Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo House

The four-story limestone building features ornamental carvings, round-arched windows, and a facade modeled after French château architecture at Madison Avenue and 72nd Street.

Completed in 1898 by architects Kimball & Thompson for heiress Gertrude Rhinelander Waldo, who never resided in the property despite its construction cost of one million dollars.

The mansion represents the architectural preferences and social aspirations of New York City elite families during the late nineteenth century Gilded Age period.

The building currently functions as the flagship menswear store for Polo Ralph Lauren, offering multiple clothing collections across different floor levels since 1986.

The property remained vacant for 23 years after construction until 1921, when it was converted for commercial use with ground-floor retail and upper-floor apartments.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1890s

Architects: Kimball & Thompson

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

Address: 867 Madison Avenue

GPS coordinates: 40.77180,-73.96560

Latest update: May 17, 2025 06:47