Luxury Apartment Houses of Manhattan: An Illustrated History

by Andrew Alpern

Handsome, superbly illustrated volume provides detailed mini-histories of some of New York's most luxurious lodgings: the stately Gramercy, the fashionably flamboyant Ansonia, the dramatic Hotel des Artistes, Joseph Pulitzer's palatial residence, magnificent Park Avenue apartments, and many others. 175 illustrations — many from private sources — depict both interiors and exteriors. Introduction. Index.

Genres: New York, Architecture

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 1993

Reviews

[Lisa-Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lyrical dream of a book for me with its historical photographs of each apartment building built in the 1800s and early 1900s New York. I carefully read no more than one building story per night so I could luxuriate in the architectural details, the ornate descriptions of the furnishings, the biographical tidbits about the owners. The Grand Gramercy! The extravagant Hendrik Hudson! The London Terrace! It transported me back in time for a few minutes each time and I loved it. Some of the early buildings were designed with wealthy owners in mind, so they included penthouses with elevators, servants’ quarters, and lavish stone fireplaces. The second wave was affordable for the expanding middle class, but they still included formal dining rooms, libraries, numerous bedrooms, gorgeous woodwork, and lush courtyards. The Osborne was just one example, built in 1886, with a lobby which was extravagant: “The floor was laid with large slabs of varicolored Italian marble and set with paneled sections done in small mosaic tiles. The lower wall wainscots were complementary marble slabs with carved marble recesses and benches. Plaques, decorated with nude figures and floral garlands, were set into the wainscot at strategic intervals.” Doormen! On-site dining! Roof terraces! Many of the historic buildings are still standing and I can’t wait to take this book on my next Manhattan trip to stand and gaze up at them.