A house that sits on the former estate of Clement Clarke Moore, who penned the famous Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” is for sale at $8.65 million.
Located at 348 W. 22nd St. in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, the four-story townhouse (plus basement) is divided into three residential units: two studios on the garden floor and one three-level single-family home above.
Moore was living at the Chelsea site when he composed the first verse of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” widely known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” on a snowy winter day in 1823, according to listing brokerage Leslie J. Garfield.
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The poem is credited with creating many of today’s conceptions of Santa Claus. In Moore’s imagination, Santa pays him a visit the night before Christmas, “dressed all in fur” with “a bundle of toys he had flung on his back.”
“He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,” “his cheeks like roses” and his beard “as white as the snow,” reads the poem.
A commemorative plaque on the home’s façade reminds pedestrians and visitors of the site’s significance. Moore died in 1863.
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“It is rare to find a property with such a pedigree and history,” said Matthew Lesser, a partner at Leslie J. Garfield.
The current owners weren’t identified and, according to the listing agent, they are selling because they’ve decided to move to another property.
The ground floor features two studio apartments with independent entrances. The rear studio has a patio and additional storage space, according to the listing. The front studio was recently home to Korean sculpture and installation artist Do Ho Suh, according to information provided by Leslie J. Garfield.
The main residence’s first floor has an expansive reception room with original stone fireplace and an open-plan kitchen in the rear. It also includes a terrace with access to a south-facing garden. The second floor features two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and access to the outside terrace. On the third floor are two additional bedrooms, a recreation room, a bathroom and an office.
The basement can be used for storage or turned into a TV or relaxation room, according to Leslie J. Garfield.
The house retains some original details, including plaster moldings and medallions, four marble fireplaces and inlaid parquet flooring, according to the listing. The main entrance is accessed via steps featuring original iron railings leading to a grand doorway, and the ground floor has full-height original windows and 12-foot ceilings.