Latest news with #MauriceMedcalfe
Hypebeast
21-07-2025
- Business
- Hypebeast
NYC's Iconic Bubble House Hits the Market After 50 Years
Summary The Bubble House, a rare architectural gem on theUpper East Side, is officiallyon the marketfor the first time in over five decades. Originally a 19th-century brownstone, the residence was radically reimagined in 1969 by architect Maurice Medcalfe of Hills & Medcalfe. His renovation introduced a smooth stucco façade punctuated by twelve convex oval windows — a sculptural reinterpretation of the bay window that earned the home its nickname. These distinctive apertures remain its most iconic feature, flooding the interiors with natural light and lending the building a distinctly Space Age character. Located on a quiet, tree-lined block in Lenox Hill, the Bubble House stands in stark contrast to its traditional neighbors. Its presence among brick and limestone townhouses is a deliberate interruption — one that has intrigued passersby for decades. Spanning approximately 4,736 square feet across four stories and a basement, the home retains its mid-century layout with four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a garden-level office. While the interiors are modest compared to the façade, they feature recessed lighting, streamlined mantels and white carpeting — elements that reflect the era of its transformation. Listed at $5.75 million USD through Leslie Garfield, the Bubble House enters the market for the first time in five decades. Take a look around the property in the gallery above and head over to the realtor'swebsitefor more information.
New York Post
11-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NYC's striking ‘Bubble House' with unusual ‘ovoid' windows has listed for the first time in 50 years
This home takes window shopping to another level. In a sea of townhouses, one residence on Manhattan's Upper East Side has charmingly refused to blend in — and now it's looking for a new steward bold enough to match its energy. The so-called 'Bubble House,' a 1969 modernist townhouse at 251 E. 71st St., has hit the market for the first time in half a century, asking $5.75 million, Curbed first reported. The house earned its moniker from its bubbly windows and whimsical aura. With its stucco façade pierced by convex 'ovoid' oval windows — some of which rotate open like space-age portholes — the four-story home has long been a spectacle on its quiet Lenox Hill block. 7 For the first time in half a century, the eye-catching 'bubble house' at 251 E. 71st St. is on the market for $5.75 million. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media 'People walk by and they can't help but stop and stare,' Richard Pretsfelder, one of the home's listing reps with Leslie J. Garfield, told The Post. 'Unlike almost any house I've ever heard of, people would actually stop and knock on the door sometimes — which is not particularly common in New York.' Originally built as a traditional brownstone in the 19th century, the building underwent a radical transformation in 1969 under architect Maurice Medcalfe, who also lived in the home during its reinvention. 7 The home was built in 1969 to replace a traditional rowhouse. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media His reimagining of the property coincided with the height of both space-age aesthetics and modernist experimentation. But there's more than meets the eye Added Pretsfelder, 'there's also like a nautical influence, a sort of a porthole element to the whole thing.' The timing, he added, made all the difference. 'It is less likely to have been done in a different era.' The 4,736-square-foot residence includes four bedrooms, five bathrooms and an office on the garden level. 7 The modernist home is best known for its futuristic pink stucco façade and convex oval windows that swivel open — a stark contrast to the surrounding brick and brownstone homes. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media Though the exterior may be avant-garde, the interior layout is conventional by comparison, with sunlit rooms and a flexible floorplan. A hot tub was recently removed in preparation for sale, and while the interior remains largely functional, 'it just requires work,' Pretsfelder said. 'Someone's going to come in and really do a full renovation down to the studs and make it their own. That may include the façades or not.' The house has had only a handful of owners and was most recently occupied by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, the longtime leader of Park East Synagogue, who purchased it in 1974. 7 Designed by architect Maurice Medcalfe during the era of the moon landing, the 4,736-square-foot house became an iconic curiosity on the Upper East Side, even landing on a magazine cover during construction. 7 The property has been owned since 1974 by Rabbi Arthur Schneier of Park East Synagogue. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media Despite its architectural uniqueness, the home is not landmarked, which opens the door to potential alterations — something that has stirred local curiosity, if not concern. 'That is the multi-million dollar question, isn't it?' Pretsfelder said of whether a buyer might preserve the façade. 'I think they're probably looking to maximize their dollars … But ultimately it'll go to the highest bidder.' Still, New York native Pretsfelder hopes its next chapter respects its legacy. 'Anybody who grew up in the city has seen it around for the last 50 years,' he said. 'I'm sure they'd [the current owners] love to see it retained in its current format. But that remains to be seen. As with most pieces of real estate, it'll be the dollars that do the talking.' 7 While the interiors — featuring four bedrooms, five bathrooms and recessed lighting — are more conventional, the home will require a full renovation. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media 7 Still, brokers and admirers hope any updates preserve its distinctive, space-age exterior. Gabriel Sebastian/Five 7 Media This listing may be what lures design lovers, collectors, or creative buyers in search of something no renovation — or zoning board — can replicate. 'It's just an iconic part of the neighborhood,' Pretsfelder said.
