9. Lakeman-Cortelyou-Taylor House
The Lakeman-Cortelyou-Taylor House in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island at 2286 Richmond Road dates back to the late 1600s and is characteristic of the Dutch colonial style of architecture. The land on which the house is situated was granted to Lewis Lakeman in 1675, and it is believed that his son Abraham Lakeman built much of the house around 1683.
A man named Peter Cortelyou of Kings County came into possession of the property for a short time in the early 1700s, and in 1751, a man named Aaron Cortelyou purchased the property and gave it to his daughter. The house was then sold to its third namesake Joseph Taylor in 1794.
The house was designated a New York landmark in December 2016, but by March 2017 this decision was overturned, likely due to the house’s owner choosing not to have the house landmarked among increased and potentially burdensome maintenance costs. It has been the office of the Cyrus Charter Land Company, a real estate management company. However, as of our visit on Monday, the house had a for sale sign putting the future of this historic house in potential jeopardy.
Next, check out this in-depth look at the quest to save the Jamaica Savings Bank!