Historic Manhattan Building That Previously Housed Fotografiska New York Sells for $81.5 Million
The landmark structure—which almost became the Anna Delvey Foundation—sold for $81.5 million
A historic Manhattan landmark has changed hands. 281 Park Avenue South, the Gramercy Park building once known as the Church Missions House and home to Fotografiska New York—a branch of a Swedish photography museum—from 2019 to 2024, sold for $81.5 million, Serhant. and Avison Young announced in July 2026. It was listed at $125 million.
“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.”
A Landmark at Park Avenue South and East 22nd Street
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.
Stephen Starr’s Verōnika and the Chapel Bar
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 Church Missions House by Gibson and Stent
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.
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.
Inventing Anna and the Anna Delvey Foundation
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. The story of con artist “Anna Delvey” and her effort to purchase 281 Park Avenue was told in the Netflix limited series Inventing Anna, starring Julia Garner as Anna Sorokin. 281 Park Avenue features prominently in the series.
