James A. Burden House

James A. Burden House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York State Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark No. 0676
Location	7 East 91st Street, Manhattan, New York
Coordinates	40°47′04.5″N 73°57′26″W / 40.784583°N 73.95722°W / 40.784583; -73.95722
Built	1902–1905
Architect	Warren and Wetmore
NRHP reference No.	06000821
NYSRHP No.	06101.000995
NYCL No.	0676
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	September 12, 2006[3]
Designated NYSRHP	June 28, 2006[1]
Designated NYCL	February 19, 1974[2]

The James A. Burden House is a mansion at 7 East 91st Street in the Carnegie Hill section of the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The five-story mansion was designed by architects Warren and Wetmore in the Beaux-Arts style. It was completed in 1905 as the residence of iron entrepreneur James A. Burden Jr. and his wife Florence Sloane Burden. The Convent of the Sacred Heart, a private school, owns the Burden House along with the adjacent Otto H. Kahn House, which is internally connected. The mansion is a New York City designated landmark and, along with the Kahn House, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion's limestone facade is rusticated on its lowest two stories, with segmental archways and multiple entrances to the south and east. There is French-inspired detailing on the facade, especially around the double-height windows and balcony on the third story. The house has French-style interiors and is divided into front and rear sections, with an oval entrance hall connecting the floors. The first floor originally contained reception spaces while the second floor was devoted to living quarters. On the third story were spaces such as Burdens' ballroom, dining room, and reception hall; there were two additional stories above it.

Andrew Carnegie purchased the site in 1898 to protect the value of his nearby mansion. William D. Sloane, of the W. & J. Sloane furniture family, acquired the site from Carnegie in 1901 and commissioned the Burden House and the adjacent John Henry Hammond House as wedding presents for his daughters. The house served as the Burden family's home from 1905 to 1933. The contents of the house were auctioned by Parke-Bernet, and the Convent of the Sacred Heart purchased the mansion in 1940. The Convent used the house as a boarding school until 1966, then converted it into classrooms. The house was renovated in the late 20th century, though many of the interior spaces have been preserved.