8. 23 Beekman Place is cantilevered over the street
23 Beekman Place is an architectural anomaly in a secluded residential neighborhood. The building features a four-story penthoused cantilevered over the street. It was designed by Paul Rudolph, the noted architect who designed the Yale Art and Architecture Building, and was known for his work in Sarasota, Florida. The building stands as a brownstone residence with a cantilevered portion with rear windows facing the East River. Many residents pushed back against the design fearing it would attract unwanted tourism and would block some residents’ views of the river. The steel penthouse was built in the late 1970s after Randolph bought the entire building in 1976.
Some early residents of the apartment included Charles P. Schmid, secretary of Schaefer Brewing Company during a time when Turtle Bay was a popular brewery destination. In 1922, actress Katharine Cornell moved in with her director husband Guthrie McClintic, though little is known about their personal lives at the apartment. The couple would host parties and engagements at the apartment, though they also owned property in Rockland County and Martha’s Vineyard. Recently, the building has been renovated by the Boyd family and Steven Campus, and it was designated an LPC landmark in 2010.
Though 23 Beekman Place is perhaps the most notable building on the block, a number of other buildings along the street have featured prominent residents. One Beekman Place was the residence of John D. Rockefeller III and Office of Strategic Services head “Will Bill” Donovan. 29 Beekman Place was built for CBS chief executive William S. Paley and was acquired by Iranian Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, the twin sister of Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Right next door at 31 Beekman Place, now the Tunisian permanent mission to the UN, Welsh singer Tom Jones used to own the building.