The Gilded Age was a time of great poverty for all but America’s wealthiest families – many of whom splashed their dollars into palatial mansions on the undeveloped streets of New York City.
This was the era that made the Astors and the Vanderbilts household names, and when the super-rich flocked to Fifth Avenue to build stately homes—some as tall as a block wide.
Although most mansions were demolished in the 1920s and later replaced by a Zara, Bergdorf Goodman and religious institution, some still stand in all their glory.
Pedestrians could catch a glimpse of the city’s rich history – and even wealthier past residents – if they pay close enough attention.
But now, as “the last true mansion on Fifth Ave” owned by billionaire Carlos Slim is listed for $80 million, revisits Manhattan’s most glamorous homes and reveals what stands there today.
The William K. and Alva Vanderbilt House – 660 Fifth Avenue
The Vanderbilt family had several homes in New York and beyond, and one of them was on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street. The area now houses an office building and retail space, such as B. Zara, and opposite the Museum of Modern Art
The Vanderbilt family had several homes in New York and beyond, and one of them was on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street.
The area is now home to an office building and retail spaces such as Zara, and is across from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
The house was nicknamed the Petit Château and Alva worked with the mansion’s architect, Richard Morris Hunt, to create a French Renaissance-style home.
It had a 50-foot banquet hall that the family used to host. In 1883, Alva hosted a ball at the mansion, which was attended by thousands.
It was demolished in 1926 after being sold to a real estate developer. Now it’s an office building and retail space, with Zara on the ground floor.
Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s Mansion – 1 West 57th Street
One of Vanderbilt’s grandest homes once stood on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. It is in the middle of Millionaire’s Row on Fifth Avenue
George B. Post designed the house and Cornelius later hired Alvas Architects to make it even larger in the 1890s. It was demolished in 1926. However, the front gates of the house are now in Central Park, sculptural reliefs are in the Sherry-Netherland Hotel, and the grand fireplace is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of Vanderbilt’s grandest homes once stood on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. It is in the middle of Millionaire’s Row on Fifth Avenue – not to be confused with today’s Billionaire’s Row on 57th Street.
The impressive mansion was built in 1883 and was the largest single family home in New York City.
George B. Post designed the house, and Cornelius later hired Alvas Architects to make it even larger in the 1890s, reports Untapped Cities.
Cornelius’ wife Alice later sold the house in 1926 due to commercial development projects nearby.
Today, the site is home to the famous Bergdorf Goodman department store.
All is not lost, however, as the home’s front gates are now in Central Park, the sculptural reliefs are in the Sherry-Netherland Hotel, and the grand fireplace is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Vanderbilt Triple Palace – 640 Fifth Avenue
William Henry Vanderbilt bought an entire block between 51st and 52nd Streets which he named Triple Palace. It is now a modern office building and Victoria’s Secret. It is across from the home of William K. and Alva Vanderbilt
Three nearly identical brownstones (pictured: one of them) were built for Vanderbilt, his wife and two daughters
William Henry Vanderbilt bought an entire block on Fifth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Streets which he named Triple Palace.
Three nearly identical brownstones were built for him, his wife and his two daughters.
Although the houses were eventually demolished, at one point William Henry’s will prohibited his relatives from selling the houses outside of the family.
Henry Clay Frick – who named an art museum on Madison Avenue after him – rented one of the houses for 10 years because he couldn’t buy it.
As he drove by the mansions one day, Untapped Cities reported that he said, “This is all I’ll ever want.”
Today skyscrapers stand in its place, along with retailers like Victoria’s Secret.
The home of Mrs. William B. Astor – 840 Fifth Avenue
Built of gray limestone, Caroline Astor and her son John J. Astor IV’s castle was located on the Upper East Side between 65th and 66th Streets. The family sold the mansion in 1925 for $3.5 million and it was demolished a year later to make way for the Temple Emanu-El synagogue
The interior of the house was divided into two parts, giving Astor and her son separate living quarters. After Caroline’s death, John took his mother’s side, but died shortly thereafter on the Titanic with his wife Madeline
The Astor family became known in the city for their monopoly in the fur trade and their investments in NYC real estate.
The gray limestone castle of Caroline Astor and her son John J. Astor IV was on the Upper East Side, on Fifth Avenue between 65th and 66th Streets.
In 1854, Caroline was also given a home further south on Fifth Avenue at 34th Street by her husband, William Backhouse Astor, Jr. It was a modest home compared to the Upper East Side estate they later moved into.
Hunt also designed the house on the Upper East Side, the interior of which was divided into two parts so that Caroline and John could have separate living quarters.
After Caroline’s death, John took his mother’s side, but shortly afterwards he died on the Titanic with his wife Madeline.
The family then sold the mansion in 1925 for $3.5 million and it was demolished a year later to make way for the Temple Emanu-El synagogue.
William A. Clark’s Mansion – 960 Fifth Avenue
This mansion—dubbed Clark’s Folly—was extremely expensive to build in 1911, costing $6 million, which is $150 million today. The mansion was sold for $3 million in 1927 and is now a 12-story condominium
The mansion sold for $3 million in 1927, meaning Clark’s family only got back about half of the construction cost. It was demolished shortly after it was sold and is one of the city’s most short-lived buildings
This mansion—dubbed Clark’s Folly—was extremely expensive to build in 1911, costing $6 million, which is $150 million today.
The extravagant mansion had 121 rooms, 31 bathrooms, four art galleries, a swimming pool, a hidden garage, and a subway line to haul coal, according to Untapped Cities.
Clark, known as the Copper King, only lived in the house for 14 years before he died.
The mansion sold for $3 million in 1927, meaning his family only got back about half of the construction cost. It was quickly demolished after its sale and is one of the city’s most short-lived buildings.
In its place stands a 12-story condominium building designed by Rosario Candela.
Benjamin N. Duke House – 1009 Fifth Avenue
The Duke family home is one of the last “real” mansions on Fifth Avenue standing as a single family home. It launched earlier this week for $80 million. If sold at its asking price, it will be the most expensive townhouse ever sold in NYC
The Hall brothers also built three other lots (pictured together) just off 1009 Fifth Avenue, but the other three were eventually demolished
The Duke family home is one of the last “real” mansions on Fifth Avenue standing as a single family home.
Located on 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue, across from the Met Museum and Central Park, this property has a prime location on the Upper East Side.
Built in 1899, 1009 Fifth Avenue was built as a “special house” by real estate brothers William and Thomas Hall, who built four mansions — 1006 through 1009 — on the famous street because they knew the richest of the era were desperate to live there. Of the four estates built by the Hall brothers, 1009 is the only one still standing.
After its completion in 1901, the house was quickly purchased by Benjamin N. Duke, a chairman of the American Tobacco Company, for whom the house is now named. The family owned the property until 2006 when they sold it to Tamir Sapir, a real estate mogul, for $40 million.
The current property owner, billionaire Carlos Slim, bought it for $44 million in 2010 and has now relisted it for $80 million more than a decade later. If sold at its asking price, it will be the most expensive townhouse ever sold in New York City. The most expensive townhouse ever sold was also on the Upper East Side at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue and cost $79.5 million in 2017.