The program: In 1909 a bright white villa appeared on the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and 107th Street. For much of the following century, it was surrounded by scaffolding and a mystery to all who passed by. Today, the Schinasi Mansion is the jewel in the neighborhood’s crown. It is not only the sole, freestanding, privately owned villa on all of the Drive, but also a designated New York City Landmark, one of the few Bloomingdale landmarks that are residential.

“Secrets of the Schinasi” will reveal the true history of the mansion--who has lived there and the various ways it has been used over time--while also exploring the architectural elements that make the building itself so special. 

The Presenter: Stephanie Azzarone is a member of the Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group Planning Committee and the author of Heaven on the Hudson: Mansions, Monuments and Marvels of Riverside Park. Her newest book, Fabulous Fountains of New York, shares the delights of waterworks in the Bloomingdale neighborhood and throughout the city. A former journalist, Stephanie currently leads walking tours based on her books.