The Jerome Mansion was the home of financier Leonard Jerome, one of the richest and most influential men in NYC, and a frequent business partner of Cornelius Vanderbilt. The mansion was located on the corner of East 26th Street and Madison Avenue, across from Madison Square Park. It was built from 1859- 65. The six-story mansion featured a mansard roof, a 600 seat theatre, a breakfast room which could serve up to 70 people, and a white and gold ballroom with with champagne and cologne fountains. When Jerome moved uptown, the mansion was sold and housed a series of private clubs. On November 23, 1869, the Jerome Mansion was the site of the meeting that founded the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The building was given landmark status in 1965, but when the owner was unable to find a buyer for it after two years, it was permitted to be torn down in 1967, to be replaced by the New York Merchandise Mart. Historic American Buildings Survey, 1877-78.