Charles Street House at No. 131
Why it's listed
This two-story brick townhouse at 131 Charles Street in Greenwich Village was built in 1834 by David Christie, a stonecutter who bought the lot and its neighbor at auction in 1833. At the time the area was still a suburban community outside the most heavily built part of the city, and the house was probably meant for rental to a middle-class family. It has two pedimented dormers, Flemish bond brickwork, an eight-paneled oak door between slender Ionic columns, and a wrought-iron fenced areaway. The interior plan differs from the usual Federal townhouse, with the stair rising from the front of the entrance hall. Original pine floors, carved wood mantels, ceiling cornices, door and window trim, and the stair newel post and bannister survive. Christie built at least thirty similar houses between 1817 and 1835, and this is the best preserved. Its largely intact interior makes it a good example of late Federal design in New York City.
Significance in brief: It is described as the best preserved example of at least thirty similar houses Christie built between 1817 and 1835. Despite minor Victorian-era exterior changes, it keeps a remarkable number of original interior features typical of late Federal architecture in New York City.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000866, listed November 3, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 131 Charles St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | November 3, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000866 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1834 |
| Architect / builder | David Christie |
| Architectural style | Late Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; marked as occupied and used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73445, -74.00730 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000866.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4549036
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.