Morris, Lewis G., House
Also known as: New World Foundation Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1914 at 100 East 85th Street, this brick townhouse with stone trim was designed by Ernest Flagg for Lewis Gouverneur Morris, a stockbroker descended from a family prominent in colonial New York and New Jersey. The lot is only a little over twenty-five feet wide on Park Avenue and eighty-two feet long on 85th Street. Flagg met the challenge by making the building look like two houses separated by an open court, joined by a rear wing holding a broad staircase with landings at each half-level. The exterior draws on Federal architecture through its plain brick walls, fan and quadrant windows, and steep gabled roof with dormers, while the gable ends recall Dutch examples. The split-level plan and tall, narrow massing mark it as twentieth century work. Interiors include paneled walls, fluted pilasters and rich moldings. The house later became the home of the New World Foundation with little change to its fabric.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an early twentieth century adaptation of the Federal idiom and an inventive solution for a long, narrow corner plot. It is also an unusual example of the work of architect Ernest Flagg, built for a descendant of the prominent Morris family.
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 77000960, listed February 12, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 100 E. 85th St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | February 12, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000960 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | Ernest Flagg |
| Architectural style | Neo-Federal (early twentieth century Federal/Colonial Revival influence) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; the form says it was adapted without substantial change to a new public purpose as the New World Foundation building, with an altered interior and unaltered exterior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.77941, -73.95745 (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 77000960.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6536571
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.