The rare opportunity to own a home designed by the fashionable, 19th-century architect Griffith Thomas presents itself in this five-story stunner. Thomas’ creations are at the center of New York City history. In 1892, the “Sacred 400” people of New York Society were decided in the aftermath of a particularly lavish party thrown by Caroline Astor at her Thomas-designed Midtown mansion. The stately venue made headlines after it was erroneously reported that the ballroom could hold 400 people—this capacity thus forming a mythically exclusive club of Manhattanites who had attended. Now, several blocks up on East 81st Street, another Thomas-designed home is in the spotlight as it seeks a buyer for $20 million.Owned by architect Sharon Davis since 2014, the townhouse has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, and two additional half-baths. The neo-Federal brick and limestone exteriors for which Thomas is known beautifully contrast interiors more recently done by architects Peter Pennoyer and Madison Cox. There is no shortage of period detail original to the 1878 construction; a “free-floating, circular staircase”, 12-foot ceilings in the living room, and an ornately wood-panelled library with French doors and a wet bar seep old-school charm. These breathtaking features stand next to an elevator and freshly-updated eat-in kitchen, making the space both luxe and livable.The 6,150-square-foot floorplan also includes an ornate dining room, five fireplaces, and an abundance of walk-in closets. Kirk Henckels and Jennifer Callahan Dickerson of Stribling have the listing, which was first reported by Curbed.
