314 East 53rd Street House

History and architecture

The 314 East 53rd Street House, located on the south side of 53rd Street between First and Second Avenues, was constructed in 1866. It was built, along with its identical neighbor at 312 East 53rd Street, by Robert and James Cunningham, who were listed in directories as builders-carpenters. This small rowhouse is a significant remaining example of the wooden vernacular buildings once constructed throughout Manhattan. The 314 East 53 rd Street house was one of the last wood-frame buildings constructed in the neighborhood and is a rare extant example of a wooden building above 23rd Street.

Later in 1866, New York City fire laws prohibited the construction of wood-frame buildings in this neighborhood and many existing wooden buildings were subsequently demolished and replaced by masonry structures. Covered in clapboards, the building is two bays wide and two stories high above a brick basement. The mansard roof, dormers, bracketed wooden cornice and door hood, and molded window enframements on double-hung sash windows distinguish this house as a rare vernacular wooden building with Second Empire and Italianate details.