In Rockland County, Palisades boasts beautiful estates with Hudson River views, making it an ideal home to many historic figures and celebrities over the years. Among these historic homes is Niederhurst, a circa 1874 Victorian Gothic mansion that was constructed by Winthrop Gilman Jr., a notable banker and architect from New York City who also built other landmark buildings in the Rockland area. Acquired by Manhattan-based designer Sara Story in 2011, the property has since undergone a multi-million-dollar renovation to restore its 8,040-square-foot Gothic mansion.
Along with Chicago-based architect Dirk Denison, Story recently completed her renovation project, which included preservation-quality restorations of the home’s brick exterior as well as the addition of a sauna, cellar, lounge, and limestone-paved in-ground pool surrounded by tiered garden beds. Story, who was named to Architectural Digest’s coveted AD100 list — which celebrates leading designers — in 2024, refers to the four-year renovation as a “labor of love.”
After looking for the perfect home for more than a decade, Story found Niederhurst and knew she had to undertake this project. “It’s a luxury to live in a gorgeously built home, but it means you are really obligated to pay attention to its original intention,” Story explains. “I wanted to create a home that was warm and inviting, a place to gather with family and friends. I hope the next caretaker will cherish it in the same way.”
The property is perched on a scenic bluff that overlooks the Hudson River and features eight bedrooms, seven full and two half baths, and six fireplaces. The exterior is characterized by Victorian Gothic fixtures like gable and hip roofs, six-panel shutters, and polychrome brickwork.
As for the interior, Niederhurst’s design is reflective of Story’s aesthetic, which pairs historic details with modern elements. Original plaster medallions, brickwork and moldings infused with hand-troweled Venetian plaster walls, oak millwork and flooring, Paonazzo marble from Italy in the master bath, and Calacatta marble in the gallery floor are just a few of the interior highlights.
The Victorian Gothic mansion’s surrounding property features park-like grounds with copper beech trees imported from England that were originally planted by Gilman, a lodge that offers an additional 5,700 square feet of residential space, a concrete pergola, and a stone shed.
On the market for $28.5 million with Richard Ellis of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing includes three separate lots that are being sold together for the first time since the home was built. The mansion, Niederhurst, sits on 6.29 acres; the lodge, Fern Lodge, on 1.86 acres; and the remaining 4.5-acre lot is currently vacant.
“Niederhurst is one of the great estate houses along the Hudson River,” says Ellis. “The home’s renovation exemplifies how thoughtful design can breathe new life into a historic gem, preserving its essence while adapting it for modern living. In addition to the timeless elegance of the home characteristic of a European estate overlooking the Rhine River, what resonates is the historic and humanitarian contributions to the community of Snedens Landing by Winthrop Gilman Jr., a true Renaissance man.”
Niederhurst is located at 23 Ludlow Lane in Palisades.
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