John Lennon’s “Nutopia” townhouse to become men’s store

In bid to avoid deportation, Beatle claimed building was embassy of "conceptual country"

From left: Alan Maleh, 1 White Street and John Lennon and Yoko Ono declare "Nutopia"
From left: Alan Maleh, 1 White Street and John Lennon and Yoko Ono declare "Nutopia"

A luxury men’s store will move into a historic four-story townhouse at 1 White Street. The building once served as the New York address that John Lennon used to try to halt the U.S. government from kicking him out of the country.

Lennon and wife Yoko Ono in the early Seventies dubbed the property the “Nutopian Embassy.” At the time, the Beatle was facing deportation and sought to win diplomatic immunity as ambassador of the “conceptual country” of Nutopia.

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The building has been vacant since 2010, according to the Tribeca Trib, and was recently bought by Alan Maleh, the chief executive officer of magazine and online retailer Man of the World. The townhouse was gutted completely, the newspaper reported. David Mann is the architect of the townhouse, which was originally constructed in 1807. The floors of the building will sell different items and services, the newspaper reported.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will have to approve Maleh’s proposed additions to the exterior of the building. [Tribeca Trib] — Claire Moses