The Gustav Mayer House

Step inside one of New York City’s most extraordinary landmarked historic homes. Built in 1855 on the grounds of the legendary Rose & Crown Tavern, where British General William Howe once read the Declaration of Independence to his troops. This grand Italianate villa was originally commissioned by a Staten Island militia commander and designed in harmony with the natural landscape, following the picturesque ideals of Alexander Jackson Davis and Andrew Jackson Downing who was the architect known as the ”father of American landscape architecture.” Later belonging to Gustav Mayer, the German-born confectioner whose original vanilla wafer recipe which was created in this very home, became the foundation for Nabisco’s success, the house blends American legacy with European innovation. A true architectural time capsule, it has remained remarkably untouched, with the first floor fully restored to museum-quality standards, including a double parlor, three bedrooms, two kitchens, two full baths, and original handcrafted details throughout. The upper floors, with eight additional rooms and rough plumbing in place, offer over 2,800 sq ft of restoration-ready space and incredible creative potential. The home sits on over half an acre, crowned by its iconic cupola with sweeping views of Raritan Bay and the Verrazzano Bridge. Its dreamy interiors have served as backdrops for the world’s top fashion photographers such as Steven Meisel and Peter Lindbergh, including spreads in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, and W Magazine. Notable icons such as Gisele Bündchen, Lauren Hutton, and Mary-Kate Olsen have all been photographed here—further cementing this property’s reputation as one of the most visually and culturally significant homes in NYC. This is more than real estate. It’s a chance to own a story that spans centuries, and to complete the next chapter in a true American masterpiece.