It could be said that New York City home has a story to tell.
The townhouse at 1145 Park Avenue was built in 1885 and has a classic limestone facade. The 4,200 sq ft. four-bedroom, five-story townhouse was redesigned by architect Emery Roth in 1921.
In the 1920s glamorous Hope Hampton, start of silent films and later an opera singer, made headlines when she purchased the home. Later it was revealed that her manager, Jules Brulatour secretly bought the property and was married to Hampton. Her new husband lived just two blocks away at 1207 Park Avenue, so that Hampton could continue to enjoy the publicly single life. He died in 1946 and in the 1950s and 1960s, Hampton was known as the Duchess of Park Avenue and entertained many bold-faced names in her opulent home.
Prizing glamour above all, she was famed for her furs and collection of Norell gowns. No ordinary socialite, Hampton changed with the times, continuing to make the scene into her 60s. In 1962, at the age of 64, she was named Miss Twist at the Peppermint Lounge where the dance The Twist was born and in 1978, she was crowned the queen of the Beaux Arts ball. She died in 1982 at the age of 84. Dayton in Manhattan did a great recap of Hampton’s life including the mysterious shooting of her husband in 1939 and the robbery of the home in 1951.
Hampton’s townhouse has been substantially modernized since her era. The home has three large windows overlooking Park Avenue and Brick Church and providing one of the city’s most desired commodities, natural light. The home is entered via an ornate iron and glass front door leading to a reception hall, with generous ceiling heights, a tiled floor, and a grand red wood staircase. An elevator reaches all floors except the guest suite at the top and basement to the rear.
Located off the reception hall is a large formal dining room, featuring built-in storage cabinets and upholstered seating. The home has been updated with an eat-in Poggenpohl kitchen including eighteen-bottle wine cooler and full-height fridge/freezer.
The parlor level has a library, formal living room and atrium with access to a terrace. The living area has a dramatic floating staircase and views onto The Brick Presbyterian Church. The library has an integrated flat screen elevation.
The third floor is dedicated to the master suite with a study in front and a master bedroom in the rear with a walk-in-closet and en-suite bathroom. The fourth floor has two en suite bedrooms while the guest quarters on a top floor have a bedroom, closet and bathroom.
Once listed back in 2013 for over $18 million, the property is currently listed with Leslie J. Garfield for $8.999 million. The property is being sold by auction and bids were due last week so we’ll keep an eye out to see what the property sells for.
