281 Park Avenue South.
Photo: Serhant.
Historic Manhattan Building That Previously Housed Fotografiska New York Is for Sale
The landmark structure—which almost became the Anna Delvey Foundation—is currently listed for $125 million
The landmarked building dates back to 1894. Photo: Serhant.
A historic Manhattan building is on the market—and could be yours for a hefty sum. Listed by Serhant. and Avison Young for $125 million, 281 Park Avenue South is, in part, known for being home to Fotografiska New York—a branch of a Swedish photography museum—from 2019 to 2024.
“281 Park Avenue South is not just a property—it’s an opportunity to own a piece of New York City history and one of Manhattan’s most recognizable assets,” listing agent Bernadette Brennan tells Galerie. “This landmarked building is a true architectural masterpiece, with a legacy that dates back to 1894.”
Located at the corner of Park Avenue South and East 22nd Street, this six-story commercial property was commissioned by a plethora of notable donors, such as J.P. Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt. In 1979, the building was declared a New York City Landmark, and in 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The building boasts a bevy of impressive features, including two full kitchens, 10-to-20-foot-high gothic ceilings, stained-glass windows, and hand-painted murals. The second floor was previously the site of restaurateur Stephen Starr’s Verōnika, while a 2,700-square-foot annex space was home to the Roman and Williams-designed Chapel Bar.
The building was previously home to restaurant Verōnika. Photo: Serhant.
The building once housed Chapel Bar. Photo: Serhant.
Built between 1892 and 1894 by architects Robert Williams Gibson and Edward J. Neville Stent, the 42,500-square-foot structure was previously known as the Church Missions House. This name was chosen because this edifice previously acted as the headquarters of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church.
From around the time it was built through part of the 1900s, the Church Missions House was part of what was known as “Charity Row,” given that numerous charitable organizations had headquarters in this part of Manhattan. Other institutions with headquarters nearby included United Cerebral Palsy of New York City, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Xavier Society for the Blind.
The building housed Fotografiska New York from 2019-2024. Photo: Serhant.
Located near Gramercy Park, the design of this Beaux Arts-style edifice was inspired by medieval Amsterdam, as well as the town halls of Haarlem, another city in the Netherlands. The exterior of the ground level is composed of granite, while the exterior of the other levels is made of Indiana Limestone.
In recent years, this building gained a bit of notoriety when it almost became the Anna Delvey Foundation, which would have been a members-only club and art foundation run by Anna Sorokin, who was indicted for fraud in 2018 after posing as an affluent heiress.
Fotografiska New York. Photo: Serhant.
Cover: 281 Park Avenue South.
Photo: Serhant.
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