Felix, Pauline, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1909, this two and one-half story stucco house at 151 West Penn Street in Long Beach was one of the early summer cottages in the Estates of Long Beach, a resort community developed by William H. Reynolds. Reynolds required two-lot parcels, set-back houses of at least two stories, and red tile roofs, hoping to create an "Atlantic City" with villas for wealthy visitors. Pauline Felix bought five lots and had the house built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, with a low hipped roof of red clay barrel tile, a symmetrical five-bay facade, and a full-width portico with scroll brackets. Inside, the central hall, French-style doors, hardwood floors, fireplaces and dark woodwork remain largely original. Later owners used it as a permanent home and, in the 1930s, a boarding house. Though surrounding development has removed its ocean views, the house remains a well-preserved survivor of Long Beach's early resort era and stands on one of the remaining original brick streets.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion A as one of the earlier structures in the Estates of Long Beach, a planned seaside resort development of the early twentieth century. It is significant under Criterion C as a highly intact example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture, with its tiled hipped roof, symmetrical facade and wide portico. It also stands on one of the few remaining original brick streets laid out by Charles Wellford Leavitt in 1908.
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 05000090, listed February 24, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 151 W. Penn St., Long Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 24, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000090 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1909-1954 |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a private residence; the house retains most of its historic fabric, though most windows are modern replacements and the porch sections were later enclosed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.58568, -73.67193 (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 05000090.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7155011
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.