The block of East 78th Street between Second and Third Avenues on which this row is located was considered a part of the village of Yorkville at the time of construction. Until 1851 the block was part of the property of the City of New York known as the Common Lands. In 1852 the Third Avenue Railroad opened, making it possible for residents of Yorkville to commute to lower Manhattan. Their elliptically-arched openings make it a distinctive example of the Italianate style. They are a handsome component of the streetscape, and representative examples of New York City row house development during the 1860s.