from "Versailles" to " Medici ", and in the case of Mentmore Towers a huge central hall, resembling the arcaded courtyard of a Renaissance villa, conveniently glazed over, furnished in Venetian style and heated by a fireplace designed by Rubens for his house in Antwerp By
16461-588: The great opera houses of Europe, such as Gottfried Semper 's Burgtheater in Vienna, and his Opera house in Dresden . This ornate form of the Neo-Renaissance, originating from France, is sometimes known as the "Second Empire" style, by now it also incorporated some Baroque elements. By 1875 it had become the accepted style in Europe for all public and bureaucratic buildings. In England, where Sir George Gilbert Scott designed
16638-535: The great staircases from the chateaux of Blois and Chambord . Blois had been the favourite residence of the French Kings throughout the renaissance. The Francis I wing, completed in 1524, of which the staircase is an integral part was one of the earliest examples of French Renaissance . French renaissance architecture was a combination of the earlier Gothic style coupled with a strong Italian influence represented by arches, arcades, balustrading and, in general,
16815-531: The house for only about three years. Henry deeded the house to Jessie in October 1898. Following a protracted disagreement, Henry separated from his wife in December 1898 and moved to his sister's house on 57th Street. Jessie, who frequently communicated with friends via a messenger call box in the house, found that some of her messages were intercepted after the couple had separated. The Sloanes formally received
16992-404: The house for sale in 1992. The firm sought to resell the house for $ 46 million, but there were few potential buyers. By early 1997, Power Corporation was still negotiating to sell the house to one of several potential buyers, including Polo Ralph Lauren. The mansion was sold in November 1997 to an unidentified German entity for around $ 36 million. At the time, Polo Ralph Lauren was the sole tenant of
17169-476: The house has been connected with the former Oliver Gould Jennings House at 7 East 72nd Street , immediately to the west, forming a single residence. The two houses collectively occupy a single rectangular land lot of 8,923 square feet (829.0 m ), with a frontage of 87.33 feet (26.62 m) and a north–south depth of 102.17 feet (31.14 m). Notable buildings nearby include the Pulitzer Mansion on
17346-400: The house in 1971 and used the top three floors as its offices. The church paid $ 300,000 in cash and took over a $ 700,000 mortgage. After buying the house, St. James Church hired the architectural firm of Adams & Woodbridge to devise plans for a connection between the mansion and the church's adjacent parish house. During the 1970s, Christie's continued to occupy the Rhinelander Mansion, and
17523-537: The house in the 1980s, when the house was renovated for the Ralph Lauren Corporation . The design of the modern grand stairway is based on a stair at the Connaught Hotel in London; documents indicate that a historian known as Mosette recommended that the renovation architects build a replica of the hotel's stairway. Oil portraits were placed along the walls of the grand mahogany stairway. The second story
17700-497: The house in the mid-20th century, and the mansion was additionally occupied by two florists during that period. During the mid-1940s, the house itself was valued at $ 25,000, while the land was valued at around $ 270,000. The Olivotti store went out of business in 1946, and the Dry Dock Savings Bank sold the house that September to A. J. Paretta, who planned to renovate the building into a commercial structure. By December 1946,
17877-411: The house needed at least $ 40,000 in repairs before he would consider buying it. Records show that Waldo gave a $ 50,000 mortgage on the house to Anna Baier that year. Baier moved to foreclose on the house in 1907. Thieves frequently targeted the abandoned mansion; in one case, there were four separate break-ins in four months. By 1908, Waldo had placed the mansion at 867 Madison Avenue for sale, along with
18054-400: The house over the years, so many of the original decorations had been removed. According to another report, the mansion was significantly modified 15 times between 1921 and 1979. The architect Witold Rybczynski wrote in his book Home: A Short History of an Idea that, when the house was renovated in the 1980s, the designer Ralph Lauren aimed to redesign the interior in a way reminiscent of
18231-417: The house retained most of its original design details. For example, when a sprinkler line was installed, it passed over one of the house's original drapery rods. When 9 East 72nd Street was combined with the neighboring 7 East 72nd Street in 2010, the combined houses included two levels of bedrooms, a swimming pool, and two top floors for the staff. There was also a 8,500-square-foot (790 m ) terrace above
