Although it is relatively squat, this 16-story rental apartment building has very vigorous and lively facades that make it one of the most attractive on Lexington Avenue.

The 58-unit building, which is known as The Marlowe, has several setbacks at its top and a two-story limestone base, the first floor of which is rusticated.

Above the base, the beige-brick facades are "rippled" with bay windows and punctuated by dark spandrels every two floors. Visual interest is further heightened by the large and very attractive, multi-paned windows. At Lexington Avenue, there are corner windows.

Overall, the composition is very interesting, although its large rooftop watertank enclosure is plain and could have used some bold patterning to pick up the strong accents of the rest of the building.

It was erected in 1987 by Glenwood Management, one of the city's major developers of luxury rental buildings. It was designed by Philip Birnbaum. There are only five apartments per floor and all apartments have a washer/dryer unit and marble baths.

The building has an attractive, canopied entrance with a revolving door sidewalk landscaping and a lobby with a doorman and a concierge, a garage, a sundeck, storage space, a bicycle room, and video security.

Although it is midway between subway stations on the avenue at 77th and 86th Street, there is cross-town bus service at 79th Street and the neighborhood has excellent shopping and many restaurants.

The apartments have 9-foot-ceilings and sunken living rooms.