The history of the Russian diplomatic representation in New York dates back to the first half of the 19th century. The first consul general of the Russian Empire in this city was Alexei Eustafiev, who held this position for nearly thirty years, from 1828 to 1857.

From 1884 to 1890, the post of consul general in New York was held by the renowned diplomat Roman Rosen, who later also served as the ambassador of Russia to the USA.

The last consul of the Russian Empire in New York was Mikhail Ustinov. After the 1917 revolution, he remained loyal to Tsarist Russia and continued to perform his duties until 1925, despite a note from the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR, Georgy Chicherin, sent in January 1918 to the US embassy in Russia. The note stated the termination of Ustinov's powers and the appointment of American journalist John Reed as consul of the RSFSR in New York, but this appointment was not recognized by the American side.

In 1975, the house of John Henry Hammond on 91st Street was purchased for the USSR consulate in New York, along with the neighboring building, constructed in 1902 and 1905 in classic French style. The reconstruction of the buildings was halted when US President Jimmy Carter prohibited the opening of the consulate due to events in Afghanistan. A new consul general, Ivan Kuznetsov, was appointed in 1991, restoration work resumed in 1992, and the opening of the new building of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation took place in 1995.