Inside An Abandoned New York City Mansion | Hidden Gems | Architectural Digest

[@sfowler1017]

I, like many others, can't even finish this video. To see almost 20 years of painstaking, loving restoration of this beautiful home just ripped out to gut the place is disgusting. I'm glad to see the comments section united in agreement. What a tragedy.

[@DavidLopez-rk6em]

I vant watch more than 5 mins. I feel the same way about architecture, my heart feels a physical ache when something beautiful is destroyed. I've seen countless Googies destroyed in LA over the years that are replaced with generic McDonalds. Some of these comments defending the current owners are angering me, when you buy a historical house you shouldnt do whatever you want to it. The is why American architecture doesnt hold up to Europe. We live in such a throwaway society where people cant buy a historic piece and destroy it like its no big deal

[@fredziffle5219]

There’s more to the story. Probably when they dynamited 36 feet below grade through solid bedrock they collapsed the interior. I bet they’re just sick over this.

[@Horizontreecare]

right!. what a waste

[@MrCharliey]

I could understand if there was serious structural problems with the property, but it seems to me that they only found what few brickwork problems there were once they had gutted the interior. Just disgusting AD should be ashamed. Almost cried when I saw the last fragment of the original plasterwork

[@meerkat1219]

I also could not continue to watch. What a terrible thing it was to gut such a place. An abomination.

[@liv97497]

I don't think any other AD video has left me more heartbroken, ever. This is so sad. And it's not just about conservationism either, I think people have the right to adapt things to suit their needs and I've never been too precious about historicism, but this one hurt. That poor staircase. And the cherry on top is that the project was most likely filled with trends and gimmicks that went out of style before this even had a chance to get done.

[@LoLovesLife]

Seriously. I honestly would like to know what the AD staff thought the audience takeaway would be with this video. I can't imagine being the previous owners who spent two decades restoring this property with care only for someone to waltz through, destroy it all and then dump it back on the market. Disgusting. I couldn't even finish watching the video.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions.

[@StevenTorrey]

So far it strikes me as destruction for the sake of destruction.

[@guillermojackson6102]

I saw the thumbnail i thought it will be promising... I could undertand the mega basemet to acomodate a pool , court, gym ( it´s luxuy and the first owner`s would had made put one if that was the trend at the time , and was possible) but i dont undertand why remove stuff and them give us a tour of a gutted building. I was hopping to get at least a Woolworth Building Apartment type of result. I thing they filmed too soon in the process ,thats the only option ? I hope see in the future somethin beautifull and uplifting abour that proyect.

[@brendaepp6190]

@@LoLovesLife she mentions at the end that the purpose of the video is to try to find the right buyer who will restore it to its original beauty. She also says that the market price is $22m and it would take about $10m to restore which would be too high for that area of New York. I think it needs to be someone super rich where they want to restore it properly because it’s the right thing to do rather than to flip.

[@Channel-wc6xk]

So from the articles I’ve found, it seems the previous owner’s she mentions in the video, the ones whose work ( “labor of love”) to restore this mansion to its original condition were Regina Kislin (Real Estate Developer) and her husband Anatoly Siyagine (photographer). They purchased it in 1995/1996 for under $10 million and spent years restoring parts of it, before listing it for sale in 2012 at $40 million in a partially restored state. The asking price decreased over the years to $18.5 million and eventually ended up being sold by the luxury real auction firm Concierge Auctions for $15.8 million in 2016/2017 during their “Winter Portfolio Sale.” It was purchased by a new owner who had renovation plans drawn up by Italian furniture designer and superyacht architect Achille Salvagni and the concept photos look so utterly ridiculous for this type of house (extreme opposite from the previous look of the house and the current exterior). They gutted the place but then stopped the renovation (not sure the reason) and instead listed it for $22 million, before reducing it to $16million. I haven’t found an article that lists the name of the actual current owner(s), only the current real estate agents/brokers (Andrew Azoulay of Douglas Elliman, and Ian Slater of Compass).

[@MissTXTee]

Thank you for researching and sharing what you've found...

[@nerdsalsocomeinchocolate2740]

Thanks for the research. We can clearly see having money doesn't equal commonsense.

[@clintjosol3274]

This comment should be pinned.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@satnitcboy]

Thank you.

[@kristaselene]

Why would anyone destroy something that was so magnificent?! This is so depressing.

[@Polkadotpup]

Shame, shame…that’s why you look at their portfolio.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@edithveerhoeka.k.a.notyour8327]

Exactly that, the "WHY WHY WHY on earth would anyone gutter everything those previous owners made?" (Which I thought was looking rather good) was what I kept thinking during this entire video. I mean Jeesh! My husband and I own a warehouse from 1648 in The Netherlands and all we're trying to do is keep all the old elements of it. The previous owner had made a mess of it, not taking care of it propperly. Now we're giving her the care she needs.

[@fredziffle5219]

Looks like some of the interior collapsed during the explosions required to go down 36 feet through bedrock. Probably lots of dynamite.

[@kalsangdrolkar]

I was just thinking the exact same thing!!! Who ever did this ---- I can't even!

[@sophial.6633]

Not going to lie but this was actually heartbreaking to watch. Such a waste of beautiful and unique finishes, smh.

[@ugIybot]

And its located in one of the most desirable areas in the US

[@natatatt]

And as she notes at the end of the video, the previous owner who gutted the place has made it incredibly difficult to sell, as a restoration would cost north of 10 million. Which is ironic considering it was already beautifully restored.

[@jamesmcinnis208]

"actually"

[@rsartore12]

It is absolutely criminal what the current owner did to this home. Ridiculous.

