The ‘Harriet the Spy’ UES townhouse hits the market for $6M

Real Estate

A Queen Anne-style house located on 156 East End Avenue, and once inspiration for the timeless children’s book, “Harriet the Spy,” has been listed for $6 million, The Post has learned. 

A film based on the book was developed, starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O’Donnell, about a girl who keeps a private journal she takes everywhere and records suspicious activity of everyone she knows in the city. 

Located in the Yorkville neighborhood, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house overlooks Carl Schurz Park. 

It was first listed earlier this month for $6.6 million, but received a $625,000 price cut on Monday.

It was last sold in 2016 after 70 years off the market for $5 million.

Built in the 1880’s, the house underwent a full gut restoration, according to the listing. 

The home overlooks Carl Schurz Park.
The home overlooks Carl Schurz Park.
Compass
A still of Michelle Trachtenberg in 1996 from the film "Harriet the Spy."
A still of Michelle Trachtenberg in 1996 from the film “Harriet the Spy.”
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col
The spiraling staircase.
The spiraling staircase.
Compass
The study.
The study.
Compass
The kitchen.
The kitchen.
Compass
The formal dining room with a fire place.
The formal dining room with a fire place.
Compass
The formal living room.
The formal living room.
Compass

Features include a  foyer that opens directly to a central hall with a skylit staircase at the rear. The living room comes with a wood burning fireplace and boasts a full corner of windows overlooking the park.

Across the center hall is the dining room with a corner fireplace at one end and a full length bay window at the other. The dining room is serviced by a full butlers pantry and a restored dumbwaiter which accesses the expansive kitchen below, which also has its own fireplace, the listing states. 

Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O'Donnell in 1996.
Michelle Trachtenberg and Rosie O’Donnell in 1996.
©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Col
One of the four bathrooms.
One of the four bathrooms.
Compass
The garden patio with a fire place.
The garden patio with a fire place.
Compass
A corner- windowed seating area in one of the bedrooms.
A corner- windowed seating area in one of the bedrooms.
Compass
A reading area.
A reading area.
Compass

The home also comes with a latticed patio garden, and the an extremely rare historic service entrance where all deliveries and maintenance personnel have a separate access, rather than the main entrance. 

Upstairs are the four bedrooms with all new built-in closet spaces and storage. . The bedrooms each have corners of windows and window seats overlooking the park. 

The butler's pantry.
The butler’s pantry.
Compass
The home is located in the Yorkville neighborhood.
The home is located in the Yorkville neighborhood.
Compass
The primary bedroom.
The primary bedroom.
Compass
The primary bathroom.
The primary bathroom.
Compass

The author of “Harriet the Spy,” Louise Fitzhigh, lived nearby when she wrote the popular book, and was inspired by the Queen Anne style townhouse at the time. 

Pamela Marcus and Phil Wells with Compass hold the listing and is co-listed with Leighton C Candler from Corcoran.

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