Brown Harris Stevens agent Matthew Wynter has set a new price record with the sale of the former home of legendary singer, actress, and civil rights activist Lena Horne.
As reported by Homes.com, the sale of Horne’s former residence not only attracted significant attention, but ultimately set a new price record for Addisleigh Park, Queens—an extraordinary achievement in a neighborhood where homes rarely trade and generational ownership is common.
For Wynter, who represented the listing, the result is a combination of the uniqueness of the property and the enduring appeal of the neighborhood.
“This was the go-to house at the time,” Wynter noted, referencing the home’s storied past as a gathering place for prominent figures of the era.
Located in the Addisleigh Park Historic District of St. Albans, the Tudor-style residence dates back to 1935 and was home to Horne from 1946 to 1962. During that time, the neighborhood earned its reputation as “Black Hollywood East” and the “African American Gold Coast”, a haven for Black excellence during an era of widespread housing discrimination.
Horne’s neighbors included icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Jackie Robinson, and James Brown.
Wynter emphasized the neighborhood’s significance, noting that Addisleigh Park became a refuge for Black artists and professionals who were otherwise excluded from many communities at the time.
Beyond its provenance, the home itself is a rare offering: a six-bedroom Tudor with original architectural details, expansive outdoor space, and a layered history that continues to resonate today.
Yet what ultimately drove the record-setting result was something less tangible.
“Regardless if you knew the legacy… there’s something that’s gravitating about it,” Wynter said of both the home and the surrounding neighborhood.
You can read more about this sale in Homes.com and Architectural Digest.
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