James F. D. Lanier Home

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Murray Hill was quickly becoming one of New York’s most fashionable districts, with a number of well-to-do businessmen, including J.P. Morgan, choosing to reside there. Himself a member of a prominent banking family, James Franklin Doughty Lanier bought two brownstone houses on East 35th Street in 1901 with the intention of demolishing them and replacing them with a mansion.

By the time of Lanier’s purchase, brownstone rowhouses were falling from favor among well-heeled New Yorkers. The new mansion was designed by the architectural firm of Hoppin & Koen, who created a stunning Beaux-Arts design, a style that was particularly popular with the city’s wealthy residents at the time.

The Lanier home is five stories tall and features an arched entrance and elaborate detailing. The home bears numerous French influences, including a copper-covered mansard roof and an ornate cast-iron railing surrounding the fourth-floor balcony.

The Laniers lived in the home for about four years before leasing it to Theodore Shonts and his wife. The Shonts traveled extensively and bought many items with which to furnish and decorate their lavish new home. But the items were apparently brought into the country illegally, prompting a raid of the home by Customs officials. Mrs. Shonts pressured her maid to hide some of the goods in her home but at trial, the maid confessed that she had hidden the items for her employer.

The Laniers eventually moved back into the home, and following the deaths of James and his wife, their son, Reginald, moved his family into the home. They continued living in the mansion until at least 1979. The home is believed to be a private residence as of 2020.

A Piece of Paris in Murray Hill: The James F.D. Lanier Residence , Curbed New York . October 1st 2013. Accessed August 26th 2020. https://ny.curbed.com/2013/10/1/10192304/a-piece-of-paris-in-murray-hill-the-james-f-d-lanier-residence.

James F. D. Lanier Residence , Landmarks Preservation Commission . Accessed August 26th 2020. http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/1048.pdf.