JeffReuben
House in Clay Avenue Historic District
381 East 165th Street, aka 1038 Clay Avenue, is a unusual and notable house in several respects. Located on the western edge of the Morrisania neighborhood in the South Bronx, New York City, it is heavily covered in ivy, which although not unique in New York City, is certainly rare, especially in such a highly urbanized area. This photo shows the East 165th Street facade during winter. In other times of year, when the ivy is in bloom, the facade of the building is almost completely covered. Only at this time can one see the details of the building's exterior.
The house was built in 1906 for hardware store manufacturer Francis Keil and was designed by architect Charles S. Clark. Before moving to this house, Keil and his family lived in one of the rowhouses on Clay Avenue within what is now the Clay Avenue Historic District. Keil's attraction to the area was likely due to the fact his business was located only a few blocks away. As for Clark, among his other work he also designed a row of Queen Anne stye rowhouses in the Perry Avenue Historic District, located in the northern Bronx.
381 East 165th Street is the odd duck within the City-designated Clay Avenue Historic District. The historic district, which encompasses the facing blockfronts of Clay Avenue between East 165th Street and East 166th Street, consists primarily of 2-family rowhouses. The district also includes three apartment buildings, but no other single family homes. This is also the only building in the district designed by Clark and the only one not built by developer Ernest Wenigmann. Wenigmann had owned this property, but sold it to Keil in 1906.
The historic district report refers to this area as "a distinctive enclave dating from the early period of urban development in the Bronx." The house at 381 East 165th Street is an exception inside an enclave, a truly one of a kind building. It is a good example of how New York often provides the unexpected and the beautiful, ready to be found if one keeps a lookout for it.
House in Clay Avenue Historic District
381 East 165th Street, aka 1038 Clay Avenue, is a unusual and notable house in several respects. Located on the western edge of the Morrisania neighborhood in the South Bronx, New York City, it is heavily covered in ivy, which although not unique in New York City, is certainly rare, especially in such a highly urbanized area. This photo shows the East 165th Street facade during winter. In other times of year, when the ivy is in bloom, the facade of the building is almost completely covered. Only at this time can one see the details of the building's exterior.
The house was built in 1906 for hardware store manufacturer Francis Keil and was designed by architect Charles S. Clark. Before moving to this house, Keil and his family lived in one of the rowhouses on Clay Avenue within what is now the Clay Avenue Historic District. Keil's attraction to the area was likely due to the fact his business was located only a few blocks away. As for Clark, among his other work he also designed a row of Queen Anne stye rowhouses in the Perry Avenue Historic District, located in the northern Bronx.
381 East 165th Street is the odd duck within the City-designated Clay Avenue Historic District. The historic district, which encompasses the facing blockfronts of Clay Avenue between East 165th Street and East 166th Street, consists primarily of 2-family rowhouses. The district also includes three apartment buildings, but no other single family homes. This is also the only building in the district designed by Clark and the only one not built by developer Ernest Wenigmann. Wenigmann had owned this property, but sold it to Keil in 1906.
The historic district report refers to this area as "a distinctive enclave dating from the early period of urban development in the Bronx." The house at 381 East 165th Street is an exception inside an enclave, a truly one of a kind building. It is a good example of how New York often provides the unexpected and the beautiful, ready to be found if one keeps a lookout for it.