Hardenbergh/Rhinelander Historic District

The Hardenbergh/Rhinelander Historic District consists of six rowhouses built in Northern Renaissance Revival style with red brick and brownstone facades along Lexington Avenue. Located between East 89th and 90th Streets, each building features multiple stories with varying window patterns and decorative terra cotta details.

Henry J. Hardenbergh designed these rowhouses in 1888 for the estate of the Rhinelander family, prominent New York real estate developers. The construction was part of the broader growth of Carnegie Hill as an affluent residential neighborhood in the late 1800s.

The district shows how wealthy New Yorkers lived in the late 1800s through its matching brick and stone facades designed to display their status. These homes were built to house successful families in a neighborhood that became a hub for Manhattan's elite.

The district runs along Lexington Avenue between East 89th and 90th Streets, making it easy to view all six buildings in one visit while walking the block. You can see the full scope of the architecture from across the street or from different angles along the sidewalk.

Each rowhouse contains just one apartment per floor, creating an intimate living arrangement unusual for New York townhouses of that era. The varied rooflines and entrance designs give each building its own character despite the uniform overall arrangement.