New York architecture is amazing. In my other posts I’ve talked about architecture of The Dakota, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, and Grand Central terminal to name a few. There are far too many buildings and bridges to list. Here are a few of my favorites: The Ansonia, The San Remo, and The Kenilworth.
THE ANSONIA
Located at 2109 Broadway, The Ansonia was built by William Earle Dodge Stokes. He wanted to build the “finest hotel in all of Manhattan.” And he proceeded to do so in between 1899 and 1904.
His dream was to offer this “residential” hotel fresh breakfast in the morning so he built a small farm on its rooftop next to his own apartment. He even had a separate cattle elevator installed so the cows could get on and off the roof without disturbing the guests. The farm produced fresh eggs from over 500 chickens, and contained goats and even a bear. In 1907, the Department of Health shut his farm down and all the animals had to be moved.
In 1904 The Ansonia’s 3,000 rooms rented for approximately $14,000 a year (valued today at $400,000 a year). It was the first air conditioned hotel in Manhattan. Although the building looks rich in Parisian French architecture the copper cornices originally on the building are missing. The cornices were removed and melted down to help supply World War II efforts.
Located at 151 Central Park West, this 12-story, french second empire-style building called “The Kenilworth”, was designed by Townsend, Steinle and Haskell. Built in 1908, this 12-story building has 39 grand apartments, most have seven, eight or nine rooms in the home. There are only three apartments per floor offering its residents privacy and quietude.
With its prominent position on the best area of Central Park West it offers enchanting park and skyline views from many of the apartments. This full service building has a full time attended elevator and the likes of Micheal Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones live here.
Want to call Douglas and Zeta-Jones your neighbors? The asking price is about $8.75 million per apartment.
THE SAN REMO
Would you rather live by Tiger Woods, Steven Spielberg, Donna Karan, Glenn Close, Dustin Hoffman or Steve Martin? Then, the San Remo may be more to your liking. Acceptance into the San Remo is much easier to get into as their board is more lenient than most (check out the Dakota buildings restrictions). Although in 1986 Madonna’s application was turned down. Only one member on the board voted “yes” to Madonna and that was Diane Keaton.
Prices start at a cool $3 million for a two bedroom with no view of Central Park. However, if you want the best view, the Penthouse is for sale for a mere $50 million with almost 8,000 sq ft. Demi Moore once owned this Penthouse. She originally listed it for $75 million but took a reduction and she finally sold it for $45 million. The penthouse in the other tower is owned by U2 singer, Bono.
Units were not always this high priced. During the great depression, the San Remo went bankrupt and was sold with another building near Central Park for only $25,000. One year prior, it was valued at 10 million which is now the same price of one unit #2E (a 4,200 sq ft apartment currently for sale).
The beautiful romanesque pillars on the top towers form a circle. The pillars purpose is to hide the apartment’s water towers which are in the center of the circle. Oddly enough the south tower is slightly larger than the other tower.
Click to see more of the top things to do or see in New York City:
- Broadway
- Times Square
- Macy’s Herald Square
- Empire State Building – Chrysler Building – Top of the Rock Observation Deck – Trump Building
- Grand Central Terminal
- 5th Avenue
- Central Park / Literary Walk / Trump Rink
- The Dakota
- Metropolitan Museum
- Ground Zero / Freedom Tower/ One World Trade Center / 911 Memorial
- Wall Street / New York Stock Exchange
- Charging Bull
- Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge
- Ellis Island and Castle Clinton National Monument
- Statue of Liberty
- Architecture in New YorkT