[@robertacartagena7621]

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[@castroperez1823]

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[@castroperez1823]

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[@howeross336]

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[@yveslavigne6183]

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[@3bellam]

This...THIS is the reason I'm going into historic preservation as my major. Things like this literally fill me with rage. This home was so, so beautiful and true to its history. The fact that somebody with a lot of money saw that and decided to just...rip it all away?!?!?! Heartbreaking and horrifying. Honestly stunned that this was allowed to happen in the first place.

[@Eyebleachey]

Omg. Try going to the properties taking records and photos that way if it is destroyed you can have it rebuilt albeit for a pretty penny

[@HipyoTech]

The previous restoration was beautiful, kind of a shame they gutted it...

[@jettbridger2358]

Ikr

[@jettbridger2358]

What a waste of all that material

[@peterzhang9492]

They had to attract foreign buyers

[@bngr_bngr]

Why was it gutted?

[@thedesignerdriven8524]

i agrée

[@sensorium66]

OMG, what kind of freak tore out the previous restoration? This was utterly shocking to see. I hope the person who left it in this gutted state is embarrassed and ashamed of themselves.

[@nutmeg208]

The designers name that the creep owner hired to gut it and rebuild modern-style is Achille Salvagni, a superyacht builder. His design was so utterly ridiculous the project was abandoned. And now look.

[@mrp1924]

I highly doubt that

[@eily_b]

I bet he is not ashamed. By the looks of it I bet it was some Russian oligarch with no taste at all.

[@TheArchiTenshi]

As someone in the field of Architectural Technology working on listed and historical buildings I am absolutely horrified and appalled. How this is allowed by planning in America is completely shocking. In the UK (where I am from) this would be deemed either a B or A listed building, more likely the latter. As a result this would have been denied at the planning stage. The creation of the new basement would be highly questionable. The state the previous owners left the building in was perfect and really did the building justice and was to a high quality finish. Shame on those who decided to criminally deface this building. I am appalled. This should genuinely be criminal. History is a treasure for the people, not the rich or privileged.

[@sirihanson9661]

I’m a designer at Gensler in the states, and I’m also appalled and equally as confused as why this was given a green light. This really isn’t the norm, and while I’m not based in New York I know they have more stringent standards/protections in place from the historical society than this video shows…. This makes no sense.

[@zaxmaxlax]

Aren't they allowed to do anything they want in the interior as long as they don't alter the internal structure or exterior? The new basement thing is a big no though.

[@KimberlyMackoy]

I absolutely agree--I live in San Francisco now, and previously lived in London, and in both cities this would never have been permitted unless the interior was truly unsalvageable. That said, we don't know about the legality of these plans, do we? I have heard some incredibly outrageous stories locally about illegal demolition outside of plans that really amounts to brutal vandalism--but, once it's gone, it's gone.

[@denverdubois5835]

Someone paid someone at the city a LOT of hush money to green light this. Period. A poster above guessed "Russian oligarch" and I'd guess they are correct.

[@fidel2xl]

The house was designated as a New York historical landmark many years ago, so anyone who owns the home cannot make any substantive exterior modifications etc. However, the current owners who acquired the home in 2017 and gutted it, had actually received permission to drastically update the interior of this 12,000 square foot home. And what that owner did between 2017 and 2019 was also add an additional 6000 square feet of space by digging 36 feet through bedrock, adding 3 subcellar levels. The gutted mansion is now 20,000 square feet (19,250 sf to be more precise). All of this was approved by the Landmark 'commission' of NY, and all engineering was completed and paid for.

[@ReikoHigurumi]

I'm beginning to think that AD wanted to do this video--and talk about the history of this home and show the previous restoration photos specifically because they hated how it's been gutted out just like everyone else in these comments and they wanted to show 1) how it's been destroyed but 2) the beauty of its history and what it looked like before--to give it some justice.

[@bennyboiart7781]

To add on to what you said, I feel that this video is valuable because it helps raise awareness of how even now (or especially now) certain people are still out to destroy our architectural heritage, and that we mustn’t stand idly by and watch.

[@trishdiggins]

I hope so

[@lorizeppelina2286]

Sadly, it doesn't read that way. It feels more like a sad attempt at a realtor's video ad.

[@Chaotic_Pixie]

What confuses me is that none of this had to be run by a preservation society for approval. What confuses me is HOW that dig out in the basement EVER got approval in the first place. It may be the en vogue thing to do... especially in places like London and NYC, but we very quickly learned it leads to catastrophic flooding issues, not to mention the chaos it causes for the neighbors. This was absolutely abhorrent to watch. I'm not against updating and modernizing but you can absolutely do that while maintaining the integrity of the building. This is absolutely disgraceful and disrespectful.

[@arr255]

It's sadly really rare for any heritage authorities to have internal controls. Owners always fight against that sort of power.

[@paceyourself5652]

NYC is about the money, honey. They’ll turn their heads if it means more tax revenue or whatever..

[@Nostalg1a]

If you have friends in high places you can do whatever you feel like

[@saphireice337]

State preservation offices can only regulate exteriors of buildings… which is why the exterior is still in perfect condition. The only exception is if a historic covenant is placed on the property by a previous owner… such a covenant protects significant original features.

[@markhopple]

$$$ no dout

[@cyc7lops]

Ms. Karp did an excellent job but there was no explanation as to why one family spent two decades restoring the place, only to find it now gutted. Missing link in the story.

[@tariqh1912]

Exactly

[@KeemaChiles]

Right. What the bell happened to the marble in the stairs. Did someone go bankrupt?!?

