The Man Who Demolished Manhattan’s Millionaires' Row

Discover the shocking story of Anthony Campagna, the developer whose ambition led to the demolition of some of Manhattan's most stunning and historically significant mansions.

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Location: Manhattan

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Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress,
Assets from: Envato Elements
Music from Epidemic Sound

[pameladulany]

I think it was horrible what he did . He destroyed such beautiful craftsmanship that can never be retrieved.😢

[nunnya-biz]

It's a shame, but most of the country had its history demolished between the 1950s-1970s.

[louchat]

Sounds like he would have destroyed the Coliseum in Rome if he thought he could make money off of it.

[m.woodsrobinson]

I'd never heard of him before. Now that I have, I wish I hadn't.

[Portia-ocmr]

Campagna saw that there was much money to be made housing a lot of people in nondescript high-rise apartments and was willing to demolish exquisite historic buildings to achieve that.
His own mansion is similarly swanky as the ones he destroyed and replaced with such bland buildings, while
his home was preserved.
Thanks you, Ken.

[cameronlewis]

We’re talking about NYC!! Huge history of tearing down perfectly good buildings, like Penn Station. If not Campagna, it woulda been someone else…

[dkb]

I'm an architectural historian, and mourn the loss of these irreplaceable structures along with everyone. However, it's preposterous to retroactively claim Anthony Campagna was motivated by a desire to destroy grandeur. As noted below, introduction of the Federal Income Tax in 1913 played a major role in making such excess untenable. The notion these mansions could've been preseved as museums or hotels ignores that 5th Avenue was already recognized as perhaps the world's wealthiest residential street. Neither zoning law or neighbors would allow such uses. Nor would they generate the income to pay the property tax. When Campagna bought Clark's mansion in 1927, he did so at half its construction cost, with The City valuing the land alone at $1 million. Further, he was the only bidder.

[williamcordell]

I think it is aboramt that so many of those historical homes were turned down. Unforgivable

[jefflawrentz]

From your presentation it seems he must have been all about greed for money in destroying such architectural heritage - especially those row houses. What a shame so much was lost because of this. Thanks Ken for another fine presentation !

[deanjoon]

Nice touch inserting your image and dialogue! Your videos are tremendous. THANKS

[donchandler]

It's too bad there weren't laws to prevent what Campagna did.

[borandolph]

So, it's definitely sad what he did, but remember these weren't antique houses when they were demolished. They were outdated, out of style, 15yo used homes. It would be like destroying a building built in 2009 today.

[gregorymalchuk]

The government shouldn't have the authority to deprive you of the right to your property by listing it on a preservation order. If they want the building kept, they should either buy it outright or pay an annual stipend for the added upkeep on an old building.

[paco]

I'm sure this fool just filled the landfill, never salvaging anything. He should have been held accountable.

[nick]

I’m pretty sure they would be destroyed regardless, a high rise makes more sense then a single family mansion in nyc

[laurielaurie]

Too much of this went on and still goes on in America. So much beautiful history has been demolished.

[roystrickland]

Campagna's apartment buildings, always best in class, define their times as much as any of the demolished mansions did. Their elegant plans, big and airy rooms, and refined exteriors set the standard for luxury in the 1920s, as they do to the present day.

And it's ironic to blame him for being profit-driven.

Exactly how did the families of the old houses get the money to pay for their mansions?

[BRADMEDICI]

Now I am all for preserving historic properties, but this man does not deserve to have his house preserved at all !!!

[seed_drill]

In London there remains the entranceway of a Medieval cathedral that was raised for a skyscraper. Few still go to church in the UK and District One is largely too expensive for natives to live in, so down it came.

[joeleonard]

Csmpagna en listed the architect Rosario Candela to design his buildings. Candela was a genius in architecture and cryptography. He designed the buildings which to this day have the most sought after apartments in Manhattan. See 740 Park Avenue, 834 Fifth Avenue, 4 Sutton Place, as well as many other. Not only are they beautiful, their floor plans reveal Candela’s genius for cryptography and puzzles. So this wonderful video, segues into another interesting story about New York City.