Historic Manhattan Home Designed By Iconic Architect Lists for $20 Million

William Lescaze was one of the first architects to bring modern design to the residences of the most modern of cities, New York. On Friday, one of his Upper East Side homes hit the market for $20 million.

The historic home on East 74th Street, completed in 1934, was last sold for $14.5 million in November 2015 to an anonymous LLC. Since then, it’s had a major makeover.

"The developer gut renovated it," said listing agent Susan Barr of Fox Residential Group. "He turned it into a fabulous rental with three duplexes."

Now the building has one three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom unit; another with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, plus another small room that could be used as an office or large closet; and a third with two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, plus an office or den, the listing said.

The apartments, spread out over six floors, all have high ceilings, abundant closet space, laundry facilities and eat-in kitchens. They feature high-end finishes, Ms. Barr said, including gleaming hardwood floors throughout and Carrara marble in the bathrooms. Each apartment also has the most up-to-date smart-home technology, with a Sonos sound system, central air conditioning and lighting that can all be controlled with the press of a few buttons.

Outdoor space was a priority in the redesign of the building, Ms. Barr said. The apartment that takes up the ground level has a landscaped and furnished patio, and the upper-level abode features a large terrace off the kitchen, plus two smaller, south-facing balconies off the living area and master bedroom.

The building has a part-time super, plus a keyed elevator, storage and a roof deck with a grill.

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The listing calls the townhouse a "unique investment opportunity," and none of the apartments currently have residents. It was first listed in 2008 and, over the years, was priced at $14 million, $14.5 million and $19.5 million, according to public records.

Lescaze, a Swiss-born American architect who died in 1969, brought his modern ideas to the Upper East Side in the 1930s. That includes his own home and office at 211 E. 48th St., which is landmarked by the city, and this home at East 74th Street (once known as the Raymond C. and Mildred Kramer House for its first owners).

One of the architect’s hallmarks was using glass bricks as walls, which were energy efficient, kept sound out and let light in. Two of the original walls are still part of the house, Ms. Barr said.