Villard Houses

The Villard Houses stand as a rare survivor from an era when private palaces dominated the streets of Manhattan. When railroad financier Henry Villard commissioned this U-shaped complex in eighteen eighty-two, he wanted to mirror the grandeur of the Italian Renaissance. He hired the young firm of McKim, Mead and White, who looked to the Palazzo della Cancelleria in Rome for inspiration. The design was intended to create a secluded, private enclave away from the noise of the city, surrounding a quiet central courtyard that remains a distinct visual anchor on Madison Avenue today.