Look Up: The Former Home of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York

At the base of Riverside Drive, on the northeast corner, stand three interconnected townhouses that were designed by the renowned architect Charles Pierrepont Henry Gilbert:Nos. 1 and 3 Riverside Drive and, around the bend, 311 West 72nd Street. Gilbert is best known for his numerous mansions in Park Slope and along the “Gold Coast” of the Upper East Side.

Having started his practice in 1886 at the age of 25, he quickly received commissions for buildings of all kinds. After completing several projects in Brooklyn, in the mid-1890’s he was commissioned for these three buildings in Manhattan. No. 1 and 311 are more stayed in their pallet, while No. 3, designed for Philip Kleeber, is more French Gothic in style, with lacy details in the molding. More recently No. 2 Riverside was built, interrupting the connection between these three, but the open court between No. 1 and 311 is now grandfathered in as part of the landscape.

What is particularly interesting about No. 1 Riverside is that it became home to the Islamic Cultural Center of New York. The Center, which also owns the large mosque on Third Avenue and 96th Street on the Upper East Side, still maintains this townhouse as a smaller prayer center, despite having moved their major functions to the mosque in 1991. The new mosque, though very modern in design, seems to follow the conventions for a large mosque, including a domed central hall and a minaret. The townhouse by Giblert, in contrast, is an odd design, even for a temporary center. The limestone façade and typical Baroque ornamentation are not typical for any Islamic center.

It is interesting to note that many of the mansions designed by Gilbert were eventually taken over by non-profit organizations and foreign institutions. One of his gems, originally designed for Joseph Raphael De Lamar on Madison and 37th is now the home of the Polish Consulate, and the Harry Sinclair House on Fifth Ave and 79th Street is now the Ukrainian Institute. And in addition to the Islamic Center, another home that Gilbert built, for Felix Warburg, is now the site of the Jewish Museum of New York.

A different look at the courtyard between the buildings.

The limestone façade and typical Baroque ornamentation are not typical for any Islamic center.

A look at the mansard roof that caps the building.

The mansard roof is just another atypical feature for a building that housed an Islamic center.

Note the lacy details in the molding, typical of the French Gothic style.

Fleurs-de-lis are incorporated into the ornamentation, reflecting the French Gothic style.