Steinway House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 on a wooded hilltop above the East River, this granite villa in the Steinway section of Long Island City was designed as a country residence. It has an asymmetrical plan, a gabled slate roof, a four-story tower with an octagonal cupola and a semicircular library wing. Its decorative details, including Corinthian porch columns and modillions, are all cast iron, an unusual choice for a house when the material was mainly used on commercial buildings. The interior has twenty-seven rooms, a two-story hall with an oval balcony, and original grained pine woodwork. Benjamin Pike, an optical instrument dealer, probably built it. In the early 1870s it became the home of William Steinway, whose family's piano company bought about 400 acres nearby and built a factory and employee community. The house stayed in the Steinway family until 1925. Industrial land now surrounds it, which contrasts sharply with its original rural setting.
Significance in brief: The house is a distinctive example of the Italian Villa style in Queens, with an asymmetrical plan, a square tower and exterior decorative details made entirely of cast iron, which was rare on a residence. It is also tied to the Steinway & Sons Piano Company, since William Steinway lived there in the early 1870s. It retains nearly complete exterior and interior 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 83001780, listed September 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18-22 41st St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Queens |
| Listed | September 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001780 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date c. 1850) |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa (Italianate) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; described as maintained and being restored, with tours opened to school and civic groups. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.77849, -73.89726 (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 83001780.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3498106
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.