Beautiful Sutton Square townhouse with a storied past seeks $15M

There’s a lot of history behind the lovely home at 14 Sutton Square, which just hit the market for $15 million. As the story goes, the home was originally purchased by Dr. Robert Foster Kennedy, who worked with World War I soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in the 1920s and commissioned architect H. O. Milliken to redesign the structure.

Since then, it’s gone on to serve as home to a myriad of 20th-century socialites and elites including Anne Vanderbilt, widow of William K. Vanderbilt and Anne Morgan, daughter of J. P. Morgan. After a 17-year hiatus from the market, it’s now in need of a new owner.

The lovely residence spans 4,950 square feet with six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and a multitude of gawk-worthy details. Classic design elements remain intact but there are plenty of contemporary additions, too.

Everything from picturesque oversized windows to built-in shelving to elaborate fireplaces can be found throughout the home’s six floors, and a spiral staircase gets you from one floor to the next (but yes, there’s an elevator). Several of the rooms sport unique finishing touches that include printed wallpaper and detailed molding.

But the possibly best feature is the private patio with views of the East River. Living here also grants you access to Sutton Square’s “secret garden,” a green oasis for some of New York’s wealthiest residents.

• Listing: 14 Sutton Square [Corcoran]
• The Foster Kennedy House -- No. 14 Sutton Square [Daytonian in Manhattan]