East 17th Street/Irving Place Historic District

The East 17th Street/Irving Place Historic District is a block of residential and mixed-use buildings from the 1800s stretching between Union Square East and Irving Place. The structures display Greek Revival, Italianate, and later Romanesque features, with some buildings showing ornate stone carvings and decorative brickwork.

The neighborhood began to develop after Union Square opened in 1839 and attracted wealthy residents to the area. The building types show how architecture changed in the city: simple row houses from the 1840s were later replaced by more ornate apartment buildings built in the 1850s and 1890s.

The buildings reflect different architectural tastes that developed as the neighborhood grew over several decades. Walking along the street, you can see how each structure tells a story about when it was built and who lived in it.

The district is conveniently located near Union Square, where you can access several subway lines and find restaurants and shops. The best way to see the buildings is to walk slowly along the south side of East 17th Street, where the most important structures are clustered.

Two businesswomen and arts patrons, Elisabeth Marbury and Elsie de Wolfe, lived in one of the buildings and hosted salons for prominent guests over two decades. Their gatherings helped establish this area as a gathering place for artists and intellectuals of their time.