Philip House, 141 East 88th street: Review and Ratings

Review of 141 East 88th street by Carter Horsley

Occupying the full eastern frontage of Lexington Avenue between 88^th and 89^th Streets, this very handsome pre-war building was converted to residential condominiums in 2013 when its entrance was switched from Lexington Avenue to 141 East 88^th Street. It is known as Philip House and has 69 apartments. It was built in 1928 and designed by Sugarman & Berger. ARCT Architecture P.C. designed the conversion.

The Cheshire Group, of which Susan Hewitt and Jenifer Steig are partners, bought the property in 2011 for $106 million from Rhinelander Real Estate Company and did the conversion, which required it put in another $50 million. A year before, The Cheshire Group had converted the Devonshire on the southeast corner of 10^th Street and University Place.

Bottom Line

The second-most attractive, pre-war building on Lexington Avenue, this elegant and stately building became surrounded in 2014 by the city’s densest center of breakfast eateries included a great outpost of Eli Zabar’s gourmet empire, a great Corrado store, a new Italian restaurant and bakery, and a Starbucks, of course, while two blocks away Elaine’s, the city’s third most famous restaurant after 21 and Four Seasons, reopened with new ownership. One block to the east, Wok First is one of the city’s finest Chinese restaurants, and Whole Foods is opening up a branch.  Meanwhile, Papaya King continues to do standing room only business on the corner of 86h Street and Third Avenue and Shake Shack packs burger-lovers in a few feet away. And Likitakos half a block south on Lexington is probably the city’s nicest small fruit and comestible vendor.

Description

In its 2008 Carnegie Hill Guide, the Carnegie Hill Neighbors noted that “the architectural features of this neo-Renaissance building are easy to overlook due to the bustling commercial space on the street level.”

“In the center of the full-block façade is a double entry; the entablature over each of the doors bears a weather and the Lexington Avenue address (however, the awning reads “141 East 88^th Street”). Identical projecting cornices are carried by foliate brackets. Three pilasters with Corinthian capitals support a second-story entablature under the double-width cornice is a small dentil course.  Even the service entrances have pilasters with Doric capitals. 

“Rising from a three-story limestone base the remaining eight stories are of red brick.  Limestone quoins accent the corners.  Wrought-iron balconettes project above the entrance and at various stories on all three sides of the building.  A wide limestone frieze at the eleventh story is capped with a modillioned cornice.

“Visible from several blocks away (and worth the walk) are the building’s most striking features: its twin water towers.  Each side has a molded Roman arch supported by Doric pillars and pilasters, with a full classic entablature above.  The corners are graced with urns festooned with garlands.  Topping the red-brick towers are molded limestone cornices with notched corners.”

Amenities

Doorman, live-in superintendent, children’s playroom, gym, cold storage, bicycle room and roof deck.

Apartments

Penthouse D is a four-bedroom duplex unit with a 9-foot-long entry foyer that leads to a 24-foot-long living/dining room next to an 18-foot-long kitchen and three bedrooms on the lower level and a 14-foot-long library and a master bedroom on the upper level with a 505-square-foot north terrace, an 817-square-foot west terrace and a 786-square-foot south terrace.

Apartment 10G is a five-bedroom unit with a 9-foot-wide entry foyer that leads to a 26 –foot-long living room with a fireplace and a 16-foot-long library and a 21-foot-long dining room and a 19-foot-long enclosed kitchen.

Apartment 10C is a five-bedroom unit with a 13-foot-wide entry foyer that leads to a 34-foot-wide living room with a fireplace, a 17-foot-long dining room, a 13-foot-long gallery, a 22-foot-long-kitchen and an 18-foot-long library.

Apartment 7E is a two-bedroom unit with an 11-foot-long entry foyer that leads to a 21-foot-long-living room and a 15-foot-long dining room adjacent to an open, pass-through, 12-foot-long kitchen.

Apartment 4F is a four-bedroom unit with an 11-foot-wide entry foyer that leads to an 18-foot-long library with a fireplace, a 23-foot-long living/dining room next to a 16-foot-long kitchen with sliding doors and an island.

Apartment 4D is a three-bedroom unit with a 10-foot-long entry foyer that opens onto a24-foot-wide living/dining room next to an 18-foot-long enclosed kitchen.

Maisonette2 is a two-bedroom unit that has a long entry foyer that leads to a 23-foot-long living/dining room that opens onto a large terrace and a 12-foot-wide kitchen.