18408-542: The house through the next year. In any case, Mrs. Sterling Boos bought the house from Mathews in September 1947 as a sanctuary for the "I AM" Activity religious movement; at the time, the house was valued at $ 185,000. After Boos's acquisition, the house was occupied by the Sanctuary of the Master's Presence; the interiors remained mostly unchanged even after its conversion to religious use. The building also hosted events such as
18585-520: The house was built for her son Rhinelander, who either refused to live there or went to the Philippines as soon as it was complete. According to research conducted by a later tenant, Waldo probably could not afford to live in the house upon her return. Waldo never unpacked many of the European furnishings she had brought from Europe, and the furnishings remained in their crates. Although Waldo did not live in
18762-471: The house was constructed for the heiress Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo , she never moved in. The mansion was converted to a commercial building in the 20th century, becoming the New York City flagship store of the Ralph Lauren accessory and clothing company in the 1980s. The mansion is a New York City designated landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places . The Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House
18939-425: The house was sold to James A. Stillman , the president of National City Bank of New York ; the house was valued at $ 450,000. At the time, Stillman also owned property at 17 and 19 East 72nd Street to the east. as well as property on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street to the west. Stillman had planned to construct a mansion on the latter corner, to be designed by McKim, Mead & White , but
19116-470: The house with a loan from the Dime Savings Bank, and it bought the building in March. The Ley Company announced plans that June for a 14-story apartment building there, topped by a three-story penthouse, which would cost $ 1 million. Had the apartment building been erected, it would have contained 60 regular apartments with two to four rooms each. The planned penthouse, set back from the roof on both sides,
19293-521: The house's design had been derived from the same sources as the Fifth Avenue mansions of the renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt , but that the Rhinelander Mansion "surpassed the master in exuberance and charm". The architecture critic Henry Hope Reed Jr. said: "The fortress heritage of the rural, royal residences of the Loire was not lost in the transfer to New York. The roof-line is very fine....The Gothic
19470-408: The house's mortgage in October 1911. The Dime Savings Bank acquired the house at a foreclosure auction in February 1912, paying $ 150,000. At the time, local media sources reported that Waldo could have sold it for $ 350,000 in previous years. A restrictive covenant had been applied to the site, preventing it from being used as anything other than a private residence of up to four stories. The bank filed
19647-470: The house's value reduced by 62 percent for tax purposes. Riker sold the house to Harold C. Mathews Jr. and Archibald Dudgeon that June. The New York Herald Tribune reported in December 1946 that Mathews and Dudgeon transferred ownership of the house in December 1946 at an estimated value of $ 200,000, but the Herald Tribune and The New York Times both record Harold Churchill Mathews as having owned
19824-446: The house, but nearly all other sources describe Gertrude as never having lived there; news articles from the 1900s describe her as living at 31 East 72nd Street with her sister. The reason Waldo chose not to reside in the house is unknown, as she never divulged the reason before her death in 1914. One newspaper claimed that, when Gertrude returned from Europe, there was dissatisfaction with the building's style. Other newspapers claimed that
20001-422: The house, neither did she want to sell it. Several times, when her family found a buyer for the house, Waldo refused to sign the documents that were necessary for such a sale. Waldo also refused to rent it out or perform any maintenance, and she frequently did not pay interest on the house's mortgage. It is unknown why Waldo refused to make payments toward the mortgage, but whenever a bank came close to foreclosing on
20178-483: The house, of which real estate broker Barbara Corcoran estimated that half wanted to convert it into a single-family home. The 72nd Street houses remained unsold for over two years because of a decline in New York City real estate following the September 11 attacks . Although an appraiser said in mid-2002 that the two buildings at 7 and 9 East 72nd Street could be sold for $ 25 million each, they were ultimately sold for
