The Addisleigh Park residence in St. Albans, Queens, once owned by legendary entertainer and civil rights icon Lena Horne, is under contract for $1.2 million.
The recent news involving the Tudor-style home in a once-Black enclave was announced in March 2026 by Architectural Digest. The sale is being handled by Matthew Wynter of Brown Harris Stevens, who emphasized that the property’s value lies as much in its “X-factor” provenance as its physical structure. Camille Chin-Kee-Fatt has owned the home since 2004. Both she and Wynter spoke with Mansion Global
about the home’s value and eventual sale. Chin-Kee-Fatt expressed a commitment to finding a “responsible steward” who would honor the home’s place in the Civil Rights narrative.“Regardless of whether you knew the legacy of who lived there, this house has a magnetic pull,” Wynter stated. “The fact that so much of the fabric of this community still exists is a reflection of history that continues to inspire.” The $1.2 million price point reflects the growing market interest in Addisleigh Park, where homes are rarely listed and often pass through generations within the same families.
Horne lived in the St. Albans home from 1946 to 1962, a period when the neighborhood, nicknamed the African American Gold Coast, served as a sanctuary for the Black elite during widespread segregation. The 2,287-square-foot property includes six bedrooms and retains much of its original architectural details, including wooden banisters and a vintage credenza Horne reportedly left behind for the subsequent owners.
Addisleigh Park earned its Gold Coast moniker in the 1940s and
50s when it became a premier destination for Black luminaries who were often barred from other affluent New York suburbs. The neighborhood’s transformation was a hard-fought victory against restrictive covenants that often barred Black homeownership in high-end neighborhoods, according to Untapped New York. Residents in the area included African American elite and cultural icons. Horne’s neighbors included jazz royalty like Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and Fats Waller. Additionally, sports icons Jackie Robinson and Joe Louis. During her time there, the home of Lena Horne was known as a center of hospitality; local lore even recalls the star serving hot chocolate to neighborhood children during the winter holidays.The newest owners of the 1935-built gem have inherited a piece of “Black Hollywood East” that remains one of the most historically and culturally significant residential neighborhoods in the United States.
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