Edward S. Harkness House

History and architecture

This imposing residence in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo is outstanding not only for excellence of design and beauty of execution but also for subtle richness of detail. Five stories high with basement and sub-basement, its dignity and quiet elegance are due in part to the large plain wall areas of Tennessee marble and the sparing but effective use of ornament.

Set back from the street the building is separated from it by a handsome iron fence, the main elevation on Seventy-fifth Street has seven bays while the Fifth Avenue elevation has but two. The ground floor stone work has grooved joints (rustication) with pseudo paired pilasters between the windows which are implied rather than stated as only the capitals are clearly defined. The three upper floors are of smooth (ashlar) stonework with corner stones (quoins) capped by an ornate frieze and cornice surmounted by a balustrade which conceals the top floor.

The center bay of the 75th Street facade forms the main entrance and consists of two free-standing Tuscan columns supporting a balustraded balcony. The height of the windows on the second floor clearly shows the location of the grand reception rooms here.

These tall windows, with balustrades below and cornices carried on consoles above are made to appear even taller than they are by the introduction of wide decorated lintels set between the consoles. The second floor window of the center bay is surmounted by a broken pediment and has scrolls flanking the window frame. On the floor above there is a handsome little balcony with marble tracery. The third floor windows have simple lintels and cornices, by contrast and projecting sills that rest on bracket blocks.

On the fourth floor, the window sills are set in a decorative band that encircles the building. The tops of these almost square windows are crowned by the wide frieze of elaborately patterned foliage beneath the main roof cornice. The frieze rests directly on their lintels so that the small shields in the center of each window head overlap the carved decoration of the frieze. The rich ornament in the frieze is in higher relief than that of any of the other decorative stonework.

This residence, built in 1907, was designed by Hale & Rogers for Edward S. Harkness, a son of one of the six original partners of the Standard Oil Company. It remained Mr. Harkness's home until his death in 1940 and his widow continued to reside there until she died in 1950.

Two years later it became the headquarters of the Commonwealth Fund, a philanthropic foundation established in 1918 by Mrs. Stephen V. Harkness, with the stated purpose "to do something for the welfare of mankind." The foundation is concerned with child guidance and health, medical research education and educational fellowships. No architectural changes have been made to the house except to convert the servants' rooms into offices.