Consulate General of France in New York

The Consulate General of France is the consular representation of the French Republic in the state of New York, in the United States of America. The Consulate General is housed in the Charles E. Mitchell House, at 934 Fifth Avenue, between 74th and 75th streets.

The Consulate’s mission is to provide protection and administrative services to French citizens living or traveling in the district. Under the authority of the French Embassy in the United States, its consular district extends across three states (New York, Connecticut and New Jersey), as well as the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda.

Currently housing the Consulate General of France, 934 Fifth Avenue was the residence of Charles E. Mitchell, President of the National City Bank (now Citibank). Ms. Anne-Claire Legendre has been the Consul General since August 2016.

The Italian Renaissance-style townhouse, designed by architects A. Stewart Walker and Leon N. Gillette, was built between 1925 and 1926 on Fifth Avenue for Charles E. Mitchell.

While residing at 934 Fifth Avenue, from 1925 to 1933, Mitchell served as informal advisor to American presidents Warren G. Harding and Herbert Hoover. But the prestige of this address owed in great part to his wife, Elizabeth Mitchell, who hosted numerous musical evenings at the house. Indeed, musicians such as George Gerswhin, Fritz Kreisler, Rudolph Ganz, Ignay Padrewski or José Iturbi regularly gave recitals in the “Pink Room” at 934 Fifth Avenue.

In the early 1930s, following the stock exchange crash and investigations on his financial activities, Charles E. Mitchell lost most of his fortune and had to give up his residence. Number 934 is the only survivor of the seven townhouses that formerly lined this block. Within fifty years, the first houses built in the 1880s were replaced by equally luxurious large apartment buildings. The Charles E. Mitchell House was preserved thanks to the decision of the French government, which acquired it in 1942 and made it the official Consulate General building.

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Wikipedia