219 East 49th Street

This five-story townhouse on East 49th Street has a dark blue brick exterior and glass block windows structured across its modernist facade. Inside, two separate residences are stacked: a duplex on the second and third floors, and a triplex occupying the upper three levels.

Architect Morris Sanders designed and completed this building in 1935, replacing a 19th-century brownstone with his personal residence and workshop. The transformation marked a shift in the neighborhood as modernist forms replaced older residential structures.

The building shows early modernist design through its clean lines and glass blocks that combine practical lighting with visual appeal. This architectural language was innovative for its time and revealed a new way to design city homes.

The building faces East 49th Street in the Turtle Bay neighborhood with easy access to central Manhattan. Note that this is a private residential building, so interior access is not available to the general public.

The glass blocks were specially made by Macbeth-Evans Glass Company and placed in a specific pattern on the first, third, and fifth floors. This selective use of glass blocks was an experimental technique of the time that served both practical and artistic goals.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1935

Floors above the ground: 5

Address: 219 East 49th Street

GPS coordinates: 40.75494,-73.97025

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:02