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@tariqh1912]

@@KeemaChiles It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@LedgerAndLace]

Channel 001 did some research and says: So from the articles I’ve found, it seems the previous owner’s she mentions in the video, the ones whose work ( “labor of love”) to restore this mansion to its original condition were Regina Kislin (Real Estate Developer) and her husband Anatoly Siyagine (photographer). They purchased it in 1995/1996 for under $10 million and spent years restoring parts of it, before listing it for sale in 2012 at $40 million in a partially restored state. The asking price decreased over the years to $18.5 million and eventually ended up being sold by the luxury real auction firm Concierge Auctions for $15.8 million in 2016/2017 during their “Winter Portfolio Sale.” It was purchased by a new owner who had renovation plans drawn up by Italian furniture designer and superyacht architect Achille Salvagni and the concept photos look so utterly ridiculous for this type of house (extreme opposite from the previous look of the house and the current exterior). They gutted the place but then stopped the renovation (not sure the reason) and instead listed it for $22 million, before reducing it to $16million. I haven’t found an article that lists the name of the actual current owner(s), only the current real estate agents/brokers (Andrew Azoulay of Douglas Elliman, and Ian Slater of Compass).

[@eddiereilly7705]

What the current owner did the this property should be illegal. The craftsmanship shown on the exterior and previous interior is timeless… but I can guarantee you that whatever millionaire buys this house is gonna finish it off with the ugliest trendy interior that’s going to look dated in 10 years. At least the exterior is landmarked.

[@bngr_bngr]

Interiors are not protected by landmark laws. As it would invade a persons privacy.

[@jocelynlin6044]

I bet them their gonna just put ugly bricks 🧱 inside and a bunch of unnecessary trendy art sculptures

[@jayare6804]

@@bngr_bngr Some building interiors are protected. Since 1973, NYC can designate interiors as historic landmarks. NYC NY Admin Code Sect. 25-302(1)

[@rainingonyourcharade]

Why should there be a law to prohibit the interior of their home being changed to the owners’ desire? If it were a public building like a museum then I’d understand, and I certainly appreciate the need to maintain the exterior of the home since it’s seen by all, but why is it detrimental for an owner to do as they wish for a property they purchased for $22M that they intend to use as a home?

[@jayare6804]

@@rainingonyourcharade I think interior protected status is rare, but employed when the interior is of such significance, e.g., designed by an important architect, or one of the few remaining examples of a certain style, etc., that it's in the public's interest to protect it. Certainly in the US, that concept seems contrary to our sense of personal property. And there are a lot of legal challenges and implications for doing so, but it does occur on occasion.

[@LedgerAndLace]

Everyone watching: WHY WAS THIS HOUSE GUTTED? Did no one at A.D. think this might be relevant to your story? Especially when you showed the renovation pictures. The "office" with the 2" X 4" boards NAILED into the fireplace for a makeshift drafting table tells you everything you need to know about the kind of person who destroyed the interior. Monster!

[@missmaurie1]

Yep. I didn’t even finish the video. It was just plain depressing and since AD didn’t feel like giving up some details that would have answered our question, I lost interest.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@LedgerAndLace]

@@tariqh1912 SO depressing! Thankfully there are people like Laine & Kevin at Restoration Nation who save and restore houses! 🙂

[@dojocho1894]

They are typical bankers or cooperate dirtbags...they were born with no style or class...just make money. I know there type

[@adamconley2057]

I 100% agree with this! That was the question distracting me from everything else as I watched the video. A very poor production choice, not only for the sake of good storytelling, but for the credibility of AD. Like others have said, I stopped watching, and explicitly read the comments to see if the video would go there. I see I'm not alone!

[@gorgona1984]

The previous owners spent eighteen years restoring his beautiful home to perfection, a labour of love. And then the imbecility of the new owner has the interior completely gutted in less than two weeks..this is just plain insanity...

[@dojocho1894]

well we know the type of people that live in NYC

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

@@dojocho1894 Not everyone is bad..

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

The basement made the interior collapse. They used explosives to get more living space... Two weeks to gut! 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[@RyanVita]

@@Pt0wN973b0iI Is that a fact or a theory? I’m genuinely curious. Found any articles about it? Because it makes sense

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

@@RyanVita I was trying to add your name to the feed but can not. 😒 Try finding, @FireCracker3240 in the comment section. All the information is posted. Sad story!

[@rayvanwayenburg998]

As an architect who typically likes very modern architecture - I’m so saddened by this destruction. This almost makes me cry.

[@aevata8292]

imagine how heartbreaking it would be to pour millions and millions of dollars and years into restoring a gorgeous and historically significant building.... only to find the seller that you hoped would love and treasure it completely destroyed it.

[@logandodson7191]

I think the loss of the years invested to restore the property would especially sting. I guessing the previous owners were wealthy, so money probably doesn’t mean much to them - their time/passion, knowing that was wasted would really hurt.

[@queenofthesouth4205]

No, they should have left it alone. The original craftsmanship was GORGEOUS!!!

[@ezwriter101]

My only hope is that they saved the moldings, any ceiling pieces and the stairs treads. As it. is, the only thing that can go in there now will be a commercial establishment. Cheaper to put up, simple lines, no embellishments.

[@juliancoulden1753]

The lady construction CEO certainly understands this house and it’s importance. She almost conveys a real sense of love and appreciation for the building. But to see the building in such an appalling state is pure vandalism. It’s incomprehensible why anyone would do this to this magnificent landmark property.

[@beepboop1391]

Love this host, hope we get to see more of her.

[@katiegrundle9900]

Exactly. A landmark building should be preserved original inside as well. I would not buy any modern looking property. Too boring for my taste

[@jessicaknutson4502]

"lady construction ceo" ?? ... wow. I have no words ...

[@k_a_y_l_e_e]

i thought landmarked buildings were under protection to this kind of destruction. i guess i was mistaken.

[@vickenator]

I thought the host for this episode was really quite excellent -- you can hear in her voice the sadness and resignation over the state of the mansion and disdain for what those who gutted it were trying to do. She was echoing my own thoughts.

