Some New Yorkers wait all year for the purple cascade to return to Stuyvesant Street–a sure sign that spring is on the way. Now the famously wisteria-covered townhouse at No. 35—a longtime neighborhood crush for East Village wanderers—is officially back on the market, offering another chance to daydream about owning the five-story stunner that turns heads each year.
Listed for $3.895 million, the home once again has New Yorkers imagining life at one of downtown’s most swoon-worthy addresses.
🏙️ A Historic Gem in the Heart of the East Village
Built in 1861 by famed architect James Renwick Jr.–whose credits include St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the original Smithsonian Institution building–35 Stuyvesant Street is part of the Renwick Triangle, a cluster of mid-19th century homes where Stuyvesant Street meets East 10th.
Its unusual diagonal alignment is the only true east-to-west street in Manhattan, a quirky leftover from the Stuyvesant family’s sprawling 1600s estate.
The townhouse itself is unusually spacious for the neighborhood–32 feet of brick-and-stone façade stretching across four south-facing window bays that allow sunlight to pour in.
Step inside and you’ll find the house is full of vintage character and original details: five fireplaces with marble mantles, exposed brick, decorative wood paneling, intricate tin ceilings, an English basement, and a cellar.
Upstairs, an unfinished roof offers the potential for a bright private terrace with neighborhood views.
🪻 The Wisteria that Won Hearts
Of course, it’s the wisteria that steals the spotlight.
Blooming like clockwork each spring, the cascading vine has become a neighborhood landmark, inspiring Instagram posts, jigsaw puzzles, and the occasional double-take from passersby.
Former owner Lee B. Anderson–called the godfather of the Gothic Revival in America–nurtured the plant for decades, winning a 2003 Village Preservation Award for beautifying the East Village.
Anderson wasn’t just a gardener; he turned 35 Stuyvesant into a cultural salon.
From 1958 onward, the townhouse became a magnet for 20th-century creatives. Andy Warhol, Halston, Cher, Lee Radziwill, and Sylvia Miles all reportedly passed through its doors to admire Anderson’s collection of paintings, furniture, and decorative oddities.
After Anderson’s passing in 2010, his caretaker lived in the home, and in 2023 the property went on sale for the first time since Anderson bought it in 1958. That listing, priced at $4.2 million, drew plenty of attention–and now, with a new broker, the home is back on the market at $3.895 million.
😍 A Rare Opportunity
Listing broker Nick Gavin of Compass says interest is already strong, particularly from creative buyers drawn to the home’s “real character and patina.”
The current listing leans into possibility: “Bring your architect to a 32-foot-wide townhouse on the best block in the East Village,” it reads, inviting new owners to gently restore the landmark while honoring its history.
Set in the St. Mark’s Historic District, 35 Stuyvesant Street isn’t just a house–it’s a piece of Manhattan’s living history, where architecture, art, and nature converge in a five-story purple paradise.
With the wisteria in bloom and the townhouse back on the market, it’s a rare chance to make one of the East Village’s most swoon-worthy addresses your own.
- Price: $3.895 million
- Lot Size: 512 SF
- Rooms: 10
- Taxes: $1,597/month
- Listing: Compass