This 12-story building was built in two parts: the 63rd Street structure was built in 1956 and the 64th Street structure was building in 1959. Greenberg & Ames was the architectural firm for the 496-unit project that was developed by Beloff-York Associates. The building was converted to a cooperative in 1990. The development was similar to another through-block, courtyard project, Sutton Terrace, which was developed by Norman Tishman. The Tishman project, which is a bit nicer than this one, was a three-building development with mid-rise buildings on 63rd and 62nd Street and another on the York Avenue frontage, all sharing a courtyard that was built over a 300-car garage. When it was developed, the Royal York was in the midst of a fairly non-descript area best known for Rockefeller University across the avenue and the hospital complexes a few blocks north. In the subsequent years, however, the neighborhood has changed significantly. Not only have the institutions continued to expand, but luxury high-rise apartment towers have sprouted in all directions, making the area considerably more attractive and desirable. The apartments in the white-brick building have large picture windows.