Harsen House, 120 West 72nd Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 120 West 72nd Street by Carter Horsley

Construction started on this mid-block residential condominium building in 2006 after its plans were unanimously approved by the city's Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The 16-story LEED-certified building contains 17 apartments designed by Andres Escobar and is located between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, about midway between Central Park to the east and an express subway station at Broadway to the west.

The building was an "as-of-right” project that fell within existing building and zoning regulations. Under zoning, it could have been 210 feet high but Harry Kendall of BKSJ, the architectural firm for the project, told the landmarks commission that it would only be 172 feet high including the rooftop bulkheads.

The developer is Anbau Enterprises of which Stephen L. Glascock and Barbara van Beuren are the principals. Anbau Enterprises also developed the conversion and expansion of the apartment property at 110 Central Park South to condominiums at the same time as this project.

The façade of this building is light-beige masonry on the eastern half, where it abuts a handsome white terracotta apartment building, and clear glass on the western half where the eastern edges of the windows are recessed and the remainder projects outward to form broad bay windows.

The building has a two-story limestone base and the top floor of the building on the street line is also faced with limestone. The residential entrance has a metal marquee and quartzite façade highlights as well as slightly different treatments on the second floor to better demarcate the entrance.

Homes are made up of two- through four-bedroom layouts and feature 10’ ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, gas fireplaces, hardwood floors, and washers and dryers. Amenities offered include a full-time doorman, a fitness center, a children’s playroom, storage bins, and a bike room.