RPJ’s New York: The Jerome Mansion

This is the first of occasional non-legal articles on the city we work in and love.

All of us here at Reavis Page Jump LLP are grateful for our fabulous location at 41 Madison Avenue, with its spectacular views and proximity to one of Manhattan’s gems, Madison Square Park. What our colleagues and visitors may not know, however, is that our office stands on the site where Winston Churchill’s mother once lived. From 1865 to 1967, the intersection of 26^th Street and Madison Avenue was the site of the Jerome Mansion, home of financier Leonard Jerome. Jerome was a business partner of Cornelius Vanderbilt  and the father of Jenny Jerome, who later married Lord Randolph Churchill. They had two sons, including the future hero of Darkest Hour. After Leonard Jerome sold the property, it became the home of a series of clubs, including the Union League Club, the University Club and the Manhattan Club. Although the building was landmarked, when the owner could not find a buyer, a waiver was granted and the mansion was torn down in 1967 to be replaced by our current building, the New York Merchandise Mart. Among the mansion’s original amenities was a 600-seat theater, a breakfast room that could serve 70 and a splendid view of the park. Today’s building is filled with media companies, law firms, high end tableware and the Appellate Division– but the view still survives.

By RPJ Partner Alice K. Jump, whose practice focuses in litigation and dispute resolution, employment, real estate and infrastructure law.