The Savoy, 111 East 85th Street: Review and Ratings

Review of 111 East 85th Street by Carter Horsley

While some of the city's major cross-streets such as 72nd and 79th Streets are quite elegant, others, such as 86th Street, are more inconsistent and varied. This 30-story building has the same frontage of 86th as it does on 85th Street but chose to put its entrance on 85th Street because it was a quieter and more sedate street. The building, which was completed in 1972, was one of the first tall apartment towers in the Yorkville area and its siting on its through-block site is rather unusual.On 86th Street, the building is considerably set back from the building line to provide a sunken plaza for its retail space while it has a ramp up into its garage. On 85th Street, however, the building is set back even more but behind a raised landscaped plaza with a very long canopied entrance. As a result, the tower rises from the middle of the site, which affords it more unusual views, and because it is a midblock site its views were better than average to begin with. The 156 units were converted to cooperative apartments in 1979. In 1998, construction was underway directly across 85th Street for a new addition to the Ramaz School, which has other facilities on the block. The south side of the light brown brick tower has one column of balconies at the western corner and its views are superb. Since its construction, Yorkville and 86th Street in particular have changed dramatically. The area has lost much of its old German flavor and its famous nightclubs, but they have been replaced with higher end stores such as Barnes & Noble and HMV and new apartment buildings. The building offers a very appealing entrance and lobby and good apartments, many with wonderful views, at a very convenient and desirable location.