20355-420: The house, she paid off the outstanding debt before she could lose control. The abandoned house stood in contrast to the apartment buildings Waldo did own, where she collected rent from tenants. One of the house's subcontractors placed a $ 2,675 lien on the house in 1901, claiming that Waldo had failed to pay them, although whether she paid them is unclear. During the 1900s, thieves broke into the abandoned house on
20532-655: The houses again in December 1909 to satisfy a $ 10,000 judgment, $ 9,221 in unpaid taxes, and a $ 150,000 mortgage, and the houses was scheduled to be sold at auction. The auction was canceled the next month. The buildings remained unoccupied, generating no revenue for Waldo, though 28 East 72nd Street would eventually be sold in 1911. That September, Waldo transferred ownership of the 867 Madison Avenue home to her sister Laura, along with other property that Waldo owned in Lower Manhattan on Washington Street and Barclay Street. The Dime Savings Bank of New York moved to foreclose on
20709-546: The interior of their palace church (1909–1916) near Moscow to be decorated in strict imitation of the 16th-century Venetian churches. The style spread to North America , where it became a favourite domestic architectural style of the wealthiest Americans. The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island , was a residence of the Vanderbilt family designed by Richard Morris Hunt in 1892; it and contemporaneous Gilded Age mansions exemplify
20886-436: The interiors, and items such as luggage, flowers, and birdcages were arranged to complement the house's design. The house also contained other features such as working mahogany fireplaces. The design was based on various settings such as a hotel, a workshop, and a clubhouse. Objects such as sepia prints, side tables, and Chippendale chairs were used to give the interiors the appearance of an English clubhouse. Other motifs, such as
21063-407: The items that were being sold there. A writer for The New York Times wrote in 1994 that "the four-story, faux French chateau is one of the city's best-known and beloved structures". The AIA Guide to New York City wrote, "Every part of this building exudes personality". In a 2001 guidebook, Francis Morrone wrote that the building's "varied, irregular silhouette" had a romantic air and that it
21240-443: The late 19th century. These included Henry Sloane, who had, in 1880, married Jessie Ann Robbins, whose father was a partner in the wholesale drug firm of McKesson & Robbins . The Sloanes lived on 54th Street until the 1890s at a time when that part of Midtown Manhattan was filled with houses for the upper class. By the mid-1890s, numerous wealthy families had settled on 72nd Street. Henry Sloane initially may wanted to buy
21417-561: The mansion for sale in 1982, the Rhinelander Florist shop occupied the ground floor. Around the same time, the Zabar family leased one of the storefronts for their gourmet-food store Eat, redecorating the space in a variation of the house's original interior. The Zabars restored the space's windows, mahogany ceilings, and wooden doors, and they also added a marble floor, entrance arch, and balustrade. The house also hosted historic-house tours in
21594-641: The mansion was never built, and that site remained vacant. By 1905, Stillman was recorded as having shifted his primary residence out of New York City, though he continued to live at 9 East 72nd Street. Stillman had nine servants at the house, including a chef whose cooking he reviewed every night. The few visitors Stillmn invited had a largely negative impression of him, and whenever he invited family members over, he forced them to sit in silence for hours. After retiring from National City Bank in 1909, Stillman spent most of his time in Paris. Although he hosted events such as
21771-421: The mansion's drapes closed to entice visitors, while the decorations and artwork inside were swapped out every few weeks to attract repeat customers. By then, men's and women's clothing departments each occupied about half of the house's space. Polo Ralph Lauren acquired yet another building across the street, at 872 Madison Avenue, in 2004; that structure housed the store's baby-clothing department, which had opened
21948-417: The mansion's store "the first flagship store to actively engage with filmic fantasy as a whole of brand merchandising strategy". Though the store was originally supposed to open in November 1985, it was delayed by factors ranging from constant bomb threats to stringent preservation requirements. The 20,000-square-foot (1,900 m) store opened on April 21, 1986, following a preview event. According to Lauren,
