The Vanderbilts’ Manhattan Mansion Was Listed For $50 Million
Manhattan's Upper East Side is become known for its wealth and prosperity. To many, the idea of an 18,504 square foot home in Manhattan seems absurd. Even for the wealthy, 18,000+ square feet of living space might give them pause thanks to a $50 million price tag, as reported by Mansion Global. The price was later dropped by $10 million.
Before the turn of the 20th century, Robert B. Lynd developed this mansion in the heart of what would become one of the most famous places in the world. Naturally, one of the richest families in America had to have it and in 1924, the Vanderbilts moved into the mansion. This is where Gloria Vanderbilt spent much of her childhood.
The Most Famous Street In Manhattan
In case you couldn't tell by the treetops, this photograph doesn't reveal all seven stories of the mansion. The twelve giant windows visible in this shot are only a few of the house's many perks.
The mansion sits on East 72nd Street, known as the stomping ground for the great artists and fashion designers of the world. It's just one block from Central Park; although, owning 18,000 square feet of historical property might make other landmarks less thrilling.
White On White On White
This gorgeous room is just one of multiple living spaces. The large space allows for extensive seating. Looking out to famous 72nd street are windows nearly floor to ceiling. The circular indentation in the ceiling is a style choice that opens up the room even more by offering elevated ceiling space.
The focal point of this room is the gas-burning fireplace, one of many in this house. Rich hardwood floors are cut into a unique design that offers even more design and elegance than traditional hardwood flooring.
A Dream For Entertainers
With such a superb entertaining space, it's only natural that there would be a wet bar off to its side. The wet bar is separate but pronounced with crown molding, wooden cabinetry, and marble countertops and walls. The added cabinetry and sink space make this area a gem for hosting large parties.
And in a space this large, the last thing you want to do is run down five levels to grab your guest another drink.
Of Course, There's An Elevator
Yeah, there's an elevator. The 18,000 square foot mansion has seven levels, and especially for an elderly individual, it would be hard to quickly get from one space to another without one.
Gloria Vanderbilt had just been born when her parents moved in, and it's likely that her mother, or rather her nanny, appreciated not having to lug a stroller up the stairs. Unfortunately, the death of her father led Gloria out of the home to go live in Paris.
Gleaming Hallways And Staircases
Brass railings adorn the staircases, which consist of marble flooring. The hallways are as wide as some people's bedrooms and provide plenty of space to display vast and incredibly expensive wall art.
The Vanderbilt fortune began way before Gloria was even a thought, before her father was a thought for that matter. Her grandfather, Cornelius Vanderbilt, invested in the railroad industry back in the 1800s, just in time for the Industrial Revolution. In the late 1860s, the first transcontinental railroad was built, making Cornelius one of the wealthiest individuals in history.
The Neverending Sectional
After seeing all of the seating space in one of the other rooms, it seems kind of risky for designers to dress this room with just one couch. But this is no ordinary sofa, this one belongs in the Guinness Book of World Records.
This room is one of the few in the house that has windows wrapped around the room, offering natural light in every nook and cranny. The crown molding, hardwood floors, and built-ins give a comfortable feel to an otherwise royal room.
Look At This Enormous Kitchen Island
It's not often that you see limestone floors in a kitchen — or anywhere else for that matter. The house was remodeled just five years ago, and it definitely has that modern feel. Big-name brands including Gaggenau, Viking Tuscany, and Miele are responsible for the incredible walls, cabinets, and appliances.
A Calacatta marble slab counter is large and smooth enough to practically ice skate on top of, while custom cabinetry provides ideal organization. Marble-tiled walls and backsplash ensures that no part of this kitchen falls short of museum quality.
A Room Just Off The Kitchen
From this angle, if you look down the hallway it almost looks like you're being transported through various dimensions. That's because every room in this house is uniform, separated by bright, wide hallways.
This side of the kitchen exposes an area off the kitchen that the realtors would probably call a breakfast nook, though the space could easily fit a formal dining room table. It also exposes a double oven opposite the gas-burning stove and barstools lining that tremendous marble island.
Luxury Powder Room
While most might be tempted to call this a bathroom, it is actually a powder room. The difference is that this mansion's bathrooms — all eleven of them — are equipped with tubs and showers. But in case someone can't make it to one of the approximately two bathrooms per floor, they can always run into a sleek powder room like this one.
These tankless toilets receive water directly from a supply line, unlike most toilets which require a siphon.
This Bathroom Has Everything You Need
Now this is a bathroom! It's equipped with marble everything, a tub, a built-in shower shelf, and double mirrors. There are also two showerheads, and a separate handle for each one.
