Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Once Owned by Edna St. Vincent Millay, New York’s Narrowest Home

Once Owned by Edna St. Vincent Millay, New York’s Narrowest Home

The 19th-century townhouse at 75 ½ Bedford Street is nine-and-a-half-feet wide—and even slimmer inside.

The Victorian-era townhouse at 75 ½ Bedford Street in the West Village has the reputation of being the narrowest house in New York (some argue that 39 Saint Marks Place is skinnier, but as the Greenwich Village Preservation Society points out, it’s technically part of another building.)



The townhouse at 75 1/2 Bedford Street is widely considered the skinniest residential home in New York City. It’s also known as the Millay House, as famous poet Edna St. Vincent Millay lived here with her husband in the early 1920s.

75 ½ Bedford has changed hands three times in the last 21 years, most recently in 2013, and is now on the market for $4,990,000. Located at the southwest corner of Bedford and Commerce Streets, this thin, three-story structure is just nine-and-a-half-feet wide on its exterior, a maximum of eight-feet-one-inch wide inside, and 35 feet deep. Its 999 square feet hold three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a finished basement.

Estimated to be built in 1873, 75 ½ Bedford Street was constructed on top of what was originally a carriage entrance for the Hettie Hendricks-Gomez Estate next door, built in 1799 and considered the oldest house in the neighborhood. The townhouse possesses a Dutch architectural flair with a brick exterior, oversized black, leaded windows, and a stepped gable added in the 1920s.



Renovated by a previous owner, the three-story space includes clever built-in storage that maximizes efficiency inside the home. Original exposed beams, four wood-burning fireplaces, two balconies, and a patio leading to the shared garden are also major perks.

The current owner, George Gund IV, bought it for $3.5 million eight years ago, when it had been previously renovated. The bright, all-white walls provide a nice contrast to the light wood flooring, as well as the original exposed ceiling beams, and four wood-burning fireplaces. While these elements-along with a renovated kitchen, ample storage from clever built-ins, two balconies, and a quaint shared backyard-are enough to pique interest from buyers, the key to understanding its physical value is actually spending time in the space.

"Once you come in, it’s very spacious," says broker Hannah Oh, who is listing the property with Nest Seekers International. "People expect it to be very tiny-almost micro-living, but there’s more space than you’d think."



While the townhouse is 35 feet deep, the widest space inside is eight-feet-one-inch, and the narrowest point is two feet wide.

Though 75 ½ Bedford is a harder sell in a post-pandemic market, it’s been popular in the past thanks to its historical value. The residence is located near the Cherry Lane Theater, a 98-year-old theater company that leased the house upon opening to actors like Cary Grant and John Barrymore who lived there during show runs. Its most famous former resident is Edna St. Vincent Millay, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, who lived there with her husband some time between 1923 to 1925. The anthropologist Margaret Mead lived there, too.



On the second floor of the primary suite, there is a free-standing tub and enclosed shower that face a rear balcony. The toilet is out of frame.

Gund, the owner, has never actually lived in 75 ½ Bedford, according to Oh. This is a common plan of action for the more modern owners of this townhouse. A 1996 New York Times article chronicles its entire ownership history, revealing that no owner has actually lived there full-time in decades. Calling for renters, it opened with the line: "HAVE you got what it takes to live at 75 ½ Bedford?"

The answer remains to be seen.



A skylight was put in to allow natural sunlight to pour into the upper floors, resulting in a surprisingly light and airy feel.



The finished basement can double as office space, a den, or a workout room. A bathroom, two closets, and a laundry room are also located on this floor.



The townhouse shares a backyard with 73 and 75 Bedford Street.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
×