Casa Belvedere

Louis A. and Laura Stirn House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
New York City Landmark  No. 2069
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Location	79 Howard Avenue, Grymes Hill, Staten Island, New York
Coordinates	40°37′42″N74°05′18″W / 40.62833°N 74.08833°W / 40.62833; -74.08833
Area	2.75 acres (1.11 ha)
Built	1908 (1908)
Architect	Kafka & Lindermeyr
Architectural style	Italian Renaissance, Arts and Crafts
NRHP reference No.	10000899 [1]
NYCL No.	2069
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 12, 2010
Designated NYCL	January 30, 2001

Casa Belvedere is a cultural center devoted to Italian studies, located in the Louis A. and Laura Stirn House at 79 Howard Avenue in Grymes Hill, Staten Island, New York City. The mansion was constructed in 1908, and is an Italian Renaissance style building with Arts and Crafts detailing. It is a 2+1⁄2-story, stuccoed masonry structure with a 2+1⁄2-story service wing and attached conservatory. It features an overhanging clay tile hipped roof with bracketed eaves and a portico with Ionic order columns and Doric order corner piers. Also on the property is a contributing former garage. ^{[2] : 5, 9}

Over the years it housed a number of different families, including for several years being the official residence of the President of Wagner College. It was declared a New York City Landmark in 2006 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. ^[1]

In 2008 it was purchased by Gina Biancardi and Luciano Rammairone. ^[3] In 2010, the Biancardi-Rammairone family established Casa Belvedere in the Stirn House and donated it to the newly formed Italian Cultural Foundation. ^[4] Over the next 15 years, it underwent a $5 million renovation with funds provided by private donors, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Save America's Treasures program. The project included accessibility upgrades, structural reinforcement, and restoration of architectural details. ^[5] During Hurricane Sandy, the building sustained structural damage. ^{[4] [6]}

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Staten Island
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Staten Island

References

1. "National Register of Historic Places Listings" (PDF). Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 1/18/11 through 1/21/11. National Park Service. January 28, 2011. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012.
2. Kathy Howe (July 2010). National Register of Historic Places Registration: New York SP Stirn, Louis A. and Laura, House. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved November 22, 2025. (Downloading may be slow.)
3. "A deep-pockets dream in the making on Staten Island". silive. November 17, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
4. Laline, Brian J. (October 10, 2019). "An Italian gem on a Staten Island hill with a very rich history needs your help". silive. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
5. "How Casa Belvedere, a 1908 Staten Island Italian Renaissance Mansion, was Restored". Traditional Building Magazine Online. November 11, 2025. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
6. Farinacci, Amanda (October 22, 2019). "S.I.'s Casa Belvedere Competes for Grant for Its Ties to Trailblazing Women". Spectrum News NY1. Retrieved November 22, 2025.

External links

• The Italian Foundation at Casa Belvedere