St. Nicholas Historic District
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Four rows of townhouses and three apartment buildings line West 138th and 139th Streets between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Harlem. Developer David H. King commissioned them in 1891 from three architectural firms: James Brown Lord on the south side of 138th Street, Bruce Price and Clarence S. Luce for the middle rows, and McKim, Mead and White on the north side of 139th Street. Materials vary from red brick with brownstone trim to buff brick with limestone and dark mottled brick, yet uniform heights and cornices unify the blocks. Wrought-iron gateways lead to service alleys behind the houses, a feature the nomination found unusual among King's work. After the 1904 panic, houses were opened to Black buyers, and by 1919 many were bought by professionals. Residents included surgeons, the musician W. C. Handy and members of the "Shuffle Along" company, and the area became known as "Striver's Row". The blocks remain well maintained residences.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of nineteenth-century urban design, with four rows by three prominent architectural firms planned as a unified whole. Its service alleys behind the rows are a distinctive feature. It also became a notable Black professional and cultural community, later known as "Striver's Row", home to doctors, musicians and entertainers.
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 75001209, listed October 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W. 138th and W. 139th Sts. (both sides) between 7th and 8th Aves., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | October 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001209 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1891) |
| Architect / builder | James Brown Lord; Bruce Price and Clarence S. Luce; McKim, Mead and White; built by developer David H. King |
| Architectural style | Georgian (Eclectic period) and Italian Renaissance row houses |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good and unaltered; houses described as well maintained and still largely private residences. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.81829, -73.94332 (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 75001209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2356475
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.