Manhattan Residential Architecture

Brownstones to Glass Mansions in the Sky

Manhattan Residential Architecture from the 19th Century to the 21st Century

19th Century

New Yorkers lived in townhouses during the 19th Century. Single Family Townhouses and Mansions were made of Brownstone and Limestone. The Townhouse Market today is very desirable as single-family homes and multi-family income-producing rental buildings for investors.

Upper West Side Townhouses made of Brownstone and Limestone

The luxury apartment house was actually invented in New York in the late 19th century.
Upper-class New Yorkers lived in townhouses and single-family mansions during the 19th century. To lure potential tenants, developers borrowed the word "apartment" from the French to make the new buildings sound more fashionable. The word and the lifestyle stuck.

In 1890 The Dakota was the first luxury apartment building in Manhattan.

It's Beaux Art Chateau style architecture was popular in the late 19th century. It was named The Dakota because at the time it was considered so far uptown (West 72nd Street and Central Park West) it might as well have been in Dakota Territory.

Dakota Architect: Henry Hardenburgh

20th Century 

In 1904 The Ansonia was called the most technologically advanced apartment house in the world.

When it opened in 1904, this extraordinary, eighteen-story Beaux Arts building provided tenants with such luxuries as electric stoves, hot and cold filtered water, freezers, a pneumatic -tube system to deliver messages, and even an early form of central air conditioning.

Architect: Grave and Duboy built (1899-1904)

Apartment house living spread from New York to the rest of the country. By the 1930's 90% of Manhattanites were living in apartments.

1930 Art Deco Buildings
 

The San Remo Apartments and The Beresford. Two Emery Roth Architectural Masterpieces.
An ad for the San Remo in the NY Times in April 1930 called it:

As modern as a flying boat, as luxurious as the Ile de France, and designed for people who are at home on both. Birds in the sky are your only neighbors.

<--The San Remo Apartments  

The Beresford -->

After World War II the New York apartment buildings became flat panels of brick and glass, lacking shape, color, texture, and ornaments.

1950's 

 Brick Buildings

11 Riverside Drive - The Schwab House





The Schwab House built 1951 is considered one of the best Upper West Side Coops. 

The 17-story, 654-unit apartment building is on the site of the former Charles Schwab mansion. It recently converted to"green"energy.

1960's

 Buildings were white brick - Wedding cake style - Large buildings with many setbacks with terraces.

Fairmont- UES built in 1964 - coop in 1984      
<---
   
  Dorchester Towers  
 Broadway at 68th Street
built in 1964 with Lincoln Center Development converted to condo 1984 --->

1970's

Buildings made of concrete have setback vertical rectangles and cylinders, many with balconies.






Yorkville Towers, Rupert Towers Complex  built in 1975 converted to condos in 2003

<---Yorkville Towers

Rupert Towers --->

1980's

Brick facade with glass oversized windows - post-modern, construction boom in 1980's.

The Boulevard 1988 - Upper West Side Condop   
<---

The Bromley 1987 - Upper West Side condo --->

 

1990's

The distinctive Brick facade of the 90's. Mixed facade limestone panels of the new century.

21st Century

Glass Towers of the New Millenium - Glass Mansions in the sky

The Ariel East and West at West 99th Street and Broadway -
  <---

The Aldyn 60 Riverside Boulevard
--->

The Second Decade of the 21st Century

Hudson Yards Rendering

520 West 28th Street Rendering

520 west 28th street is a boutique condominium being developed by the Related Company and designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid.

Hudson Yards Development will Transform New York City’s Skyline and Create a Vibrant New Neighborhood. What was once an underutilized tract of land will soon be transformed into a dynamic, mixed-use destination, which will include new office space, residences, retail, hotels, open space, and access to the City’s waterfront. 

The Hudson Yards district is the single largest piece of undeveloped property in Manhattan and will be the biggest development that has been realized since Rockefeller Center.

The Third Decade of the 21st Century

                                                                            101 West 14th Street

101 West 14th Street is an intriguing new development situated at the nexus of Chelsea and Greenwich Village. A collaboration between developer, Gemini Rosemont, and architect, ODA, the building possesses a bold stacked façade and 44 luxury 1- to 4-bedroom homes with high-end fixtures and finishes.

(updated /2021)

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