22125-523: The mansion, paying $ 3 million annually in rent. 867 Madison Avenue retained its country-club atmosphere through the end of the 20th century. A 1998 Los Angeles Times article noted that the flagship store's patrons were given complimentary drinks. In the early 2000s, a Women's Wear Daily reporter wrote that the Rhinelander Mansion maintained its manor-like character, while the store inside had 50 salespeople "who behave more like servants at an English estate than typical retail clerks". Polo Ralph Lauren kept
22302-421: The mansion. An Irish company, Power Corporation plc, bought the house in mid-1989 for $ 43 million; Power Corporation's executive vice president called the building a "trophy property" because of factors such as the Ralph Lauren store's sales revenue and the consumer price index . At the time, Polo Ralph Lauren's rent was eight percent of the Rhinelander Mansion store's sales revenue. The Rhinelander Mansion flagship
22479-399: The mansion. Ralph Lauren opened an eyewear division within the mansion in 2006. Ralph Lauren announced plans in 2008 to rebuild the neighboring structure at 888 Madison Avenue into the company's second New York City flagship. The womenswear and home appliances departments were moved from the Rhinelander Mansion to the new flagship when the latter structure opened in 2010. The Rhinelander Mansion
22656-485: The mid 19th century understood them as part of a continuum, often simply called 'Italian', and freely combined them all, as well as Renaissance as it was first practiced in other countries. Thus Italian, French and Flemish Renaissance coupled with the amount of borrowing from these later periods can cause great difficulty and argument in correctly identifying various forms of 19th-century architecture. Differentiating some forms of French Neo-Renaissance buildings from those of
22833-455: The mid 19th century, it often materialized not just in its original form first seen in Italy, but as a hybrid of all its forms according to the whims of architects and patrons, an approach typical of the mid and late 19th century. Modern scholarship defines the styles following the Renaissance as Mannerist and Baroque , two very different, even opposing styles of architecture , but the architects of
23010-429: The mid- and later 19th century: "Neo-Renaissance" might be applied by contemporaries to structures that others called " Italianate ", or when many French Baroque features are present ( Second Empire ). The divergent forms of Renaissance architecture in different parts of Europe, particularly in France and Italy , has added to the difficulty of defining and recognizing Neo-Renaissance architecture. A comparison between
23187-592: The most popular on Madison Avenue, and the house itself became a symbol of Polo Ralph Lauren. Following the house's 1986 renovation, the Friends of the Upper East Side Historic District gave Lauren an award in 1986. The New York Landmarks Conservancy gave the house itself an award for "outstanding commercial renovation" in 1988. The design of the Rhinelander Mansion inspired that of another Polo Ralph Lauren store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago , although
23364-508: The most spacious and magnificent in New York", and The New York Times described the house as "one of the handsomest of the newer uptown residences". In 1900, Architectural Annual magazine described 7 and 9 East 72nd Street as "Enigmas: Hotels particuliers a New York – but not the French Quarter" in a picture caption. A writer for The New York Times described the house in 1974 as "perhaps
23541-401: The neighborhood were being demolished or converted to non-residential uses, as millionaires no longer resided in these mansions. The house was purchased by an unnamed client of Douglas Elliman in 1941. Mary J. Riker was recorded as having owned the house after Sanford; she bought the house to protect her residence at 7 East 72nd Street. In early 1945, Riker successfully petitioned to have
23718-522: The one at the Warsaw University of Technology designed by Bronisław Rogóyski and Stefan Szyller (late 19th century), both rise from pastiches of true Renaissance courtyards. Both staircases seem more akin to Balthasar Neumann 's great Baroque staircase at the Würzburg Residenz than anything found in a true Renaissance Palazzo. The apparent Baroque style staircase at Mentmore is not without
23895-413: The only style of architecture to have existed in so many forms, yet still common to so many countries. 9 East 72nd Street The Henry T. Sloane House is a mansion at 9 East 72nd Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. It is along 72nd Street's northern sidewalk between Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue . The five-story building was designed by Carrère and Hastings in
