The Hawthorne, 211 East 53rd Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 211 East 53rd Street by Carter Horsley

This pleasant, 14-story, white-brick apartment building at 211 East 53^rd Street is known as the Hawthorne.

It was erected in 1957 just to the east of the elliptically planned deep red, telescoping office tower known as “the Lipstick Building” that was designed by Philip Johnson.  It is a condop and has 145 apartments.

It was designed by Boak and Raad.

It has good public transportation and a central Midtown location.

Bottom Line

A mid-block, mid-rise, white-brick apartment building with extensive sidewalk landscaping, receding wings, corner windows and a roof deck with overhangs.

Description

The building has some angled setbacks near its top which is notable for the small angled overhangs at the sides of its large roof deck.  The overhangs fill in nicely for the lack of a cornice and it’s surprising that such a scheme has not been employed more often.  Its use here is rather minimal and not too dramatic but one could imagine….

The building has broad sidewalk landscaping planters, a canopied entrance, a sunken entrance and a gray granite entrance surround on the second floor.  It also has discrete air-conditioners and some corner windows.

Amenities

The building has a full-time doorman, a live-in superintendent, a roof deck, a bicycle room, a fitness center, a garage, and a laundry. It permits cats and dogs.

Apartments

Penthouse B is a one-bedroom unit with a 21-foot-wide living room with a dining area that opens onto a 42-foot-long terrace that also wraps around the bedroom, and a windowed, 11-foot-long, enclosed kitchen.

Apartment 2C is a two-bedroom unit with a 23-foot-long living/dining room next to an 8-foot-long kitchen and a broad 31-foot-wide terrace.

Apartment 10C is a two-bedroom unit with a 31-foot-long living room with a slightly curved wall next to an enclosed 8-foot-wide kitchen.

Apartment 7J is a one-bedroom unit with an 8-foot-wide entry foyer that opens onto a 23-foot-long living room that opens onto a 12-foot-long dining room next to an enclosed 8-foot-square kitchen.