Yana tashi da wata nutsattsiyar martaba a kan ɗaya daga cikin titunan Chelsea masu ban sha’awa, Donac ya kasance ɗaya daga cikin ’yan misalan da suka tsira na hangen nesa na farkon masu hangen gaba na unguwar. Fitaccen mai tsara manyan gidaje C. P. H. Gilbert ne ya ƙirƙire shi a shekarar 1898; cikin ayyukansa akwai Warburg Mansion (wanda yanzu yake zama Gidan Tarihin Yahudawa), Cartier Building, da Woolworth Mansions na Upper East Side. Angelica Faber, ’yar Don Alonso Cushman—mai haɓaka gine-ginen da ya tsara muhimmin ɓangare na yanayin gine-ginen Chelsea—ta ba da umarnin gina wannan kyakkyawan abin tarihi mai faɗin ƙafa 24, wanda aka tsara cikin salon Neo-Colonial.

Fuskar ginin mai lankwasawa, wadda ba kasafai ake ganin irin wannan salon sassaka a ƙirar gidajen Manhattan masu jere ba, ta samo asali ne daga wata yarjejeniya ta mutunci tsakanin Cushman da maƙwabcinsa Clement Clarke Moore a shekarun 1830. Ƙudurinsu na bai wa kyau da daidaito muhimmanci ya haifar da fitattun filayen lambuna da aka ja da su daga kan titi a Chelsea—wani gado da har yanzu ake iya ganinsa a yau.

Bayan cikakken gyara da aka gudanar tun daga tushe, wannan katafaren gida mai tarihi mai faɗin murabba’in ƙafa 6,545, mai hawa biyar, ya sake bayyana cikin cikakkiyar ɗaukakarsa. Ginin waje mai tubalin launin ruwan haske, kayan ado da aka sassaƙa da hannu, tagogin bay masu lanƙwasa, da ƙarin kayan ƙarfe da aka ƙera da hannu, duk suna girmama tarihin ginin na ƙarni na 19; yayin da cikin gidajen ya haɗa ƙwarewar sana’ar gargajiya da ta adana tare da ingantacciyar jin daɗin zamani cikin hikima.

An miƙa ginin ba tare da mazauna ba, kuma ya ƙunshi gidaje biyar masu cike da haske; uku daga cikinsu suna da murhu masu aiki. Dukkansu suna da manyan tagogi, kayan aikin katako na asali da aka gyara, da kallon bishiyoyin Chelsea. Tsarin gidajen da ya mamaye kowane bene yana ba da sauƙin zirga-zirga, yayin da benayen katako, akwatunan ƙofa da taga na musamman, ramukan bango masu baka, da ƙawayen gyare-gyare masu inganci ke nuna tushen ginin na ƙwararrun masu sana’a.

A saman ginin akwai wani babban duplex penthouse mai dakuna uku da banɗakuna biyu, wanda ke da faɗin sarari mai ban sha’awa da kuma hanyar kai tsaye zuwa wani faffadan bene na saman gini, daga inda ake samun kallon birni mai cike da faɗi. A ƙasan wannan akwai gidaje biyu masu nagarta, kowannensu mai dakuna biyu da banɗaki ɗaya, waɗanda suka mamaye dukan bene kuma ke ba da haske mai yawa da cikakkun bayanai da aka tsara cikin kulawa.

Bene na falo yana da ƙarin gida mai dakuna biyu da banɗaki ɗaya, wanda ya mamaye dukan bene kuma ke da hanyar kai tsaye zuwa wani farfajiya mai zaman kansa, mai natsuwa—ƙarin fili na musamman da ke faɗaɗa wurin zama. Wani ƙaramin ɗakin studio mai fara’a a ginshiki ya kammala wannan tayin; ya dace da baƙi, ma’aikata, amfani na kirkire-kirkire, ko samun ƙarin kuɗin shiga.

