James B. Duke House: Difference between revisions

The [[city block]] between Fifth Avenue, [[Madison Avenue]], and 78th and [[79th Street (Manhattan)|79th]] Streets was part of the Lenox family farm until 1877, when Marcellus Hartley bought the block for $420,000.<ref name="TL p. 181">{{harvnb|Tauranac|Little|1985|ps=.|page=181}}</ref> The railroad magnate Henry H. Cook acquired the site for $500,000 in 1880.<ref name="TL p. 181"/><ref name="nyt19120630" /> and owned it for the remainder of the 19th century.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Kathrens|2005|p=92}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=January 10, 1930|title=H. F. Sinclair Sells Home on Fifth Avenue: Oil Man Parts With Residence at 79th Street Corner; East 52d St. Realty Sold|page=33|work=New York Herald Tribune|id={{ProQuest|1113096534}}|via=ProQuest}}</ref> Cook built a house on the southwest corner of the block in 1883.<ref name="nyt19120630">{{Cite news|date=June 30, 1912|title=New Architecture in Upper Fifth Ave.; the Thoroughfare Above Fifty-ninth Street Undergoing Many Building Changes.|language=en-US|page=X7|work=The New York Times|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/06/30/100587260.pdf|access-date=July 29, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828130630/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/06/30/100587260.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TL p. 193">{{harvnb|Tauranac|Little|1985|ps=.|page=193}}</ref> The house was made of sandstone and marble. During that house's construction, Cook had not set a deadline or a fixed budget; when he came across any features he disliked, he ordered contractors to remove or modify these features. This contributed to the house's stature as one of the area's most lavish dwellings.<ref name="TL p. 193" /> Cook intended the block to house first-class residences, not [[High-rise building|high-rises]], and only sold lots for the construction of private dwellings.<ref>{{harvnb|ps=.|Kathrens|2005|pp=92–93}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=January 19, 1930|title=Fifth Avenue Block Most Rigidly Restricted in City; Cook Block History. Bought for 500,000. Early Sales by Captain Cook. Well Known Residents.|language=en-US|page=153|work=The New York Times|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1930/01/19/96905831.pdf|access-date=July 30, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> By the early 1910s, the value of the land had increased to $6 million.<ref name="nyt19120630" /> Through the early 2000s, the block of Fifth Avenue remained largely intact, compared to other parts of Fifth Avenue's "[[Millionaire's Row]]".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Malbin|first=Peter|date=August 11, 2002|title=If You're Thinking of Living On/Fifth Avenue; Culture, Convenience and Central Park|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-living-fifth-avenue-culture-convenience-central-park.html|access-date=July 30, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730051453/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/11/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-living-fifth-avenue-culture-convenience-central-park.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The James B. Duke House was designed in the [[French Baroque architecture|French Classical/Louis XV style]] by [[Horace Trumbauer]].<ref name="aia5" /><ref name="NY1900">{{cite NY1900|page=339}}</ref> Built for the family of [[James Buchanan Duke]], it has served as a building for the [[New York University]] (NYU)'s [[New York University Institute of Fine Arts|Institute of Fine Arts]] since around 1959.<ref name="aia5" /><ref name="NPS p. 3">{{harvnb|National Park Service|1977|ps=.|p=3}}</ref> Trumbauer drew heavily upon the design of French architect [[Etienne Laclotte]]'s {{ill|Château Labottière|fr}}, built in 1773 in [[Bordeaux]].<ref name="NY1900" /><ref name="NYCL p. 22">{{harvnb|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1977|ps=.|p=22}}</ref> Because Trumbauer did not have a formal architectural education, he delegated the details of his designs to other architects working for him. In particular, the Duke mansion was one of the early works of African American architect [[Julian Abele]].<ref name="nyt19940123" /><ref name="Budin 2013">{{cite web|last=Budin|first=Jeremiah|date=February 21, 2013|title=James B. Duke: Less Frugal Than the Vanderbilts or Astors|url=https://ny.curbed.com/2013/2/21/10271258/james-b-duke-less-frugal-than-the-vanderbilts-or-astors|access-date=July 29, 2021|website=Curbed NY|archive-date=July 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729234948/https://ny.curbed.com/2013/2/21/10271258/james-b-duke-less-frugal-than-the-vanderbilts-or-astors|url-status=live}}</ref> The mansion itself measures {{convert|72|by|140|ft}} and is freestanding, being surrounded by open space on all sides.<ref name="TL p. 194">{{harvnb|Tauranac|Little|1985|ps=.|page=194}}</ref>

