An aerial view of the communal open-air penthouse at the SixtyFour at 300 East 64th Street.
BY LAUREN PRICE | The Upper East Side’s Fifth Ave. mansions were once occupied by families named Carnegie, Whitney, Pulitzer, and Vanderbilt. In time, large but swanky apartment houses in the neighborhood bolstered the impression of old money, as did the Ivy-League-type private schools such as Chapin and Dalton. Locals and tourists alike cherish the area’s world-class museums and galleries, along with its easy access to Central Park and the East River Esplanade’s bikeways and walkways. This part of town also has bragging rights to the sophisticated couture of shops along Madison Avenue and, of course, to Bloomingdale’s.
But the Upper East Side is about a lot more than just the carriage trade. The 92nd Street Y offers a democratic spirit of cultural and intellectual vitality.
The Upper East Side is famous for its countless historic districts. Prime among them are: Carnegie Hill (86th to 96th Sts. between Lexington and the park); Henderson Place (a tiny gem tucked between 86th and 87th Sts. for half a block west from East End Ave.); Treadwell Farm (a swatch that runs from 61st to 62nd Sts. between Second and Third Aves.), and Hardenburg/ Rhinelander (a group of row houses at Lexington and East 89th St.), that last a reminder that this part of the neighborhood — Yorkville — was long a hub of German immigration.
Without doubt, the hottest neighborhood topic of conversation among locals today concerns the new Second Avenue subway. On the drawing boards since flapper dresses were all the rage, 65 percent of Phase One is complete (a tunnel that runs from 105th to 72nd Sts. and connects to another existing tunnel that travels to 63rd St. and Lexington). The line will initially run as an extension of the Q, with service set to begin by December 2016. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reports that construction of new stations at 96th, 86th, and 72nd Sts. is progressing nicely, as is the retrofitting of the 63rd St. station. But those who wonder when the complete 8.5-mile stretch of tracks — from 125th St. to Hanover Square in Lower Manhattan — will go online better hold on to their hats. 2029!
Family-sized pre-wars are everywhere you look but the ones that run along Museum Mile on Fifth Ave. from 82nd to 105th Sts. and those with sweeping East River views along East End Ave. (79th to 90th Sts.) are highly sought after. One caveat, though. These buildings come with super strict board scrutiny.
In addition to tony apartments along Fifth and East End Ave., Madison, Park, and Lexington Aves. are also top draws. Buyers seeking classic townhouses lining genteel side streets will find plenty to choose from. Ditto for the latest and grandest new developments and blocks and blocks of post-war white brick buildings and walk-up mid-rises — with options for both buyers and renters.
Lovers of bridge views should check out the brand new SixtyFour at 300 East 64th St. at Second Ave. Developed by architects Stonehilll & Taylor, known for their high-end hotel and resort work, this is a luxury conversion of a rental into a condominium exclusively sold through Douglas Elliman Development Marketing.
Unit sizes run from one to three-bedrooms, including a penthouse, and square footage ranges from about 725 to 1,431. Spa-like bathrooms have soaking tubs, Kohler Caxton sinks, and marble vanities.
The building showcases a communal open-air penthouse with four exposures for spectacular sightings of the Queensboro Bridge, the East River, and the Manhattan cityscape. This party area includes a table and bar, an outdoor grill, and custom designed lounge furniture.
Designed in 1950 by master architect Gordon Bunshaft from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the Manhattan House was designated a New York City landmark in 2007. On East 66th St. between Second and Third Aves., the building ranges from one- to five-bedroom units, including penthouses and tower residences that enjoy private outdoor space. Some units offer wood-burning fireplaces.
Square footage runs from 950 to 4,000-plus, and interiors include front-loading washer/ dryers.
The 10,000-square-foot Manhattan Club includes a rooftop lounge, a catering kitchen, a library, landscaped terraces, a spa, and a Roto Studio-designed playroom.
Marketed by Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, prices currently start at $1.9 million.
