The Schuyler Arms, 305 West 98th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 305 West 98th Street by Carter Horsley

This 84-unit, 8-story, cooperative complex at 305 West 98th Street was created in 1981 when three pre-war buildings were combined to became the Schuyler Arms.

The lot on which the Schuyler Arms stands was in the mid-18th century witin a 300-acre tract owned by Charles Ward Apthorpe. Apthorpe was born in Boston and accumulated wealth in shipping, land speculation, and brokering the purchase and sale of military supplies. He built a mansion near what is now 81st Street and Columbus Avenue. During the Revolution, American and British commanders used Apthorpe s home as a garrison as their respective military fortunes changed during the battle for Manhattan.

In 1764 Apthorpe sold a large parcel of his land to Jacob Stryker, a magistrate in the Court of New Amsterdam. Bounded to the north and south by what is now 99th and 81st Streets, and to the east and west by Central Park West and the Hudson River, the property became known as Striker's Bay. Riverside Drive's 96th Street viaduct passes over what had once been a cove formed by the Hudson's waters along the Striker property's shore.

During the 1850s the Striker property was the subject of a partition suit among Jacob's descendants, including John and George Striker and their families. The suit was settled in the State Supreme Court in 1856. Immediately after the settlement, John Striker sold a section of his property that included the Schuyler Arms lots to William P. Furniss. Furniss was a lawyer with a talent for business and an interest in poetry. He and his family lived on Bond Street in lower Manhattan and spent their summers in a mansion whose grounds occupied the entire block bounded by 99th and 100th Streets, and Riverside Drive and West end Avenue.

In 1880, after the deaths of Furniss and his wife, their daughter Margaret sold the Schuyler Arms lots to John N. A. Griswold of Newport, Rhode Island. In 1899 Griswold sold the lots, which had remained undeveloped during his ownership, to developer William H. Beard, who, in 1901, hired the architect H. Alban Reeves to design what is now the co-op's south building.

In the meantime, the Furniss mansion had become an artists' colony of sorts, according to Peter Salwen in his book, "The Upper West Side Story." Mr. Salwen noted that Gertrude Stein lived in the Furniss house from February to late spring 1903 after returning to the United States from an extended stay in London.

The Furniss house was torn down in 1904, shortly after Stein moved to Paris, where she would reside until her death in 1946.

In December 1902 W. H. Beard obtained a mortgage from Magdalen C. Schuyler for $22,500 for the site of the south building. The building at 305 West 98th Street was completed April 23, 1904 at an estimated cost of $243,000. The building at 304 West 99th Street was designed by M.V.B. Ferndon and was completed September 28, 1901 at an estimated cost of $85,000. The building at 306 West 99th Street was designed by Henry Fouchaux architect and completed September 30, 1902 at an estimated cost of $100,000.

The website incided that the Schuyler Arms was an apartment hotel with restaurant. It was noted in a February 1925 issue of the National Hotel review that the Schuyler Arms consisted of 71 apartments of two, three and four rooms.

The building, which has an elaborate courtyard entrance, bicycle storage, a live-in superintendent, and a doorman, was converted to a co-op April 2, 1981.

An article by Dee Wedemeyer in The New York Times May 2, 1982 entitled "Cutting The Cost Of A New Coop" said that Austin Laber, a partner in the Recycling for Housing Partnership, said he had expected that by the end of March, all 87 apartments at the Schuyler Arms would be sold.

When buyers did not appear, the article continued, "the developers reduced prices 15 percent. Now, as added inducements, they are offering three financing plans that are being advertised as "Schuyleromics" 18 months free maintenance; a four point buy-down in interest rates for three years, or a three-point buy down for three years and four months free maintenance. Contracts have been signed on about half the units. The remaining units are priced at from $91,000 for a one-bedroom (maintenance $370) to $240,000 for a two-bedroom with den and terrace (maintenance $977)....at the Schuyler Arms the kitchens do not come equipped with appliances, but they do have butcher block work spaces. In duplexes, an intercom is provided on both floors. Some apartments have windows as high 12 feet and all have oak windows sills or seats."

In June, 2009, a triplex maisonette with three bedrooms was listed for sale in The New York Times for $1,950,000 and that same month an ad at stribling.com noted that "the building's two entrances allow you to enjoy the pampering of a doorman and your privacy."

There is a two-step-up entrance within the courtyard off 98th Street with a large, arched transom window next to a glass elevator shaft in courtyard. There is a large plant vase in front of a lovely arched window in lobby that also appears in the 98th entrance.

The building has a two-story rusticated limestone base with an entrance portico supported by two rows of two columns on either side.