[@gritandglam1815]

Give this woman her own show! I hated what was done to this magnificent property but I was captivated by her knowledge and passion.

[@MyFashionConspiracy]

I hope the original owners never see what was done to this beautiful property. What a shame!

[@NOXStellans]

​@@MrLakers92 A reasonable person would recognize that, given the context, the couple who recently restored it is being referenced.

[@bigpjohnson]

I gutted and renovated my Art Moderne style house. Previous owners had removed most anything original, so I renovated it in a Modern and MCM style. So much hard work and money, I'd find it hard to sell to someone who wouldnt truly appreciate it.

[@cleverusername9369]

@@NOXStellans OP specifically said "original owner" there's no question as to the context of who they were referring to. They said "original owner." You can't really get more specific than that. How is it not "reasonable" to respond to exactly what the person said? 🤔

[@NOXStellans]

​@@cleverusername9369 If the OP is the video uploader, then the first comment mentioning "original owner" must be taken in context with what is in the video. - But, perhaps the first commentator was thinking of something different. So, you may be, right? -The "LMAO" response remains unreasonable.

[@jonathantan2469]

@@bigpjohnson A lot of surviving Victoria era to MCM era homes here in Australia have undergone multiple remodelling cycles every few decades. It's very difficult to find such homes in an original untouched/unrenovated state. So, it's quite often you can have a 1930s Art Deco house with comtemporary 2020s interiors... which replaced the previous 1980s decor done by the previous owners.

[@xnadave]

Her last comments, "It's a shame that this was gutted and left in such a state of disrepair" reflect what I thought from the beginning, seeing the previous restoration pics next to the current state. What a waste. If I were the previous owners that spent decades on that home, I'd be heartbroken.

[@e46Kyle]

I watched the whole video and slapped my head in disbelief a dozen times. Anna does an admirable job of taking us through this shameful desecration without bursting into tears. But the question is: why even bother restoring it if the next oligarch is just going to rip it out all over again?

[@mhart1350]

I was shocked when I saw this house on AD. When I lived in NY, I always said I would buy this house one day. I loved it!

[@DeadGuyCardboard]

So strange, why would they gut so much? Like the marble freakin staircase.

[@EtreTocsin]

I am guessing the owner is a tweaker.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@beepboop1391]

Not trying to defend this monstrosity of a gut job, but it’s very possible that the original marble was too worn or slanted. Then they ran out of money to replace appropriately.

[@tariqh1912]

@@beepboop1391 apparently you haven’t watched the video, the entire house was slaughtered

[@dojocho1894]

@@tariqh1912 When a human being see's beauty, no one has to tell them...but modern art has to be explained to people.

[@Ella-ed7zt]

I used to pass by this home living on the west side and thought it was so beautiful and must be the same inside. So sad what the current home owner did to it. Really wrecked a masterpiece.

[@heloise5931]

I can't believe he destroyed everything to build... a pool. I hope the future owner will be as passionate as Anna about this mansion.

[@sunflowersandstarss]

So incredibly dissapointing, out of all the choices to add a pool to...they chose this one :|

[@meganvelthuizen8831]

I’m glad AD feautured this property-if the owners who gutted it are looking to sell, I hope that this video inspires someone to adopt this project and re-restore it. Such a beautiful building deserves to be respected and celebrated for its history!

[@logandodson7191]

I can’t even imagine how wildly expensive it would be to restore that property now. I am sure when the prey owners purchased the house, the original features were there - just in rough shape. I feel like so few people can even fabricate those finishes nowadays. It may be worth turning this into an apartment building at this point, or something that can at least get some utility from the space.

[@andizhanstuey]

Why were the interiors destroyed?? Pure vandalism, probably sold off as architectural salvage. I thought the building was heritage?

[@hubbadubba6063]

Only façades are generally listed and preserved.

[@andizhanstuey]

@@hubbadubba6063 Such a shame.

[@ladyrose3338]

This was heartbreaking to watch… Why was it gutted? And WHO gutted it? Such a crime! I thought that since it’s a Landmark, this sort of thing wouldn’t happen there! But thanks to Anna Karp, for this wonderful video! And how I wish SHE were able to own this beauty, and give it the TLC it deserves! Because it’s very clear how much she loves this building and she’d give it her all to bring out all of its treasures once again! When she spoke about making the 5th floor into a creative space, I could see her living there…and loving it back to life! 🙏🏼💖

[@ladyrose3338]

Wait! Why don’t you buy it?! Yes! YOU! @Agricultural Digest!! BUY IT! Please! And then let Anna Karp do the restorations! And GIVE her the 5th floor!! Wouldn’t that be loverly? 💖💖

[@FireCracker3240]

