A historic New York townhouse that was the longtime home of the late American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim has been put on the market for $7 million.
The famous composer bought the five-storey building in the 1960s, following the success of his Gypsy theater production in 1959. He resided in the house – located in Turtle Bay Gardens, among just 20 historic homes that make up Manhattan’s Tony Neighborhood – for decades until his death in 2021.
Stephen Sondheim’s townhouse at 246 East 49th Street. Courtesy of Compass.
Sondheim said he was inspired to invest in real estate after receiving a lesson in economics from a friend. Use royalties from Gypsy, he managed to pay the deposit. At first he rented the top three floors of the townhouse to help pay the mortgage.
Built in the early 1900s, the corner residence has an impressive 5,690 square feet. Inside, the house retains many of its original period features, including a wrought-iron forecourt, a paneled foyer with a barrel-vaulted ceiling, and herringbone parquet floors in the spacious living room. The formal dining room is equally stunning, with floor-to-ceiling windows, intricate moldings, and large French doors.
The preserved music studio and solarium of Stephen Sondheim’s Turtle Bay Gardens home. Courtesy of Compass.
But it’s the preserved music studio, complete with wood-burning fireplace, that will be the highlight of the property for fans of Sondheim’s works, which features a combination of music and lyrics for not only Gypsy (1959) but also West Side Story (1957), A funny thing happened on the way to the forum (1962), Follies (1971), Sweeney Todd (1979), and In the woods (1987). And there was, of course, Sunday in the park with GeorgeSondheim’s 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical based on the life and work of Post-Impressionist artist George Seurat, particularly his pointillist painting A Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte– seen through a contemporary lens.
In the music studio, a solarium with a dramatic wooden archway and original stained glass windows provides a tranquil space. From the solarium, there is access to a private 30-foot terrace overlooking the gardens.
Private terrace. Courtesy of Compass.
The townhouse also offers modern amenities, such as a fully renovated chef’s kitchen, with glass cabinets and stainless steel counters. The luxurious master suite is on the fourth floor and features a bespoke fireplace, en-suite bathroom and huge walk-in closet.
Turtle Bay townhouses are rare and rarely on the market. Those who have lived among these few well-maintained blocks – Katharine Hepburn, EB White, Garson Kanin, Robert Gottlieb – tend to stay. Add Sondheim to that list and it’s hard to imagine a more musically significant house for sale here or anywhere else.
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