Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Once Owned by Edna St. Vincent Millay, New York’s Narrowest Home

Once Owned by Edna St. Vincent Millay, New York’s Narrowest Home

The 19th-century townhouse at 75 ½ Bedford Street is nine-and-a-half-feet wide—and even slimmer inside.

The Victorian-era townhouse at 75 ½ Bedford Street in the West Village has the reputation of being the narrowest house in New York (some argue that 39 Saint Marks Place is skinnier, but as the Greenwich Village Preservation Society points out, it’s technically part of another building.)



The townhouse at 75 1/2 Bedford Street is widely considered the skinniest residential home in New York City. It’s also known as the Millay House, as famous poet Edna St. Vincent Millay lived here with her husband in the early 1920s.

75 ½ Bedford has changed hands three times in the last 21 years, most recently in 2013, and is now on the market for $4,990,000. Located at the southwest corner of Bedford and Commerce Streets, this thin, three-story structure is just nine-and-a-half-feet wide on its exterior, a maximum of eight-feet-one-inch wide inside, and 35 feet deep. Its 999 square feet hold three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and a finished basement.

Estimated to be built in 1873, 75 ½ Bedford Street was constructed on top of what was originally a carriage entrance for the Hettie Hendricks-Gomez Estate next door, built in 1799 and considered the oldest house in the neighborhood. The townhouse possesses a Dutch architectural flair with a brick exterior, oversized black, leaded windows, and a stepped gable added in the 1920s.



Renovated by a previous owner, the three-story space includes clever built-in storage that maximizes efficiency inside the home. Original exposed beams, four wood-burning fireplaces, two balconies, and a patio leading to the shared garden are also major perks.

The current owner, George Gund IV, bought it for $3.5 million eight years ago, when it had been previously renovated. The bright, all-white walls provide a nice contrast to the light wood flooring, as well as the original exposed ceiling beams, and four wood-burning fireplaces. While these elements-along with a renovated kitchen, ample storage from clever built-ins, two balconies, and a quaint shared backyard-are enough to pique interest from buyers, the key to understanding its physical value is actually spending time in the space.

"Once you come in, it’s very spacious," says broker Hannah Oh, who is listing the property with Nest Seekers International. "People expect it to be very tiny-almost micro-living, but there’s more space than you’d think."



While the townhouse is 35 feet deep, the widest space inside is eight-feet-one-inch, and the narrowest point is two feet wide.

Though 75 ½ Bedford is a harder sell in a post-pandemic market, it’s been popular in the past thanks to its historical value. The residence is located near the Cherry Lane Theater, a 98-year-old theater company that leased the house upon opening to actors like Cary Grant and John Barrymore who lived there during show runs. Its most famous former resident is Edna St. Vincent Millay, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, who lived there with her husband some time between 1923 to 1925. The anthropologist Margaret Mead lived there, too.



On the second floor of the primary suite, there is a free-standing tub and enclosed shower that face a rear balcony. The toilet is out of frame.

Gund, the owner, has never actually lived in 75 ½ Bedford, according to Oh. This is a common plan of action for the more modern owners of this townhouse. A 1996 New York Times article chronicles its entire ownership history, revealing that no owner has actually lived there full-time in decades. Calling for renters, it opened with the line: "HAVE you got what it takes to live at 75 ½ Bedford?"

The answer remains to be seen.



A skylight was put in to allow natural sunlight to pour into the upper floors, resulting in a surprisingly light and airy feel.



The finished basement can double as office space, a den, or a workout room. A bathroom, two closets, and a laundry room are also located on this floor.



The townhouse shares a backyard with 73 and 75 Bedford Street.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×