Vaisberg, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at 257 West Olive Street in Long Beach, New York, this stucco house reflects the Mediterranean look promoted for the Estates of Long Beach, a planned resort community. It is a two and one-half-story rectangular building with a low front-gabled barrel clay tile roof, a shaped parapet, tile coats of arms, art glass windows, an arched entrance and ironwork. A matching garage stands in the northeast corner of the lot. Samuel Vaisberg, a Russian immigrant and Brooklyn printer who invested in real estate, commissioned architect D. W. Dorfmann to design it as a year-round family home. His son Maurice, a physician, later used it as a summer residence and wrote research papers on allergies, alcoholism, antidepressants and gout treatments there. The house stayed in the family until 1992. With only two owners, it keeps its original form, materials, interior tile work, oak woodwork and fireplaces. It was recognized for its role in Long Beach's resort-era development and as an intact Spanish Eclectic design.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion A as a residence in the planned community of the Estates of Long Beach and for the city's early twentieth-century growth. It is significant under Criterion C as a highly intact example of Spanish Eclectic design suited to the community's rules. Only two families owned it, so it retains a high degree of integrity.
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 05001137, listed October 5, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 257 W. Olive St., Long Beach |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | October 5, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001137 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1927-1955 |
| Architect / builder | D. W. Dorfmann |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century Spanish Eclectic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current function is single dwelling; the house is described as little changed since 1927. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.58712, -73.67223 (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 05001137.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707267
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.