Also, I found the property listing online. It is now $16M, and here's a description of the property on the listing: _Three Riverside Drive, erected in 1895, is one of the most important historic homes still standing on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. For a time, 3 Riverside Drive was the residence of William Guggenheim, an iconic New York magnate. This 37-foot wide, ornate limestone mansion was designed by C.P.H. Gilbert - the same architect who produced many other NYC landmarks including the Warburg Mansion on 92nd & 5th (now the Jewish Museum), the Otto Kahn Mansion one block south on 5th, the Woolworth Mansion on 80th & 5th, the Seligman mansion on 56th St and many other mansions for the most prominent and wealthy business families in NYC in this era. Riverside Drive and the limestone mansions erected upon it at the turn of the last century, with their unrivaled views of Olmsted-designed Riverside Park and the Hudson River, was the West Side's answer to 5th Avenue. In this context, 3 Riverside Drive has epic proportions in each room with ceiling heights on its nine levels spanning from 10' to 24' high. The home has stunning views of Riverside Park, the Hudson River and open skies throughout. These unobstructed views are extraordinarily unusual for a townhouse in NYC most of which look across fairly narrow streets to other townhouses or buildings and accordingly have comparatively limited light. Purchased by the current owners in 2017, the house has been reimagined as a modern home on the inside with a historic outside fully preserved. Most unusually, the home has been designed with an unprecedented suite of amenities normally found in a large, full-service building including: a large swimming pool, partial basketball court, spa, gym, stadium seating movie theatre and game room. To make space for these amenities, a now complete, extremely costly, four year 36-foot deep excavation through solid bedrock was undertaken adding nearly 6,000 square feet and three stories below grade to the already enormous 12,000 square feet, 6-stories above grade. The house now stands ready for the next owner to carry out their own vision within this massive, already complete envelope. Italian-architect designed plans are fully DOB and Landmarks approved and completed, but may be modified to your own preferences. All engineering work is completed and fully designed and paid for. In addition to the below-grade amenities, current above grade plans provide for 8 bedrooms including a full-floor master suite spanning nearly 2,500 square feet with a duplex closet with an internal staircase and two primary, massive bathroom suites along with 7 other en-suite bedrooms (including a staff bedroom on the ground floor), dual studies, a staff office, kitchen, formal dining room, double-height living room, sitting room, bar, breakfast room, den and a sweeping roof-top terrace with open views of the park and river and of the home's cherub. The house boasts 4 other terraces. This is quite simply no home in Manhattan with this extent of excavation, this historic pedigree, this ornate, limestone fa ade, these kinds of views and this width that can be found for sale._

[@EclecticBlues]

Very interesting. Thank you for the information.

[@fredziffle5219]

So there’s the answer, explosives for the 36 foot excavation through solid bedrock. the excavation caused interior collapse of some above grade parts of the interior. They got greedy & built down to gain even more square feet of living space. 36 feet through solid bedrock. Ok that required dynamite explosives.

[@vjhreeves]

Wow, talk about spin. That was sickening to read.

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

*HURTS MY HEART!* I LIVE IN NYC too an for that to happen, GET OUT!!!!!!!! Should use the mafia to gut the people who done that! 💔 I LOVE just walking around and thinking about how something looks like on the inside. Try my best to always go to new boroughs and see different type of things/experiences.

[@ezwriter101]

@@fredziffle5219 Crap. Their neighbors must hate them. I wonder if the owners also found themselves mired in lawsuits from secondary damages caused to the properties around them.

[@myksr.4784]

i dont know why but had the urge to cry after the video. Hope someone who loves architecture and history restores this home

[@daniedel6333]

I am simply speechless about the marble staircase!!!

[@CRFSUIGENERIS]

I’m so curious about the history of the original family that built and lived in it. Hopefully their family life matched the beauty of their stately home.

[@timgavan1524]

It's called the Kleeberg Mansion (No. 3 Riverside Drive) and there's a great article on a blog called Daytonian about the history! (Note: it's a very sad history. TW suicide)

[@CRFSUIGENERIS]

@@timgavan1524 Thank you for the info, Tim! I’ll look into it. Sad that such unhappiness took place in this mansion. Wealth is always welcomed, but it seems it doesn’t lead to absolute contentment. Have a good weekend!

[@mastersplinter5966]

I have a feeling it's Haunted lol. There's something they're not telling us. Why abandon it in the first place...

[@drissaudia1323]

@@timgavan1524 what does TW mean? Did the family die in this home?

[@timgavan1524]

@@drissaudia1323 "Trigger Warning," just in case it's a sensitive subject for someone. Two separate deaths, one a suicide and one a possible suicide

[@CarlosReyes-tj7yf]

Great Video Anna -- you should have your own youtube Channel -- you kept my attention and did an amazing job educating us. Love it !

[@parkavenue6970]

Absolutely agree!

[@markycypress8484]

Also, gorgeous accent!

[@mdj2742]

This place was gorgeous. Why would anyone gut a home like this? Why buy a historical home if you plan on dismantling everything.

[@myrtlesnow2397]

Because they wanted to give it an Italian completely modern interior and then sell it for a profit because everyone is obsessed with modern style now-a-days and they can make millions off of rich people who like trends and don't respect history.

[@eily_b]

EXACTLY! If you have no taste at all and would like to live in hell, just build a crappy new house that has everything you think you need and stop destroying beautiful old buildings! Gladly this is not allowed in my country. Even the interior is protected from gutting it completely.

[@lityne5577]

I can't believe they destroyed all of that beautiful interior detail

[@anthonyd9844]

Wait, so no one is moving into this property and the previous owner gutted the place before moving out?? evil! The craftsmanship and material used to create that mansion are so hard to find today, the previous owner basically ensured a difficult sale to anyone buying the place not to mention once the renovations are complete the value of the home will be priced out of competing properties in the neighborhood making the home unsellable or very hard to sell. I would love to see what ends up happening to this home if its purchased one day and see what the new owner does with the place.

[@lornahennington4789]

That the previous owners absolutely destroyed this property just breaks my preservationist heart.

[@danielnapoli649]

I think I can figure out what happened here. The previous owner wanted to add 6000 sq feet to the building. 6000 sq.feet in Manhattan is HUGE not only in size but in value. When you destroy the very bowels of a stone property you have to shore it up or it could collapse. Why is the facade damaged? Stone doesn't move freely. Simple. If you didn't want to live in an historic building why buy one? All you are selling now is a facade and a hole. Hope the fools who did this loose their shirts.this was rape.