24072-615: The original architectural drawings and decorative details were no longer extant, Leff's firm restored some of the original decorations, such as stairways and plasterwork. The main entrance was moved to the corner of the building. Ralph Lauren employees traveled to Europe to acquire antique decorations and furniture for the interiors. The renovation team also acquired materials such as 82,000 square feet (7,600 m) of mahogany, in addition to felt walls and drapery. The interiors were fitted with such lavish displays as antique toys, rattan cages with live canaries, and real grass. One commentator called
24249-566: The original decorative details were no longer visible. 867 Partnership began renovating the building in 1984, converting the second floor to retail space and the third through fifth floors into office space. The façade was also restored. The fashion designer Ralph Lauren , head of the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation , leased the basement and the first four stories in January 1985, with an initial lease of 20 years and an option to extend it another 29 years. Lauren had considered leasing
24426-401: The past, rather than replicating the original architecture verbatim. There was a large bowling alley in the basement. The first floor was a large center hall extending one-third the width of the Madison Avenue frontage, with mahogany paneling on the walls and ceiling. There was a library to the right of the stairs, as well as a red-mahogany billiards room to the left. The original drawing room
24603-531: The period of transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance style; and also as Renaissance−era design took the form of the addition of Renaissance ornamentation to Gothic−era buildings thus creating an accretion of details from disparate sources. Architects who designed in the Renaissance Revival style usually avoided any references to Gothic Revival architecture, drawing instead on a variety of other classically based styles. However, there are exceptions and occasionally
24780-422: The previous year. The boys' clothing department moved to another structure nearby, at 878 Madison Avenue, in 2004. A writer for The New York Times said in 2006 that the block of Madison Avenue adjoining the Rhinelander Mansion had become a "Disney-like mall of Ralph Lauren stores". Lauren also opened stores downtown to attract younger customers who did not travel to the Rhinelander Mansion. The Rhinelander Mansion
24957-504: The project cost over $ 14 million, though other sources described the renovation as costing up to $ 18 million or $ 30 million. Leff's firm also gained media attention when the renovation was completed. Following the renovation, Polo Ralph Lauren requested a $ 4 million federal tax credit for the building's restoration, as the structure was on the NRHP. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), which had to endorse
25134-408: The projecting end pavilions, these stories contain rectangular windows divided by vertical transoms and horizontal mullions made of stone. There are pilasters on either side of each of the outer bays' windows; the pilasters are topped by capitals . The fourth-story windows are rectangular, with colonnettes on either side of each window, and are placed behind openwork balustrades. The central bay
25311-428: The proportions and dignity of interiors, but still lost the comfort and internal convenience of the mannerist period. It was during the Neo-Renaissance period of the 19th century that the mannerist comforts were re-discovered and taken a step further. Not only did the improved building techniques of the 1850s allow the glazing of formerly open loggias and arches with the newly invented sheets of plate glass, providing
25488-416: The residence of Alessandro Olivotti, the dealer who operated Olivotti & Company. One of the residences was leased to Mrs. B. Madden in 1932, and a pharmacy took over the basement and the corner storefront at 867 Madison Avenue in 1935. Mademoiselle Marie's dress shop leased a storefront in the mansion in 1941. The photographer Hal Phyfe , and a doctor known as Dr. Stanton, were also cited as having lived in
25665-517: The school. The Municipal Art Society had installed a historic-landmark plaque on the house's facade by that point. Lycée Français formally opened its classrooms at 9 East 72nd Street on September 24, 1964; the school hosted classes in one of the houses' old ballrooms due to a lack of space. The school made relatively few alterations to the two houses over the years. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission considered designating 7 and 9 East 72nd Street as city landmarks in 1976 and granted
