305 West 71st Street

$7,150,000

This Manhattan mansion was designed by the noted architect George Keister, famous for designing classic New York theaters, including the Apollo Theater, the American Airlines Theater (Roundabout), and the Beaux-Arts style Belasco Theater. He also designed the McAlpin-Miller House, which was purchased by the Carnegie family and is now part of the Cooper-Hewitt National Museum of Design. Two years were required to originally construct this Upper West Side townhouse, complete with its unique façade and rare carved gargoyle faces. In the late 1960s, it was completely renovated by the Harvard-trained preservationist, Freedom Ainsworth. Modern central air conditioning was installed, as well as heating systems and leveling of the floors. The current owners have added a custom kitchen and baths. Plans have been approved for expansion into the backyard, which would enlarge the kitchen and formal dining room areas. A quiet cul-de-sac, the block has turned into a destination for well-known people who appreciate seclusion from the hustle-bustle. This New York City townhouse features expansive room proportions that can only be achieved by a building with this breadth, rare on the market.

This Upper West Side townhouse is ready for conversion to single-family use! Currently, the owner lives in the magnificent two-story duplex apartment comprised of the parlor and the third floor and uses the townhouse’s spacious garden level as a business office. The fourth floor is occupied as a luxury rental, providing $4,100 month-to-month. For an owner’s triplex, the garden level can be joined with the duplex. Additionally, the size and ceiling height of the basement allows for the townhouse to be expanded by an additional floor into an owner’s quadraplex.