McFarlane-Bredt House
Also known as: New York Yacht Club
Why it's listed
Set on a rise above New York Bay in the Clifton section of Staten Island, this wood-framed house was built in the 1840s for real estate developer Henry McFarlane. It was designed to resemble an Italian-Swiss villa, with jerkinhead gables, projecting bays, a long veranda and porches with latticed posts, concave tin roofs and jigsaw ornament. Additions followed in the 1860s, 1870s and 1890s, the first copying the original detailing so closely that the house seemed built at one time. The New York Yacht Club owned the property after 1868, and in August 1870 the club successfully defended the first America's Cup challenge in the harbor in front of its clubhouse here. Frederick Bredt, a later owner, gave the house part of its name. New York City acquired the house and the adjoining Austen House in 1975 for use as a park. The house keeps its rural setting and picturesque character despite alterations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare surviving example of suburban picturesque eclectic architecture in New York City, designed to resemble an Italian-Swiss villa. It is also tied to the New York Yacht Club, which owned it in 1870 when the first America's Cup challenge was defended in New York harbor. It retains integrity of setting and design despite later additions.
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 83001784, listed September 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 30 Hylan Blvd., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Staten Island |
| Listed | September 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001784 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Suburban picturesque eclectic (Italian-Swiss villa) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of New York since 1975 and being converted to a public park; the house was still occupied by rental tenants. Condition listed as deteriorated and altered. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.61439, -74.06369 (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 83001784.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6801148
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.