[[James Buchanan Duke]] was born in [[North Carolina]] in 1856<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> and became a wealthy businessman during the 19th century.<ref name="NYCL-0668" /><ref name="NPS p. 4">{{harvnb|National Park Service|1977|ps=.|p=4}}</ref><ref name="CBR p. 151">{{harvnb|Cohen|Berman|Ritter|2022|ps=.|page=151}}</ref> He grew his family's tobacco enterprise significantly,<ref name="TL pp. 192–193">{{harvnb|Tauranac|Little|1985|ps=.|pages=192–193}}</ref> and he became president of the [[American Tobacco Company]] in 1890 after several U.S. tobacco companies merged.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hendrickson|first=K.E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EdwsCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA22|title=The Encyclopedia of the Industrial Revolution in World History|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|year=2014|isbn=978-0-8108-8888-3|page=22|issue=v. 3|access-date=July 29, 2021|archive-date=July 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729202343/https://books.google.com/books?id=EdwsCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA22|url-status=live}}</ref> James and his brother [[Benjamin Newton Duke]] moved the company's headquarters to New York City in the 1900s.<ref name="CBR p. 151" /> By the middle of the decade, James Duke was worth $50 million, owned four properties across the eastern U.S., and lived at Benjamin's house at [[1009 Fifth Avenue]].<ref name="TL p. 193" /> James moved to [[4 East 52nd Street]] in what is now [[Midtown Manhattan]] in 1907, shortly before he married Nanaline Inman.<ref>{{Cite news|date=July 16, 1907|title=Another Boise Arrest.; Prosecution Charges C.W. Aller With Perjury.|language=en-US|page=3|work=The New York Times|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/07/16/101727623.pdf|access-date=June 18, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717144824/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/07/16/101727623.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Even after the American Tobacco Company was dissolved by antitrust action in 1911, Duke remained a wealthy businessman, organizing competing companies and founding the Southern Power Company (later [[Duke Energy|Duke Power]]) and [[Duke University]].<ref name="NPS p. 4" /><ref>{{harvnb|Landmarks Preservation Commission|1977|ps=.|p=19}}</ref>

After the Dukes married, they sought to move to [[Fifth Avenue]], where many of the city's wealthiest lived.<ref name="CBR p. 152">{{harvnb|Cohen|Berman|Ritter|2022|ps=.|page=152}}</ref> Duke considered buying Cook's 78th Street mansion as a wedding present.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=July 9, 1907 |title=Duke to Buy Cook Home; Tobacco Trust's Head Will Occupy 5th Avenue Mansion After Marriage. |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/07/09/101727183.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828214727/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/07/09/101727183.pdf |archive-date=August 28, 2021 |access-date=July 29, 2021 |work=The New York Times |page=1 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="CBR p. 154">{{harvnb|Cohen|Berman|Ritter|2022|ps=.|page=154}}</ref> Duke began negotiations for the Cook house in 1907, and discussions continued for two years.<ref name=":2" /> In January 1909, Duke purchased the Henry H. Cook mansion for $1.25 million.<ref name="Budin 2013" /><ref name="TL p. 194" /> He initially planned to alter the house, with [[C. P. H. Gilbert]] designing the alterations,<ref>{{Cite news|date=January 10, 1909|title=Cook Mansion Sold|language=en-US|page=4|work=The New York Times|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/01/10/101732503.pdf|access-date=July 29, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828214708/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/01/10/101732503.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=January 10, 1909|title=Pays $1,500,000 for Home|pages=1|work=New-York Tribune|via=newspapers.com|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79765464/pays-1500000-for-home/|access-date=July 29, 2021|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628203140/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79765464/pays-1500000-for-home/|url-status=live}}</ref> and borrowed $700,000 to fund the renovation.<ref name="TL pp. 193–194">{{harvnb|Tauranac|Little|1985|ps=.|pages=193–194}}</ref> By August 1909, Duke planned to construct an entirely new residence and was already demolishing the Cook house.<ref name="nyt19090829">{{Cite news|date=August 29, 1909|title=Mansion for J.B. Duke.; To Build $1,000,000 Residence at Fifth Avenue and Seventy-eight Street.|language=en-US|page=10|work=The New York Times|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/08/29/101038432.pdf|access-date=July 29, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828214723/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/08/29/101038432.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TL pp. 193–194" /> That house, barely 25 years old, was one of the avenue's most prominent residences, even though its interior design details had become outdated.<ref name="CBR p. 156">{{harvnb|Cohen|Berman|Ritter|2022|ps=.|page=156}}</ref> ''The New York Times'' wrote, "Is it possible that twenty-five years hence people will be talking about the 'old' Duke house?"<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 29, 1909|title=In the Real Estate Field; Sale of the Marquand Mansion -- Evidence That Old Estates are Waking up -- Latest Deal by Brokers.|language=en-US|page=10|work=The New York Times|url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/08/29/101038429.pdf|access-date=July 29, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=August 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828214711/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/08/29/101038429.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Many of the furnishings in the Cook mansion were sold at deep discounts: for instance, a $15,000 fireplace was sold for $300, and individual panels worth $55 were sold for $3.<ref name="TL p. 194" /> The demolition contractor called it "the best-built house ever torn down in New York City".<ref name="Budin 2013" />