25842-430: The second and third stories are composed of rectangular windows, which are divided by vertical transoms and horizontal mullions made of stone. The center window on each story is a triple window, which in turn is flanked by one double window on either side. There are friezes with cartouches below the second-story windows, as well as putti and foliate panels below the third-story windows. The fourth and fifth stories have
26019-554: The so-called Neo-Renaissance style, in reality, a classicizing conglomeration of elements liberally borrowed from different historical periods. Neo-Renaissance was also the favourite style in Kingdom of Hungary in the 1870s and 1880s. In the fast-growing capital, Budapest many monumental public buildings were built in Neo-Renaissance style like Saint Stephen's Basilica and the Hungarian State Opera House . Andrássy Avenue
26196-424: The south, 36 East 72nd Street to the east, and 740 Park Avenue to the southeast. Other nearby buildings include 720 Park Avenue and 730 Park Avenue on the block to the south; 907 Fifth Avenue and 9 East 71st Street to the west; and 7 East 72nd Street and 9 East 72nd Street to the northwest. The Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House is four and a half stories tall. Kimball & Thompson were credited with
26373-469: The southeast corner of 72nd Street , on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The house has a frontage of 102 feet (31 m) on Madison Avenue to the west and 40 feet (12 m) on 72nd Street to the north. The land lot is slightly L-shaped, with an area of 4,491 square feet (417.2 m). The apparel and accessories chain Polo Ralph Lauren , which has had its flagship store at
26550-558: The storefront windows. In the 2010s, the Ralph Lauren Corporation also hosted shows outside its stores at Madison Avenue and 72nd Street. Brooks and McManus continued to own the building through Tribeca Holdings, which agreed in 2016 to sell the building to an unnamed buyer at an undisclosed price. The store closed temporarily in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City . In December 2023, Ralph Lauren renewed its lease for
26727-417: The street. The only visible elevation of the facade is on 72nd Street and is divided vertically into four bays . The facade is further divided horizontally into three sections, reminiscent of the base, shaft, and capital of a column . The first story constitutes the base of the facade and is composed of rusticated limestone blocks. The westernmost bay includes a round-arched entryway, which in turn
26904-403: The structure. Olivotti's name was carved into the ground floor's northern façade. In addition, the mansion's original doorway was relocated. While Olivotti occupied the lower stories, the upper floors were used as apartments. William May Wright and his wife were recorded as living in the house during the 1920s, hosting events such as receptions in their residence. The fourth and fifth stories were
27081-457: The tax credit, spent over a year reviewing Lauren's request, as many of the original decorative details had been covered up or even destroyed. Polo Ralph Lauren was the sole operator of the 867 Madison Avenue store, in contrast to other Ralph Lauren stores that had co-owners. Lauren intended to sell new clothing designs at the Rhinelander Mansion before selling them elsewhere. Originally, the first two stories were for men's clothing and accessories;
27258-507: The third floor was for women's clothing; and the fourth story was for home furnishings. The arrangement was deliberate: the store was marketed as primarily a menswear store, and Birrittella said that, while women would walk through men's clothing departments, the inverse was not true. After the Rhinelander Mansion store opened, Lauren said: "I saw families go upstairs and shop, and that's an experience." The Rhinelander Mansion store earned between $ 80,000 and $ 120,000 daily in its first month; within
27435-484: The third-floor windows, which are decorated with garlands and scrolls. The Ionic columns support a heavy cornice with modillions , which runs horizontally across the facade above the third floor. The fourth floor is within a mansard roof and is recessed behind a balustrade. On this story, there are four mansard windows, each corresponding to a bay on the first through third floors. The dormers are topped by flat-arched pediments. The use of flat-arched pediments on
27612-515: The time, it was one of several art dealers or antique shops on the avenue within the Upper East Side. Norman S. Riesenfeld bought the building from Renaissance Inc. in June 1926. Riesenfeld initially considered replacing it with an apartment building, but he decided to resell the building that October to Olivotti & Co. after negotiating with the company's representatives during a trip to Italy. The Times reported that Olivotti planned to renovate and occupy
