Ukrainian Institute of America

The building you are approaching is a Gilded Age masterpiece that was designed to mimic the grand chateaus of the Loire Valley in France. Completed in eighteen ninety-nine, this limestone residence was commissioned by the banker and railroad investor Isaac D. Fletcher. He hired the architect Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert to create a home that would hold his massive art collection and rival the most opulent mansions in the city. The structure is characterized by its asymmetrical facade, towering slate roof, and elaborate stone carvings that include gargoyles and other Gothic-inspired details.