Eleanor Roosevelt’s historic Upper East Side townhouse lists for $13.5M

An Upper East Side townhouse that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once called home is now on the market for $13.5 million. The building at 211 East 62nd Street is now a single-family home, but when Roosevelt called it home, it was apartments—she occupied one of its units from 1953-1958, a period in which she wrote a regular column (“My Day”) and gave many speeches around the country.

This isn’t the first time the current owners have tried to sell the house: It was first listed back in 2015 for $18 million, and has gotten a few price cuts since then. The new listing is held by Barbara Evans-Butler and Cian Connor at Stribling.

The house itself has its own historic significance independent of Roosevelt, too: It was constructed in 1873 by architect M.C. Merritt, along with four other buildings on the block; those homes were later among the buildings designated as part of the Treadwell Farm Historic District in 1967.

As for the home’s particulars, it has four bedrooms and six bathrooms spread out over its 5,225 square feet; there’s also a nearly 1,800-square-foot roof deck that comes with its own small dog run. Many of its lovely original details are intact, including leaded glass doors, a grand spiral staircase, and six wood-burning fireplaces, each of which has its own vintage mantel. The current owner did add modern touches to the home after purchasing it in 2011: The full English basement has a laundry room, as well as space for a gym.

• Listing: 211 East 62nd Street [Stribling]