Christian Siriano Flagship Store (New York City, New York)

 townhouse, movie / film / TV location, commercial building

5-story Neo-Renaissance commercial building completed in 1899 as a townhouse. Designed by R. H. Robertson for Dr. Moses Allen Starr (one of America's leading neurologists), it is clad in buff-colored brick and limestone. The narrow, 3-bay residence is small by comparison to its neighbors, but it is distinguished by elegant detailing and pleasing proportions which are characteristic of the neo-Renaissance style. The rusticated limestone ground floor is dominated by an impressive entrance approached by a low stoop. Fluted Ionic pilasters with Scamozzi capitals supporting a modillioned entablature frame glass double-doors. These doors are distinguished by striking metal grillework patterned with floral motifs and pairs of griffins.

The upper floors, diminishing in height, are of buff-colored brick detailed with stone trim. The 2nd floor, or piano nobile, shows the most elaborate detail and is distinguished by a centrally-placed stone cartouche and large flanking windows framed by Ionic pilasters and heavy entablatures. The decorative, carved panels that span the base of the windows are an unusual and handsome feature. Three simple windows with bracketed sills light the 3rd floor, which is separated from the story above by a molded string course. Keystones mark the 4th-floor windows while a handsome modillioned cornice crowns the residence. At attic level a stone balustrade fronts three dormer windows, crowned by copper-clad broken segmental-arched pediments with urns that pierce a mansard roof.

Dr. Starr died in 1932, and his wife in 1942. The following year the house was purchased by Robert Lehman whose father owned the impressive mansion next door at No. 7. With the country’s entry into World War II a year earlier, Lehman donated the mansion to the United States Government to be used as a rest home for returning veterans. Now called Freedom House, the mansion also served as headquarters for the Victory Clothing Collection, a project that gathered used clothes for war victims. In 1948 the house was purchased by Faberge, Inc. and converted to offices on all floors. The firm would remain in the house until 1970. John S. Lastis, Inc. bought the property in 1974 and initiated a careful restoration of the interiors. The mansion was renamed the Petrola House.

It is now used as a store for designer Christian Siriano which retained much of the interior. The interior was used as a filming location for PBS' "Antiques Roadshow" in 2021 when the visited the designer.

christiansiriano.com/
www.locationdepartment.net/locations/6006


www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUcF-QaKkBI&ab_channel=Antiques...