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

THEY USED EXPLOSIVES TO GET MORE BASEMENT. TWO WEEKS TO GUT AFTER MAJORITY OF THE INTERIOR Collapsed! 😭😭😭😭

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

I hope your dream comes true. You are a good human being! It hurts me when the *CITY I LOVE!* Is ruined. 💔💔💔💔💔💔

[@ejiroakamune6620]

The longer I watch the more expensive it gets to renovate, the current owner was a fool. They're selling it because the realized they couldn't afford to redo what they threw away. It is at least another 15 million just for it to be a white box adding detailing you're looking at 30 million+. Not to mention the years of work to finish it.

[@rosetta13k]

To me, it seems wrong to gut it like they did... And, they wanted to add a pool to the basement?!

[@AkSonya1010]

I am really sad that the NY Historical society allowed that home to be gutted like that. Horrible

[@anthonycestoni]

I hope this property ends up in the hands of someone whom is willing to restore it back to it’s original glory. Such beautiful architecture, it would be a shame for it to be further erased. If I had the money I would love to bring this gorgeous home back to life!🥺❤️

[@LordZevv]

I hate to say it but it would cost so much time and money to restore it the same way that it just won't be worth it unless someone has enough money to have a whole other house to live in while this one is being restored but who would want to invest that much time and money into a house they can't use for YEARS? Only way I can see it working is they live on the top floor exclusively with a quick and easy style that can be dismantled when it comes time to actually renovate those top 2 floors. Just too much of a hassle. I'd say go ahead and modernize it may this point. definitely put the skylight back in.

[@MsBritishwoman]

Great presenter. Offer her a regular slot at covering old historic renovations! More people are addicted to the concept than you think. Especially the before and after pics! Good job 👏 enjoyed the content.

[@N0N4M30]

Nah her pronunciation is horrible like literally hard to listen to it

[@Unownshipper]

It was nice to hear this general contractor discuss with such expertise the historic elements and important architectural considerations, but I just couldn't get over how sad it was to see this house's eviscerated interior. It will never be restored to its historic condition. It's too expensive to do so, and the craftsmanship is a lost art. How could *anyone* gut it like that ESPECIALLY right after the previous owners put in the hard work of bringing life back to the original materials?

[@LiLGouda.]

I'm legit in tears as I look through old photos of the hard work the original owners did at restoring this property. . why this property isnt in the historical registry and protected is beyond me. I grew up in Seattle and a family friend had purchased the Nordstrom family home, they were VERY rescricted on what they could remodel since it was on the Historical registry. Out of respect for tradition and history they kept it as is

[@infraredthomas]

Really appreciated the in-depth tour and description of this mansion. Instead of bemoaning what was done to it (current state), host, Anna Karp focused on the historical details still in place and how the space could be used. I particularly liked her recommendations at the end for anyone purchasing a historical building - if you smell mold, check to see if any repairs done in last 30 years, etc.

[@kgal1298]

People who do this type of gutting usually have one mindset and it's to modernize because they don't think they can sell it in a historical state, I hope I'm wrong, but this is what I've noticed with restorations in LA too. You can maintain the beauty of former builts without totally gutting or leveling the home, but when you want to maximize profit many of them would probably gut and level it. I wonder if this owner actually did want to level it and wasn't allowed too based on zoning or historical interest?

[@lornahennington4789]

Thank goodness for some of the historic preservation zoning in LA.

[@noskinoffmyshoes]

Yes, LA house flippers have no respect for the beautiful craftsman details. Everything they “restore” turns homes with wonderful windows and hardwood and interesting kitchens into white boxes with cheap pergo and Home Depot fixtures.

[@brianNJwatson]

It’s always a tragedy when those with wealth don’t have an equal amount respect and appreciation for the beauty and story of what something is rather than what they want it to be.

[@monicameza8944]

If the house could speak , it would be screaming. Total insanity . I hope it was done because of health or safety issues ... Love this channel . It must be expensive to keep this home up to date . It was lovely in it's golden era.

[@RIXRADvidz]

I can't even make it through 5 whole minutes, walking around the inside of a corpse, keeps turning my stomach, the hideous way this grand home has been treated is nothing short of criminal. just sick to my stomach, enjoy the tour, I'll wait in a coffee shop around the corner

[@1ring2rule3pigs]

I've been watching this property online for a while now wondering how they could justify the asking price. So much valuable detail and craftsmanship has been lost. I'm glad this has been landmarked because I'm sick of all the open layout, no-brick properties that have whitewashed NY's character and charm in the name of profit. What a fantastic video this was. 👏 And the lady was absolutely charming and lovely. Time well spent. Thank you.

[@fml1579]

Interesting tour. The GC was extremely knowledgeable and did a good job educating us.

[@MichaelGalarza]

I don't understand why it was gutted like that! Disgusting 🥺

[@silverhiker4549]

I'd love to see a followup on this when it's done. If you all don't follow up, it would just been because this house's bones are gorgeous and the way she described how she wants to renovate it, *chef's kiss* The way the last people renovated it was horrific and an insult to its natural beauty.

[@dominey]

I could only watch a couple of minutes of this. What an absolute tragedy. If you want a pool and a basketball court in your basement, move to the burbs.

[@jacksony5380]

Loved Anna’s tour; so much expert knowledge! Very sad to see the home in this state!

[@renatastec5212]

Ms Karp is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Her love for her job is what made this video so interesting. Well done AD

[@mimidestiny1]

Thank you Anna for taking on this difficult and painful tour of this property. As hard as this was to watch and thank you so much for providing the previous interior design.

[@enrriquechinchilla936]

Whenever I walk near that street in NYC I always wonder about this house. Nice to see I stumbled upon this video.

[@dkpirie]

The seller is asking way too much for that property when it is in such a poor condition and needs so much work done to it.

