A Manhattan townhouse that has been owned by the same family for 60 years — and was even formerly owned by the writer of the famous “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem, has hit the market for $7.5 million, The Post has learned.
Located in Chelsea, the residence was originally a part of the Clement C. Moore estate. (Fun fact: Beyond a poet, Moore was also a real estate developer.)
Overall, the 5,100-square-foot townhouse at 324 W. 22nd St. has only had three different owners since it was built in 1843.
Made up of seven bedrooms and 5.5 baths, the home has hit the market in the wake of its most recent owners, William and Susan Shanok, passing away.
The late couple fell in love with the home and spent all of their money to purchase and renovate it back in the 1960s.
Their daughters also loved the home and told The Post of their mom’s dressing room, which had special secret storage compartments, where holiday presents could be kept away from the curiosity of children.
The dressing room was also used as a nursery for their eldest daughter, Victoria.
Upon entry is a grand staircase that was hand-carved by the family. They also added an extension to the home. And the first-generation AGA stove remains.
Arezu Sohn, Paul Kolbusz and Melissa Sargeantson of Corcoran hold the listing.
Meanwhile, Moore’s family contributed to the development of New York City in a major way.
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In 1750, Moore’s grandfather Captain Thomas Clarke, a retired British Army officer, bought a 94-acre farm that he converted to a country estate. Clarke named the property Chelsea, an homage to a famous veterans’ hospital in London. When he was 14 years old, Moore inherited the estate from his grandfather, which spanned from what today would roughly be Eighth to 10th avenues and West 20th to West 28th streets in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.
Moore intended to keep the land as a summer country residence, but the city had other plans with the Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, which designed the city’s rectangular street grid and would turn his land into city blocks.
Though disgruntled at first with the city’s plans, eventually Moore saw the implementation of the grid as a business opportunity to increase the value of his property.
In order to develop his estate, Moore began to lease out the lots — but established restrictions on the type of structures he would allow in order to maintain the character of the neighborhood. He wanted “upscale, fashionable homes” that were good quality and free of nuisances.
In 1843, builder Peter B. Doremus built the townhouse. It became home to Isaac Phillips, whose grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War and was assistant to George Washington — and who himself was a strong presence in the Jewish community, being one of the officers of the first Jewish hospital in the United States.
The property comprises four levels with a basement and 700 square feet of private outdoor space, the listing notes.
Features include a library, front and back yards, and a south-facing terrace off of the primary bedroom.
The study off of the primary bedroom boasts a mural painted by the artist Neel Bate as a gift to the owners.
“The additional separate two-bedroom, two-bathroom garden apartment has its own entrance and offers an area ideal for a guest suite, live/work, or the opportunity for extra income,” the listing says.
