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THE LUXEMBOURG HOUSE IN NEW YORK

Designed by the architect Harold Sterner in 1929 for the former Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, 17 Beekman Place was home to the great American composer Irving Berlin and his family from 1947 until his death in 1989 at the age of 101.

While living in the house, Irving Berlin composed the musical "Call Me Madam". The play was based on the appointment by President Harry Truman of Perle Mesta as first US Ambassador to Luxembourg.

Following Irving Berlin's death, the five-story townhouse was sold to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1990, and has been renovated to house the offices for the Luxembourg Government in New York City. The townhouse, which is open on three sides, holds the offices of the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations, the Consulate General of Luxembourg, the Board of Economic Development and the Luxembourg National Tourist Office.

The renovation was performed by Lico Construction under the supervision of Richard Bruno and Michel Franck of Michel Franck Architects. It endeavors to maintain both the interior and exterior integrity of the townhouse while thoroughly updating all the building systems and adapting the interior layouts to modern office needs.

On the first floor, the foyer introduces the visitor to the library and the garden, while the staircase provides for a ceremonial access to the reception and entertainment spaces. These two levels underwent little architectural change, while the two upper levels were reconfigured in their entirety to accommodate new requirements.