The Row

Greenwich Village

New York City

Art & Culture | History

A Storied Block of Iconic Ionics

The Row side view washington square north

About The Row

& why it made the Carpe City list

This unified row of Greek Revival townhouses along Washington Square North was so chic, it was simply known as “The Row,” a title it retains to this day.
The homes on The Row were developed together and opened in 1833.
- Sailor’s Snug Harbor, the original owners, is an organization on Staten Island that served as the nation’s first retirement community for Navy veterans and retired sailors.
The gorgeous houses drew New York City’s elite, and the high rents benefited the retired sailors.
- Henry James and Edith Wharton both lived here. James even penned the novel “Washington Square,” creating a lasting portrait of The Row as the city’s loftiest perch.
In the early 20th century, Washington Square became an artists’ paradise, and The Row was no exception.
- Artist Edward Hopper lived at 3 Washington Square North with his wife for 54 years until his death in 1967. He painted on the top floor of the building!
Leonora Speyer, 1927 Pulitzer Prize winner and her husband, lived at 22 Washington Square North from 1919 – 1936.
In 1939, Sailor’s Snug Harbor almost demolished The Row, but instead, sold most of the buildings to New York University, which still owns many of the buildings.
The Row starred in the movie I Am Legend.
- Will Smith’s barricaded townhouse and laboratory had the address “11 Washington Square North.”
The Row is still so chic that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen named their 2006 fashion label “TheRow” to capitalize on the area’s reputation for classic elegance and consistent cool.

Carpe City Trivia

Tell me more about the architecture of The Row!

The townhouses are flanked with Ionic and Doric columns. Ionic and Doric are two of the three orders of Greek architecture. The third is Corinthian. Doric columns are the plainer, while Ionic columns have two swirly volutes at the top that resemble nautilus shells or animal horns, and Corinthian columns feature leafy designs.