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A Gilded Age townhouse with one of the Upper East Side’s most chilling backstories is back on the market with a $68 million price tag. The limestone residence at 4 East 79th Street, built in 1899 for financier James E. Nichols, is a fully modernized Beaux Arts mansion that also happens to be the site of a notorious 1915 murder (h/t Realtor.com).
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The five-story home was designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert, whose work defines much of the area’s grand turn-of-the-century architecture. Nichols died abroad in 1914, and the house passed to his widow, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Nichols. The following year, the property became the scene of a shocking crime when Lizzie was attacked by her former butler, who returned with two accomplices to steal her extensive jewelry collection. New York Times reporting at the time described signs of a violent struggle and noted that Lizzie was discovered with a towel wrapped around her neck. All three men were later apprehended and executed in 1917.Despite that dark chapter, the townhouse has continued to command extraordinary sums. It traded for $56 million in 2024 and has now resurfaced with an even higher asking price, placing it among this week’s most expensive listings.
Behind its elegant façade, the residence has been extensively rebuilt to what the listing describes as “today’s top standard,” adding modern security infrastructure along with updated audio, lighting, kitchen, and bath systems. The six-bedroom home offers Central Park views, 13-foot ceilings, solid mahogany doors and windows, marble-lined rooms, and a blend of parquet de Versailles and herringbone white oak flooring. Passenger and service elevators connect the levels, and the address sits steps from Madison Avenue’s galleries and luxury boutiques.
With its mix of architectural pedigree, updated interiors, and a century-old story that continues to fascinate, 4 East 79th Street is now seeking a new owner—one willing to pay a whopping sum for one of the Upper East Side’s most storied mansions.
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