[@ironempath7261]

I am so impressed by this lady's expertise, as well as her passion. I love how she held her hand over her heart while discussing her feelings in the attic. Can you have her do more videos? Thank you ☀

[@RSMMD]

Like most of you, I am disheartened that such a beautiful and irreplaceable interior was gutted. Sadly this seems to be more common than you think. Just look at Manhattan real estate listings. Most of these beautiful old homes and apartment buildings have the interiors "modernized" with plain boring white detail less interiors. Every time I look at these listings I ask the same question...Why would I want to buy a beautiful and historic old home with a boring, all white, plain, modern interior? For God sake people, keep the interior and just restore it!!! I understand you need to modernize the bathrooms and kitchen, but it can be done in a tasteful manner that blends with the rest of the period correct interior.

[@satnitcboy]

Thank you, Ms Karp, AD, and the owners for this terrific tour of a building I have passed - and admired - almost daily for nearly 40 years.

[@sagitteaius]

The beautiful home that took 2 decades to restore sold for $15.8m in 2017. Was gutted and listed as $22m, now lowered to $16m. Insanity. I sincerely hope that something was deeply wrong structurely or that it had a bad case of mold or absestos for it to warrant it being fully gutted.

[@tariqh1912]

It’s the work of the criminals in the real estate field, apparently it’s a trend to flip beautiful original authentic homes into modern boring white boxes, and make millions in profit, and only idiots with money buy them. This happening all over the world, amazing houses are getting murdered for money. Interiors should be preserved too and have restrictions. It’s depressing.

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

Explosives for the basement made the interior colaspe!😭😭😢😢😢😭😭😭😭😢😢😢😢😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Two weeks to gut!

[@BigBirdy100]

Read the long comment near top of thread. No is the short answer.

[@ChristianaBaker]

All of my heart wants to see this restored, and that gorgeous bannister saved!!! Please someone, save this property!! 😭

[@hummersd]

Incredible video with so much detail and knowledge. 👏 Hopefully once it's fully restored and redesigned, AD can go back to show it off. That fifth floor is amazing! Agreed, leave it as an open space and utilize all that light.

[@cindystark7943]

This is gross. This beautiful historic building is absolutely destroyed. The owner is a monster for this destruction. I appreciate the speaker's knowledge and love of the original structure. The US is tearing down historic buildings faster than ever. It's depressing.

[@allisonfox566]

This building is known as The Kleeberg Residence and was worked on by the design company Achille Salvagni. If google is correct it is divided into two spaces for around 12.5 million a piece. The building was owned and built by a wealthy lace merchant whose wife committed suicide. The home was transferred to his son shortly thereafter. At one point it was owned by a doctor who specialized in "Twilight Sleep" for the delivery of babies (which the neighbors were not at all fond of). It went on the market multiple times, for price points well outside of the range of buyers in the area. It has been changing hands and undergoing remodels and failed sales for the past few decades. I've reached out to Achille Salvagni for information to see if any of the interior was salvaged during the remodel but so far I have no additional information on the fate of this historic building or its contents.

[@sydvicious005]

The real hidden gem is Anna Karp. I love her passion for architecture and her commitment to restoring historic homes.

[@FireCracker3240]

Heartbreaking. It is beyond sad to see this glorious masterpiece of a property completely dismantled, gutted and left to rot. Some people with money lack heart and vision, and have no sense of respect for history and character. They are asking WAY too much money for it in its current condition. They're going to have to lower the cost by about $10M if they hope to sell it with the amount of money required to restore it. Often times people over improve or over value a property because they forget about the three L's - Location, Location, Location. A home is only worth as much as the neighborhood is in. If this home was in the Upper East Side, it would have a much better chance.

[@litrealred6840]

Glad someone holding on to these beautiful homes!

[@Mav-Revision-Zero]

I wonder how much of the current price is reflected in the basement being excavated. Anna did a great job explaining everything in this video. I hope to see her in more AD content.

[@lindah5910]

If the current owner did this incredible damage, then a pox on him. What a jerk! It is a tragedy. I hope the former owners don't see this video or learn of their loving restoration being thrown out so horribly.

[@sweetieVirus]

Ok, so someone else destroyed this property?? Sure you pay 22mil for a house, you feel entitled to do whatever you want with it, but this is how we don't have more historic buildings left. I'm taking an art history class at the moment, and this is so painful to watch. This just helps make the connections of one of the many ways we lose historic buildings.

[@rosetta13k]

Yes, sad to see they gutted it the way they did. But, the only positive thing I can think of is that we can see how they built the infrastructure back in the day.

[@vjhreeves]

They didn't pay $22 mil, they gutted it and are selling it for 22

[@brooklynredbird3298]

No words... This is devastating and criminal. I couldn't even finish the video.

[@avengerwidow9]

so they gutted the home and dumped almost two decades worth of restoration work down the drain to modernize the home + add an additional 36 feet of space for a swimming pool, basketball, etc.? that is just absolutely criminal! 😭😭

[@FlauschWoelckchen]

As an architect student this so sad to see.. the first floor covered with steel beams.. just because they went underground beneath to expand the house. That's really common in London as well (I think). I think they dumped their whole money in the basement.. cause basements are expensive.. and I can only imagine how much damage this could potentially bear since manhattan is an island.. besides the structural damage. This is insane. Where I live we have Denkmalschutz (german for I guess historical preservation, but I'm not quite sure about the english equivalent) and a lot of home owners who have houses under Denkmalschutz have a lot of legal requirements that they need to fullfil to preserve such old houses. It's such a shame what happened to this building. The Challenge will be most definitely to find a buyer who is interested in spending a lot.. and the intention to hopefully restore it.. and has the right contractors on the hand.. who can actually do this and have experience in that field.

[@fidel2xl]

The home was actually declared a Historical Landmark of New York City many years ago, therefore drastic updates to the exterior are prohibited. However, the owners were granted permission by the city to make updates to the interior. They just can't do anything to the exterior since the house is deemed a historical landmark.

