Approx. Prices for Apartments at Astor Terrace, 245 East 93rd Street

This 32-story condominium tower was developed by Jean & David Solomon and the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States. The Solomons were young developers who burst onto the New York City scene with a flurry in the 1980's, concentrating mostly on new midtown office towers with considerable panache and flair.

Here, they hired the prestigious architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, known best for its corporate work, as well as Schuman, Lichtenstein, Claman & Efron, one of the most active residential architectural firms.

The result is rather mixed. The dark red brickwork is attractive, as are the large corner windows that are quite slick. The balconies and concrete courses between the floors, however, interrupt the overall visual impact of the large project. The massing of the slab tower is topped with three setbacks that are not bad and the project is praiseworthy for including new townhouses in a low-rise element.

The tower is set back from its base that is topped with a broad balustrade that is a somewhat successful attempt to add some character and visual interest. Despite such quibbles, the building's nice coloration and atypical massing fit in nicely along this quite lively stretch of Second Avenue.

There are 290 units, many of which have balconies, and the building has a concierge and doorman, a garage, valet service and, unusually, a private park.