Speaking of being good to go, before Cornelius Vanderbilt passed, he gifted the founder of Vanderbilt University in Nashville all that he needed to open the school in 1873. Cornelius passed away just four years later, in 1877.
It's All Up From Here
The bathroom we just saw is actually the least impressive in this house. Case in point: see this gorgeous room. The hardwood provides an accent wall, unlike anything you've ever seen. The deep wood contrasts the stark white double sinks, marble floor, and stand-alone bathtub.
While the design of this house is superb, it only makes sense that it be so if it fit the Vanderbilt standards. After all, the Vanderbilt family spent 50 years at the turn of the century building East Coast palaces.
High-Tech Shower
Past the double sinks and frosted, double glass doors, there's a walk-in shower, or rather, a shower room. The marble floors even seem to expand directly into the shower space. If only we had a photograph from inside the shower, perhaps we could solve the mystery of the vast number of shower handles.
One person who never got to see this modern addition to the home was is Gloria Vanderbilt's father's first wife, Cathleen Vanderbilt. She was the great-granddaughter of a prominent New York real estate developer.
Room For Dozens Of Kids
The home's designer has outfitted this room with a bunk bed. Between the twelve rooms that this house has to offer, it's doubtful that many guests would be sharing their room when staying at the Vanderbilt's opulent Manhattan mansion.
When it comes to Gloria Vanderbilt, she certainly would have had plenty of space in this home, given she had just four children. One of her children is CNN television anchor Anderson Cooper.
This Bedroom Is Built For Versatility
This bright room would be excellent as another shared space, as the designer has it currently set up, or as another bedroom or bonus room. The hardwood floors can be overlaid with a soft rug to provide a feeling of comfort, or can remain exposed for added depth and function.
The square space can be molded to be anything from a yoga room, to a guest room, or a more formal office. A walk-in closet to the left is ideal for storage, while the window allows natural light to spill into an already light room.
This Bedroom Has An Added Bonus
A similar size to the previous bedroom, this space offers a more aesthetically pleasing window view, with enough space for trees to caress the sill. However, the modern art on the wall is far too plain for the style that Gloria preferred to create as an artist.
Gloria created hundreds of paintings over her lifetime, all of which were bursting with color and patterns. Her vivid artwork may be attributed to her fashion sense, seeing that she was also a fashion designer and the one responsible for making denim jeans designer.
Another Bedroom Or Another Living Room?
While this giant room is considered a bedroom, its expansive windows and massive square footage make it easily convertible into another living space, or a bonus room. The designer even has a couch and coffee table accompanying the bed, which also has a large fabric bench at the foot of it.
While the features of this room may seem superfluous, Gloria Vanderbilt was an artist, author, actress, and fashion designer. With that many balls to juggle, a space with this setup may have been perfect for the heiress.
An Indoor-Outdoor Party Space
A uniquely-designed stair railing lines this bonus space that exits through a large sliding glass door. Beyond, the incredible city view encourages any guest to explore what lays beyond, in an obviously spacious rooftop courtyard.
When Gloria Vanderbilt left this house with her mother upon her father's death, her personal life became rather severe. After a popular custody battle, Gloria became the ward of her aunt Gertrude once her mother was deemed an unfit parent.
Now, This Is The New York That All Those Songs Are Written About
Anyone who has visited New York knows it can be a bit daunting. The state holds nearly 20 million people, and while some of them live outside of the city, many are packed into its many metropolitan areas.
When it comes to Upper Eastside Manhattan, though, the dirty and grungy aspects that come with any overpopulated, urban area seem to disappear. This view off of the estate reveals the clean, historically kept New York that the Vanderbilts helped build.
Outdoor Space In The City Is Not A Myth
The outdoor area of this mansion is roomy enough to hold an entirely separate house. The design of the space pictured here is oddly reminiscent of the first living space we looked at. Like that space, this area offers a long dining room table beside a sitting space. Additionally, the poured cement floors are uniformly designed with squares that mimic tile, and an outdoor rug offers a homey impression.
However, unlike the indoor living spaces, the view out here is panoramic.
This Space Is Surrounded By City Life
This second outdoor living space has enough room to accommodate plenty of guests, or even to hold a wedding reception. The surrounding skyscrapers give the feel of being completely submerged in city life. Having all eyes on you can come at a cost, though.
Gloria Vanderbilt was such a prominent figure that she had to license her own name in the 1970s. She eventually sold the rights to her name and started the company GV Ltd. Unfortunately, Gloria ended up owing millions in back taxes and had to sell two of her New York Estates. They say more money creates more problems, but this mansion just might make up for it.
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