[@haighter5115]

My parents built their home in the early 2000s, and like many of the homes my friends grew up in it had plastic vent covers, popcorn ceilings, simple banisters and trim, etc. Now that I am an adult I am always drawn to homes with ornate grills, crown molding, and beautiful light fixtures. It seems that in the race to the suburbs and the emphasis of quantity over quality, North Americans have lost their appreciate for craftsmanship and quality.

[@bigpjohnson]

Cheap old houses back then were *really* crappily built. Common people like in really bad conditions. You needed big bucks for all that nice stuff. The cheap houses were long torn down so we dont see them anymore, only the mansions that remain.

[@JoannaLouise200]

I hope that eventually, whoever the new owners are, restore as much original design detail of this Landmark building as possible. Although it's such a shame about the ugly modern apartment/office blocks that have been built around it, this city mansion is still a sleeping beauty that can be brought back to life.

[@ScottDC-Rehoboth]

Outstanding walkthrough. She’s a star!

[@garrygballard8914]

I love finding old properties like this. I imagine all it’s past history and like to find out everything I can about it. I once found an old Abandoned home. That was William Kellogg’s home with Intercom phones that still had all the families names hand printed on them. It was later restored and is now a show piece in Battle Creek Michigan.

[@lizzymoonygirl]

This was heartbreaking to watch - all that destruction for literally nothing. I found the address in case anyone else is interested in learning more about the building’s history: 3 Riverside Drive.

[@j3jw82]

The most informative and educational walkthroughs I've watched from AD. Nice job.

[@berthasanchez6559]

What a beautiful facade, I can imagine how gorgeous it must have been, in its original splendor! It’s so sad that historic places like this been abandoned let go like this.

[@gillian7662]

This place looked so familiar and then it hit me - i've walked by here hundreds of times on walks through riverside. I've seen the scaffolding and just assumed they were restoring it.. Never could have imagined it was gutted and in such terrible shape. It's sad because this property is in such a great location amongst so many other lovely historic homes. The west side highway and riverside park are right in front of it, there is a marina a few blocks north, and there are tons of restaurants, bars, shops, etc on broadway, amsterdam, and columbus. They also probably have the best view of the hudson from that balcony and the windows, which I imagine was the whole point of it being constructed! In case anyone is interested in learning more, there are some great articles online about this property's history, and apparently it also has a twin designed by the same architect CPH Gilbert on 1 Riverside. It's quite fun to look at the old 1800s photos and see how there were no properties surrounding the mansions, but over the years they've been built around with new apartment complexes.

[@jpmusson]

It’s definitely not worth $22M in its current state.

[@TeamTrumpUSA]

The unbecoming buildings that flank the mansion take away from its value. The mansion is only worth what an individual is willing to pay for it.

[@ellax325]

@@TeamTrumpUSA Yeah, you can't even enjoy the outdoor terrace because the giant building next to it is blocking the view.

[@luisaoc7378]

Must be because of the location.

[@heyabusa1]

It'll cost millions to start the restoration all over again to repair the vandalism thats been done to the property.

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Its actually a financial burden to purchase the property. It shouldn't be more than a few million. The vulture capital real estate that bought and destroyed this property is a criminal and deserves to lose lots of money over this.

[@j.d.4697]

The woodwork on the interior is magnificent! 😯

[@CourtneyWright76]

THIS is what AD KZbin is made for :) Keep it up!

[@markvenaglia1548]

Anna, thank you for your beautifully detailed examination. Rich, informative journey. This property begs a reinvention as a boutique museum, starting w tax incentives unique to this type of suggested renovation.

[@fransirahome]

A beautiful Mansion, i love seeing old properties like this. But can't believe they destroyed most all of that beautiful interior detail.

[@Nidhoggrr]

Now I don't have a staircase fetish but damn this got me tingling! So majestic!

[@kimberlystavros9313]

After watching 5 minutes of this video my heart feels like that cavernous basement in this beautiful home that was dynamited. I do not understand what was going thru the head of the previous owner to gut this place and it truly hurts my soul. Hopefully someone will be able to give this place the respect and peace it deserves.

[@garym2879]

Great time to invest in this property on the Upper West Side. So, in 30 years when the city is safe and economically feasible again, you can turn a profit!

[@kristinvleone]

The French government or institution, such as Hermès, Kering or LVMH should buy and restore the building to its original glory. An architect in Paris would have never let this happen. What an absolute shame to the owner who destroyed beautiful history. The landmark laws for the exterior should have been applied to any interior restorations as well.

[@HBADGERBRAD]

💔 thank goodness for the pictures from the past. You have such a fabulous career. What a hidden gem fore-sure. You didn’t tell us why it was gutted of its original interior. 😢

[@organizedgorgeous6867]

I see this is the running question. Why was this magnificent property gutted? And what did they do with everything they took out???

[@marybethsigler365]

Engaging and informative - and really loved Anna, the GC host. More please!!

[@jimp4170]

In the US, nothing matters more than money, and the people who have all the money are the most obsessed with it and wield immense power with it. It is almost never possible to protect the interior of a private home. In all of NYC, there are around 125 protected interiors (most of them are only portions of the building) and I don't think there is a single private home among them. Rich people would have your head if you told them they couldn't change their homes as their whims and desires take them. It's difficult enough to get exteriors protected. You can bet that when this was being considered for landmark status, the owners were filing objections all over the place. Money gets to do anything it wants in this country. And I imagine there is a little bit of sadism involved. I think the owners got some sick satisfaction in destroying this interior. It proved to them that nothing would get in the way of their desire for a swimming pool. That kind of nihilist love some wealthy people have of smashing things was evident in the personality of a certain former president.