Rare Richard Morris Hunt-designed Manhattan townhouse hits the market for $5.49 million
One of only four Hunt-designed residential townhouses left in Manhattan, the 1873 Upper East Side home blends preserved 19th‑century detail with modern living.
A rare, four-story townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side designed by famed Beaux-Arts architect Richard Morris Hunt has hit the market for $5.49 million, marking the first time the property has been listed in roughly 25 years. Located at 225 E. 62nd St., the home is one of just four Hunt-designed residential townhouses still standing in Manhattan, a distinction highlighted by listing agents as a significant piece of living history.
Built in 1873 and spanning about 2,850 square feet, the residence sits in the Treadwell Farm Historic District, an enclave of roughly 75 homes between Second and Third Avenues. The façade retains its French Second Empire character, including the original stoop, wrought-iron railings and a Juliet balcony, while the interior has been carefully modernized to balance period charm with today’s comforts. The current owner purchased the home in 2001 and undertook substantial renovations the following year, preserving much of the original detailing while upgrading systems and spaces.
Inside, the four-bedroom residence preserves notable elements such as marble fireplaces, a grand staircase and substantial plaster and millwork. The second-floor double living room runs the full depth of the house, with 10-foot ceilings, Douglas fir floors and large windows that flood the space with daylight. A hand-carved marble mantel anchors the room, while subtle lighting is positioned to showcase art and objects without overpowering the architectural fabric. The chef’s kitchen on the parlor floor features solid maple cabinetry, a six-burner commercial range and a mosaic tile backsplash, and it flows into a dining area that opens to a rear garden.
A standout feature is a standalone brick garden studio atop the rear portion of the home, built in the 1930s and reminiscent of a carriage house. It includes skylights, radiant-heated floors and its own HVAC system, and has been used as a home office by previous occupants. A top-level terrace—accessible from the roof deck—adds another outdoor dimension to the compact townhouse. The property’s interior includes a finished English basement with its own street entrance, a large bedroom, laundry facilities and a full bath, expanding usable living space beyond the main floors.
The home’s four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, a library and a dedicated home office round out a layout designed for flexible living while preserving Hunt’s original intent: a gracious, light-filled residence that remains intimate despite its historic pedigree. The listing notes that while the house is relatively compact compared with some of Hunt’s larger Manhattan townhouses, its size, light and adaptable spaces set it apart.
The Treadwell Farm enclave is valued for its quiet blocks and century-old urban fabric. The district’s modest scale is part of what Hunt’s Manhattan portfolio—often dwarfed by public or grand private landmarks—preserved as a counterweight to the era’s more ostentatious architecture. Current owner downsizing and relocation plans, long located abroad, helped bring the property to market, according to listing agent Dianne Weston of Sotheby’s International Realty. Weston is co-listing the home with Michele Llewelyn and Helene Warrick.
Though the current listing emphasizes the residence’s rarity, Hunt’s broader legacy looms large in American architecture. Hunt designed the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina and the Breakers in Rhode Island, iconic symbols of the Gilded Age. He also contributed to civic landmarks, including the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty and the Met’s Fifth Avenue entrance facade, and he oversaw Beaux-Arts influence after studying at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After returning to the United States, Hunt sought to elevate architecture’s role in shaping national identity through both grand public works and refined private residences.
The four-story townhouse at 225 E. 62nd St. represents a rare, preserved slice of that ambition: a smaller, daylight-filled residence that remains adaptable to modern living while offering a tangible link to the architecture, art and culture of late 19th‑century New York. As Huntington-era townhouses fade and are replaced by newer construction, this property stands out as a teaching moment in how Beaux-Arts design translated to a living, city-center home. The sale underscores the market’s ongoing appetite for historically significant, well-preserved urban residences with a documented pedigree.
For buyers drawn to architecture and the stories buildings tell, the listing provides an opportunity to inhabit a piece of New York’s architectural timeline—while enjoying the comforts of a contemporary home in a celebrated, historic neighborhood.