The Otto Kahn & James Burden Mansions

The wedding of Otto Kahn and Adelaide Wolff took place on January 8, 1896. When they commissioned renowned architects C.P.H. Gilbert and J. Armstrong Stenhouse to design and build their private residence, they requested that no expense be spared in the construction. "It's a sin to sit on one's money," said Kahn, and as a result, their home in Manhattan became one of the largest private residences ever built in the city in 1918. The exterior of the building, which was constructed of French limestone imported from St. Quentin, is distinguished by its simplicity and dignity. The beauty inherent in Italian sixteenth-century architecture is demonstrated by the pilasters adorning the exterior of the second-floor balcony. The interior stairwell, halls, and entrance are all made of caen stone, and they have been finished with great care and consideration for detail. A replica of the Papal Chancellery in Rome was used in the construction of the structure. In addition to music, architecture, and painting, Mr. Kahn was a notable patron of the arts in general. He frequently hosted concerts and exhibitions of his treasures in his home, which drew a large number of visitors. Otto Kahn had his own music room built, complete with an Adam's ceiling, which allowed sound to easily circulate throughout the space. Musicians who have performed for Otto Kahn have included George Gershwin and Enrico Caruso, among others. It was only a few years after Mr. Kahn's death that the Convent of the Sacred Heart was able to purchase the mansion. It is now the location of Sacred Heart's upper and middle schools, respectively. The building at 7 East 91st Street was built in 1901 by William Sloane as a wedding gift for his daughter Adele, who had married steel manufacturer James Burden the year before. This mansion, designed by Warren and Wetmore, the same architects who designed New York's Grand Central Station, was designated as a historic site in 1974. The ballroom is located on the third floor, rather than the traditional first or second floor locations, thanks to an innovative design. To get to the top, a rotunda displays the beginning of the grand spiral staircase made of Hauteville marble, which leads to the observation deck. There is a beautiful mural by French artist Hector d'Espouy on the ceiling above, which is bordered by a Tiffany stained-glass ceiling light. Adele was well-known for hosting extravagant parties in the splendor of her French-inspired rooms. The formal banquet hall has walls made of Campan vert marble and a detailed ceiling depicting floral arrangements, which is a focal point of the event. Bonanno's painting of an old Italian garden, which stands twelve feet tall on the Northern wall, has remained in place to this day. These ballrooms are surrounded by twelve-foot-high doors paneled with oblong mirrors, which are modeled after the Galeries des Glaces at the Palace of Versailles. Mark Twain and Giacomo Puccini are just a few of the famous people who have graced these rooms. The house was purchased by the Convent of the Sacred Heart in 1940, just a few years after Mr. Burden's death. Today, it serves as the site of Sacred Heart's lower elementary school.