A ko’ina cikin ginin, na’urorin zamani na ƙarshe, ingantaccen haske, da sabbin kammalawa sun haɗu cikin santsi da bayanan asali da aka adana, suna samar da cikin gida mai jin kamar na har abada amma kuma sabo da aka farfaɗo. An ƙawata kicin ɗin da na’urori masu daraja, guraren ajiya masu yawa, da faffadan wuraren aiki; yayin da banɗakuna suka zama wuraren shakatawa irin na spa, waɗanda aka lulluɓe da marmara daga bene zuwa rufi.

Yana a kyakkyawan wuri kai tsaye a gaban General Theological Seminary mai cike da tarihi, kuma titunan da aka jera da bishiyoyi sun kewaye shi. Donac yana ba da yanayin wani ƙaramin yankin Turai a tsakiyar Manhattan—abin da ba kasafai ake samu ba. Ƙaramin adadin gidajensa biyar yana tabbatar da babban matakin sirri, yayin da sauƙin daidaita amfani da shi—ko a matsayin saka hannun jari na dogon lokaci, sauya shi zuwa ƙananan gidajen zama na musamman, gida da ke samar da kuɗin shiga, ko kuma gidan zama guda na musamman—ke ba da sassauci da ba kasafai ake samu a irin waɗannan kadarori ba.

An gyara shi cikin kulawa, tsarin gine-ginensa yana nan daram, kuma tushen tarihinsa ba abin da za a iya kwaikwaya ba ne. Donac ya kasance wata kadara ta Chelsea da za ta iya ci gaba daga tsara zuwa tsara, a shirye take ta samu sabon mai kula da ita.

Rising with quiet authority along one of Chelsea's most enchanting blocks, the Donac stands as a rare surviving expression of the neighborhood's earliest visionaries. Conceived in 1898 by celebrated mansion architect C. P. H. Gilbert, whose body of work includes the Warburg Mansion (now the Jewish Museum), the Cartier Building, and the Upper East Side's Woolworth Mansions, this graceful, 24-foot-wide Neo-Colonial landmark was commissioned by Angelica Faber, daughter of Don Alonso Cushman, the developer who shaped much of Chelsea's architectural DNA.

Its signature curved facade, a rare sculptural gesture in Manhattan townhouse design, traces its origins to an 1830s gentleman's agreement between Cushman and his neighbor Clement Clarke Moore. Their shared commitment to beauty and proportion gave rise to Chelsea's iconic garden setbacks, a legacy still legible today.

Following a meticulous, ground-up restoration, this 6,545-square-foot, five-story historic trophy reemerges in full splendor. The exterior's buff-brick masonry, hand-carved trim, bowed bay windows, and wrought-iron detailing honor the building's 19th-century heritage, while the interiors thoughtfully fuse preserved craftsmanship with elevated modern luxury.

Delivered vacant, the building comprises five luminous residences, three with working fireplaces, all featuring generous windows, restored millwork, and leafy Chelsea views. Floor-through layouts unfold with ease, while hardwood floors, custom casings, arched niches, and refined moldings celebrate the home's artisanal roots.

Crowning the building is a dramatic three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex penthouse, defined by sculptural volume and direct access to a sweeping roof deck with panoramic city views. Below sit two refined two-bedroom, one-bath floor-through residences, each offering expansive light and carefully considered details.

The parlor level features an additional two-bedroom, one-bath floor-through with direct access to a serene private patio, an exceptional outdoor extension of the living space. A charming studio apartment in the cellar completes the offering, well-suited for guests, staff, creative use, or supplemental income.

Throughout, state-of-the-art systems, updated lighting, and fresh finishes integrate seamlessly with preserved original details, creating interiors that feel both timeless and newly revived. Kitchens are beautifully appointed with premium appliances, generous storage, and expansive work surfaces, while bathrooms serve as spa-like retreats wrapped in floor-to-ceiling marble.

Perfectly situated across from the storied General Theological Seminary and framed by tree-lined streets, the Donac offers the rare atmosphere of a European enclave in the heart of Manhattan. Its intimate five-residence scale ensures a high degree of discretion, while its adaptability, whether as a long-term investment, a boutique residential conversion, a live-plus-income home, or a singular private residence, provides a level of flexibility seldom found in properties of this character.

Restored with care, architecturally intact, and anchored by provenance that cannot be replicated, the Donac stands as a generational Chelsea asset, ready for its next steward.