This complex, which consists of three 34-story towers and three smaller buildings with a total of 1,712 apartments, was the first component to be built at Battery Park City. The buildings were completed in 1983.

This 7-story building at 345 South End Avenue has 98 apartments.

The project was designed by Jack Brown and Irving E. Gershon for The Lefrak Organization, which had been famous for its huge Lefrak City apartment complex in Queens and which would later be a major developer in Jersey City directly across the Hudson River from Battery Park City.

The development was not universally admired: in their book, "The A.I.A. Guide to New York City, Third Edition," (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988), Elliot Willensky and Norval White rather harshly described the buildings as "the scullery maids of Battery Park City residences." They did add, however, that "the central green space (except for the enclosed pool), however, is quite pleasant." Abel, Bainnson & Associates were the landscape architects.

While the complex’s architecture is spartan, almost Brutalist, it is not as pedestrian as many "white-brick monstrosities" and it has spectacular views.

Early residents, of course, suffered a very real lack of amenities at Battery Park City apart from views, but that situation changed dramatically with the completion of the awesome World Financial Center and its glorious Wintergarden, all designed by Cesar Pelli for Olympia & York, and the adjacent North Cove Marina.

It could well be...