This 1902 Carriage House Just Became Manhattan's Most Talked-About Listing

Lucía Torres · 2026-10-21

Some homes tell a story. This one has been telling it for over 120 years. 165 East 70th Street started life in 1902 as a carriage house and stable, dreamed up by architect C.P.H. Gilbert for banker Henri P. Wertheim. Back then, the limestone Neo-Italian Renaissance structure was built unusually wide on purpose—33 feet by 100 feet—so horses and carriages could come and go with ease. It later served as chauffeur's quarters for Stephen C. Clark, heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, and was eventually bought by banking heir Paul Mellon and his wife, Bunny, in 1965. Fast forward to today, and that same building has just hit the Manhattan market as a fully reimagined single-family residence, listed by The Agency New York's Mike Fabbri. ### A Four-Year Labor of Love The home sold in 2009, but the real work didn't begin until 2011. That's when the current owners started a meticulous four-year transformation with architecture firm Sawyer | Berson—keeping the soul of the original structure while rethinking every inch of the interior for modern living. The result? Six bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, six wood-burning fireplaces, and three private landscaped terraces. And somehow, despite all that square footage, every floor feels connected. "A lot of times, these grand homes can feel cold," Fabbri told us. "But one of the most welcome features of this one is how warm it is and how much it feels like a place that deserves to be filled with people and memories and laughter." ### The Details That Set It Apart Craftsmanship here isn't an afterthought—it's the whole point. A few standouts: - Quarter-sawn, hand-pillowed oak floors throughout - Venetian plaster walls and custom silk carpeting and wallpaper - Heated sidewalks (yes, really) - A curb-cut driveway, which is a genuine rarity in Manhattan ### Floor by Floor, It Keeps Surprising You Mirrored Horus bronze doors open from the tree-lined street into a Petit Granit-floored private garage that doubles as an entertaining space. From there, a honed Beauvallon limestone foyer wraps around a wrought iron and limestone staircase that climbs 46 feet toward a skylight. This level also holds a custom mudroom, a 13-seat soundproof theater, and private guest quarters with a full kitchen and living area. The second floor is all about gathering: a living room overlooking 70th Street, a glass-enclosed dining room with custom Lockwood/Boone pendants, and an eat-in chef's kitchen with a quartzite island and American White Oak-paneled Sub-Zero, Miele, and Wolf appliances. On the third floor, a Sapele Mahogany-paneled library anchors one end while the primary suite—with dual dressing rooms and mirrored marble baths—takes the other. Three more ensuite bedrooms on the fourth level open to a 598-square-foot irrigated terrace, and the fifth floor adds soundproof offices, a glass-paneled solarium, and rooftop access. ### Below Grade, Things Get Serious The double-height cellar holds a Petit Granit-lined Jacuzzi and cold plunge, steam room, sauna, massage room, and a full gym walled in original two-inch virgin chestnut salvaged from the old horse ramps. There's also a temperature-controlled 6,319-bottle wine cellar, plus a separate prep kitchen and laundry. All told, the home offers more than 1,350 square feet of private outdoor space across multiple levels. For buyers who want history, privacy, and modern comfort in one package, this one is hard to beat.