27789-816: The time, the house was valued at $ 450,000. After Henry bought back the house, he did not live there. Instead, in February 1900, Sloane leased the house to the publisher Joseph Pulitzer , who was living in the Hotel Netherland because his house at 55th Street had burned down. Pulitzer agreed to pay $ 17,500 a year in rent. for a lease that expired in May 1901. Shortly after his family moved to 9 East 72nd Street, Pulitzer bought several lots one block north on 73rd Street for his permanent residence—the Joseph Pulitzer House . The 1900 United States census shows that Pulitzer's household consisted of six people and that he employed another 17 servants. In February 1901,
27966-468: The two distinct styles are mixed. The sub-variety of Gothic design most frequently employed is floral Venetian Gothic , as seen in the Doge's Palace courtyard, built in the 1480s. A common Baroque feature introduced into the Renaissance Revival styles was the "imperial staircase" (a single straight flight dividing into two separate flights). The staircase at Mentmore Towers designed by Joseph Paxton, and
28143-453: The two houses. Observer cites the two houses as occupying a combined 45,000 square feet (4,200 m ), though the New York City Department of City Planning cites the gross floor area as 42,380 square feet (3,937 m ). 9 East 72nd Street was originally constructed for Henry T. Sloane , whose father had founded the carpet firm W. & J. Sloane . Various members of the family married into other affluent New York City families in
28320-429: Was a contrast to other Ralph Lauren stores, which had been designed by Ken Winslow. Polo Fashions executive Buffy Birrittella assisted Lauren with the renovation. The Rhinelander Mansion's renovation required as many as 400 workers at a time. As part of the project, workers installed furniture and decorations that were reminiscent of the house's original design, including oak floors and mahogany balustrades. Although many of
28497-490: Was a second-floor ballroom, which was lit by 1,000 light bulbs. There were bedrooms on the third floor and servants' quarters on the fourth floor. Much of the fourth floor was occupied by a large ballroom. The New York Times wrote in 1909 that, although a house of the Waldo Mansion's size should have had space for 10 to 12 servants, the house contained only two servants' bedrooms and no space at all for domestic workers . By
28674-527: Was a series of private houses atop each other, but it was initially unsuccessful in lifting the restrictive covenant. The restriction was ultimately repealed by the late 1910s. The Samuel A. Herzog Construction Company bought the house in March 1918, with plans to build an apartment structure there. After the Herzog company gave up its mortgage on the house, the Dime Savings Bank took back ownership. The Fred T. Ley Company indicated in January 1919 that it wished to buy
28851-455: Was abandoned upon completion; the second story had various communal rooms, while the third and fourth stories originally had bedrooms. The interior layout has been significantly altered over the years, and few of the original interior plans and decorations survive. Waldo bought the site in 1882 but did not develop it for more than a decade. Waldo refused to move into the house for unknown reasons, and she also refused to maintain, rent out, or sell
29028-478: Was carried out using traditional French Gothic styles but with ornament in the forms of pediments, arcades, shallow pilasters and entablatures from the Italian Renaissance . In England , the Renaissance tended to manifest itself in large square tall houses such as Longleat House (1568–1580). Often these buildings had symmetrical towers which hint at the evolution from medieval fortified architecture. This
29205-458: Was converted into Ralph Lauren's flagship menswear store, while the company's eyewear and children's divisions were located elsewhere. When the Rhinelander Mansion opened in September 2010, each story was occupied by different menswear brands. The first floor contained watches and Polo-branded items; the second floor had the Purple Label brand and a luggage department; the third floor accommodated
29382-400: Was decorated with a wooden floor, while the conservatory had mosaic flooring; both spaces had ornate ceilings. On the eastern wall of the main hall, there was originally a grand staircase with a mosaic wall. Little is known about that staircase, but it was entirely demolished in a later renovation. A new staircase and elevator were built in the 1960s, and a grand mahogany staircase was added to
