7. Chester A. Arthur lived in Kips Bay while president and vice president
The Chester A. Arthur Home was the residence of the 21st U.S. President while he was in office. The home at 123 Lexington Avenue is now occupied on the bottom two floors by Kalustyan’s (meaning it’s technically at the intersection of Kips Bay and Rose Hill). The home is the only surviving building in the city that has hosted a presidential inauguration (the Federal Hall building where George Washington was inaugurated has been replaced, but you can still see remnants of the original!). Arthur’s inauguration took place in Kips Bay in 1881. Arthur spent most of his adult life in the same building, and it was here that he retreated after the shooting and eventual death of James Garfield. After serving his term in the White House, he returned to the home in 1885. He died here the following year.
The five-story home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The home was eventually purchased by William Randolph Hearst, and subsequent owners moved the main entrance and converted the upper floors into apartments. A bronze plaque was placed on the building in 1964 on the 81st anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Civil Service Act.