WOOLWORTH
title HERE
Take a tour of four iconic NYC structures that went from derelict to dazzling.
By MATTHEW PHENIX
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There’s a stately but unassuming façade in Murray Hill between Park and Lexington, a stucco brownstone that hides its secrets well. This home — like the quiet, tree-filled neighborhood that surrounds it — is a haven for residents who prefer elegance to ostentation, and has served as a retreat for those who manage fame without flamboyance.
The most famous residents of this 1857 building were Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, esteemed actors on Broadway and London’s West End, and stars of films by Alfred Hitchcock and dozens of others over more than a century of their combined careers. During the 1940s and 50s, their legendary and long-lived romance was centered in this historic rowhouse, where they spent their days recovering from nights in the footlights (often together) and the spotlight (always together). This is a house that has seen some celebration; the couple lived here when Tandy debuted the role of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire, an iconic performance for which she won a Tony Award, and their years on East 35th coincided with their years at the top of the stage pantheon.
It’s easy to see how one of show business’s premier power couples would find a haven here. The home, built at the height of Italianate brownstone construction in the city, is spacious without being grand, and voluminous enough for its occupants to ease into a quiet life at home, but with doors that open outward to the best of New York. An entrance just above street level welcomes guests into a private entryway, and then up a staircase to the residence. The main living areas stretch over three floors, with four bedrooms and three of the baths providing privacy and plenty of light. The lower floor of the home — the third, as measured from street level — holds a den, a gourmet kitchen, and a dining room with Venetian chandelier, which opens onto a sizable deck. While it has assuredly been the location of a grand party (or dozens), it is perfectly suited for dinners with a gathering of great friends. A private rooftop deck offers incredible views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.
Seventy years after its star turn, the home has been meticulously restored to the height of historic elegance. Mahogany banisters hug the elegant staircase, with fine hardwood flooring and custom period molding throughout, and shutters are fitted into every window. It is, of course, also thoroughly modernized, with zoned climate control, wifi and cable, and a full-sized laundry room. The kitchen is cherrywood and Carrera marble, with a Viking range, Bosch dishwasher, and a Sub-Zero refrigerator and 130-bottle wine cooler — just in case a celebration grows beyond the intimate.
The home is in the middle of a quiet block of a busy city, bordered by busy avenues lined with shops and restaurants of every stripe. While convenient to trains, subways, and ferries, the home is perfect for the Manhattan pedestrian — and so elegantly comfortable, one might be forgiven for skipping an evening on Broadway to settle in and savor the brownstone bliss of home.
Amy Hershman
Licensed Associate RE Salesperson
VIEW LISTINGS
WALKING TOUR The small red plaque at street level identifies 113 East 35th Street as the former home of stage and screen royalty, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy.
Ready for more?
A Murray Hill brownstone — the private retreat of Broadway royalty — celebrates subtle splendor in a genteel section of the city.
OVATION-WORTHY The townhouse boasts four bright bedrooms, a chef-ready kitchen, and ample entertaining space, including a private rooftop deck.
it’s easy to see
how one of show business’s premier power couples would find a haven here.
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BY INHABIT EDITORS