Riverside-West 105th Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Thirty buildings make up this L-shaped enclave on Manhattan's Upper West Side, running along West 105th Street, Riverside Drive and part of West 106th Street. The land sits high above Riverside Park and the Hudson River. All of it was developed between 1899 and 1902 as a neighborhood of single-family row houses and mansions, mostly of light limestone, with some brick trimmed in limestone. French Beaux-Arts design dominates, and restrictive covenants controlled the houses' design, height and setbacks, giving the streets an open, Parisian scale. Cornices, wrought-iron balconies and mansard roofs create strong horizontal lines on 105th Street, while bowed fronts set a gentle rhythm as the street slopes toward the drive. The houses have since been converted to multiple dwellings or institutions, yet their architectural character remains intact. The only intrusion is a Buddhist church built in 1963 at 332 Riverside Drive. The district was listed for its cohesive, architect-designed streetscape, which is among the most impressive on the Upper West Side.
Significance in brief: The district is a distinctive enclave of French Beaux-Arts residences with an unusual degree of stylistic unity. Restrictive covenants governing design, height and setbacks gave the turn-of-the-century houses an open, Paris-like scale. Its architect-designed row houses, with varied ornament, form some of the most impressive blocks on the Upper West Side.
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 80002712, listed August 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by W. End Ave., Riverside Dr., W. 104th and W. 106th Sts., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | August 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002712 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1899-1902 |
| Architectural style | French Beaux-Arts |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Originally single-family row houses and mansions, all now converted to multiple dwellings or institutions, with architectural integrity maintained. One intrusion: a 1963 Buddhist church at 332 Riverside Drive. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.80142, -73.97002 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80002712.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.