As ready-to-build development sites have grown increasingly scarce in Manhattan, for better or worse, developers continue to find opportunities by redeveloping underbuilt pre-war structures, sometimes with extensive historical value. One block northwest of Bruce Eichner’s new condominium rising at 40 East 35th Street, where a string of townhouses and a church were demolished, the busy builders at RYBAK Development are erecting a chic boutique luxury condominium to 218 Madison Avenue, also known as 23 East 36th Street.
The corner site occupies what was once part of a distinguished stretch of Murray Hill that became a northern extension of Millionaires’ Row, an enclave that attracted New York’s elite seeking quieter residential surroundings as commercial activity moved northward up the island. According to "Exploring Manhattan’s Murray Hill", by Joyce and Alfred Pommer, in 1847 the “Murray Hill Restrictive Agreement” went into effect for lots between 34th and 38th Streets and Madison to Lexington Avenues, stating that lots divided from the former Murray estate could only be used for residential purposes barring businesses and commerce from the neighborhood.”
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The house was later the home of Archbishop John McCloskey, who was elevated there in 1875 to become the first American Cardinal. Moreso, many of the planning meetings for Catholic educational expansion in the city, including early discussions that led to the founding and growth of parochial schools, were held in the building.
In this context, just before the Civil War broke out, a voluminous four-story mansion was built at the northwest corner of Madison Avenue and East 36th Street. According to the great historical blog Daytonian in Manhattan, the red-brick mansion first served as the archiepiscopal residence of Archbishop John Hughes, the city’s first archbishop. Hughes died in 1864 while overseeing the creation of the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the residence functioned as the operational headquarters during the planning and construction of the towering new cathedral on Fifth Avenue, notes the blogger.
It was here that Hughes died in 1864 while directing the construction of the new St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the mansion functioned as a planning center for the cathedral’s development. The residence later housed Archbishop John McCloskey, who became the first American cardinal in 1875. Early strategizing for the expansion of Catholic schools is also believed to have taken place within its walls.
Over time, the building underwent numerous alterations as it became a club for “self-supporting women,” the headquarters of the American Review, and the home of various shops, offices, and small businesses, diminishing its original character. By the late 20th century, little of its architectural significance remained. The structure was not landmarked, and it was acquired by Sergey Rybak's RYBAK Development for $12 million in late 2023. A year later, it was quietly demolished without any hubbub. Now today, construction on the replacement building is fully underway, with superstucture seven stories high as of November 2025.
The new building will top out at 11 stories, 137 feet high, according to filings with the Department of Buildings. IMC Architecture are the architects of record, and it will contain 25 high-end residences spread across 41,308 gross square feet of space. The new building rises directly adjacent to the prestigious co-op The John Murray House and walls off some of its units' south-facing windows.
The primary entrance will be along East 36th Street while plantings will face Madison Avenue | Rendering Credit: RYBAK Development
Renderings published by RYBAK show the facade will be composed of limestone and floor-to-ceiling windows with a bronze finish. Some of the stone along the ground floor wil be roughly hewn and there will be sidewalk landings to continue the refined streetscape its neighboring co-op provides. Also like The John Murray House, the new building will offer its units protected views over the low-rise Morgan Library & Museum across Madison Avenue. The series of mansions-turned museum is landmarked and was the former home of John Pierpont Morgan Sr. the American financier and investment banker who dominated corporate finance on Wall Street throughout the Gilded Age.
Interior renderings show the residences will be quite opulent, enriched with fine materials and craftsmanship. Homes will provide gracious open layouts, oak chevron-patterned floors, pocket doors, baseboards, and lots of marble -fluted and smooth. Kitchens continue the natural theme, with wood-paneled walls, integrated appliances including a wine fridge, marble islands, and fluted glass cabinetry. Some homes will be duplexes with custom sculptural staircases.
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Five-fixture bath with thoughtful details such as the double-sink extending into a ledge for the tub, fluted walls, and the inset soap dish
Private amenities will include a fitness center, roof deck, 'sensational spa' with a 'cold dip,' and a study lounge. However, the pièce de résistance might be the double-height lobby with its wood-paneled walls, minimally coffered ceiling, and roughly hewn stone columns and front desk,
The chic cold dip and adjacent showers, sauna, and steam room
The sculptural front desk
The facade's beveled edges angle views over The Morgan Library & Museum. The facade is similar to West 25th Street facade of The Emerson in West Chelsea which angles its views over the High Line.
Sales are anticipated to launch next year, with completion set for Q4 2026. The central Manhattan location offers easy access to Grand Central Terminal, Midtown offices and consulates, Bryant Park, and the Garment District, which continues to evolve into a more mixed-use neighborhood following a recently approved rezoning.
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Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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Or call us at (212) 755-5544
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