The Greenwich Village Townhouse with a Wild Past

A townhouse in Greenwich Village has a lot of stories to tell. It's not just any old house. It's been around for 186 years and has seen a lot of drama. Recently, it became famous again because of a big betting scandal. Thomas "Juice" Gelardo, a man linked to organized crime, was arrested. Prosecutors say he used the house for illegal poker games. But this isn't the first time the house has been in the spotlight. Back in 1919, a famous composer named John Philip Sousa bought the house. He didn't live there, though. He gave it to his daughter as a gift. She and her husband turned it into an apartment building. They added an elevator and a fourth floor. They even lowered the entrance to the basement, which is how you enter the house today.The house has had many owners over the years. In 1972, a couple named Gildo and Marie Rainero bought it. They kept it for 52 years. During that time, the house went through a lot of changes. In 2011, it got a big renovation. A design firm turned it into a luxury home with six bedrooms, a wine room, a sauna, and even a waterfall. The house has also been a hotspot for celebrities. In 2021, the rapper Travis Scott and reality star Kylie Jenner rented it. It even appeared on their reality show, "The Kardashians. " But not everything has been smooth sailing. In 2023, the house went into bankruptcy. It was sold in 2024 for half of what the owner originally wanted. This townhouse is more than just a building. It's a piece of history with a wild past. From famous composers to crime scandals, it has seen it all. And who knows what will happen next?