29559-476: Was described as a "country house" with a limestone exterior, red Spanish-tile roof, 28 rooms, and a private elevator. By then, the home's stonework was falling off, while its windows had cracked. The news media announced in October 1920 that the building had been sold to the Renaissance Building Company, which planned to divide it into apartments with two to four rooms each. The buyer also took over
29736-407: Was erected in 1809 designed by Peter Speeth . It included a heavily rusticated ground floor, alleviated by one semicircular arch, with a curious Egyptian style miniature portico above, high above this were a sequence of six tall arched windows and above these just beneath the slightly projecting roof were the small windows of the upper floor. This building foreshadows similar effects in the work of
29913-606: Was further elaborated by architects of the Vladimir Palace (1867–1872) and culminated in the Stieglitz Museum (1885–1896). In Moscow , the Neo-Renaissance was less prevalent than in the Northern capital, although interiors of the neo-Muscovite City Duma (1890–1892) were executed with emphasis on Florentine and Venetian décor. While the Neo-Renaissance is associated primarily with secular buildings, Princes Yusupov commissioned
30090-435: Was hired to install fireproof partitions within the mansion. Waldo also traveled back to Europe to look for furniture that she wanted. The four-story house at 867 Madison Avenue was finished by 1898. At the time of the house's completion, Waldo was in Europe. The New York Times estimated in 1909 that, in total, it had cost $ 1 million to build and furnish the house. A single directory denotes Gertrude Waldo as having resided in
30267-445: Was in fact a truly internal feature. Further and more adventurous use of glass also enabled the open and arcaded Renaissance courtyards to be reproduced as lofty halls with glazed roofs. This was a feature at Mentmore Towers and on a far larger scale at the Warsaw University of Technology , where the large glazed court contained a monumental staircase. The "Warsaw University of Technology staircase", though if Renaissance in spirit at all,
30444-408: Was one of Polo Ralph Lauren's most profitable stores in the early 1990s, and the store had outgrown the mansion. In 1991, the company leased space at 888 Madison Avenue, across the street from the mansion, for its sportswear division. The company decided to renovate 888 Madison Avenue, opening a Polo Sport store there in September 1993. Unlike the Rhinelander Mansion, the Polo Sport store was designed in
30621-476: Was one of the main surviving Chateauesque mansions in the city. Christopher Gray wrote in 2010 that the house's design would have been suited for Fifth Avenue, where there were similarly large mansions. A writer for the Daily Beast wrote that the Madison Avenue mansion and the adjacent house on 72nd Street was "her crowning achievement, and her most lasting legacy". Before the Polo Ralph Lauren store opened at
30798-451: Was recorded as being vacant in mid-1896, when a burglary prompted a police watchman to be posted outside the Sloanes' house, though $ 300,000 worth of furniture had been moved into the house by September 1896. One of the first events that the Sloanes hosted at the house was a dance party for more than 200 guests in January 1897, an event they also hosted the following year. The Sloanes lived in
30975-429: Was so common that today one finds "Renaissance Italian Palazzi" serving as banks or municipal buildings in the centres of even the smallest towns. It has been said " It is a well-known fact that the nineteenth century had no art style of its own. " While to an extent this may be true, the same could be said of most eras until the early 20th century, the Neo-Renaissance in the hands of provincial architects did develop into
31152-475: Was sold again in 2005 for $ 80 million to Sloane Capital Group, an investment group led by the Irish investors Aidan Brooks and J. P. McManus . Although Polo Ralph Lauren had offered to buy the house, Sloane Capital had submitted a higher bid. The Rhinelander Mansion remained Polo Ralph Lauren's flagship through the late 2000s. Cheaper items were placed near the main entrance, while more pricey objects were deeper inside
31329-431: Was to become one of the features of Neo-Renaissance design. It became a common feature for the staircase to be not just a feature of the internal architecture but also the external. But whereas at Blois the stairs had been open to the elements in the 19th century new and innovative use of glass was able to give protection from the weather, giving the staircase the appearance of being in the true renaissance open style, when it
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