John and Mary Sutphen House, ca. 1920.

Among its important qualities, the Sutphen Residence, designed in the Beaux-Arts style by noted architect C.P.H. Gilbert and built in 1901-02, is an elegant, limestone-fronted townhouse with an American basement plan located on a prominent site near the southern end of Riverside Drive at West 72nd Street.

The residence, designed and built in accordance with restrictive covenants in an area long intended for high-quality residential development, is an excellent example of an impressive townhouse designed for that area. Its design, featuring curved bays, stone and copper ornamental details, and a slate mansard roof enlivened by large dormers, as well as its sitting, give it a striking presence at the gateway to Riverside Drive.