Onyx Court, 193 Second Avenue: Review and Ratings

Review of 193 Second Avenue by Carter Horsley

This attractive, pre-war, 6-story building at 193 Second Avenue on the southeast corner at 12th Street in the East Village was erected in 1902 by Morris Berman and Joseph Moskowitz of East Side Realty.  It was converted to a co-operative in 1983 and has 16 apartments.

It is known as Onyx Court.

It was designed by Harde & Short, which designed the highly decorative Alwyn Court building at 12 West 58th Street. 

It is close to Union Square Park and convenient to many restaurants and shops. 

One of its early residents was Bernard Hermann, the composer of the scores for several Alfred Hitchcock films including "North by Northwest," "Psycho" and "Vertigo."

Bottom Line

An elegant pre-war mid-rise in the East Village on Second Avenue near Union Square.

Description

The beige-brick building has a one-story stone base with an attractive, Art Nouveau-style cast-iron entrance door beneath fire-escapes. 

There is some ground floor retail and a lightwell on 12th Street. 

The windows are arched lintels on the third and sixth floor and there is a handsome and substantial dark cornice.

Amenities

The building has some fireplaces, an intercom, a bicycle room, storage, a live-in superintendent and an elevator.  Pets are allowed.

Apartments

Apartment 16 is a two-bedroom unit with an 18-foot-long entry foyer that leads past an 11-foot-wide dining room and an 11-foot-long, enclosed and windowed kitchen to a 15-foot-long living room with a curved window and a decorative fireplace in one corner. 

Apartment 5 is a two-bedroom unit with a 12-foot-long entry foyer that leads to a 13-foot-long dining room and an 12-foot-long living room with a corner window and a 13-foot-long windowed kitchen. 

Apartment 1F is a one-bedroom unit with an entry into the 16-foot-wide dining room with an open kitchen with an island and a 22-foot-long living room with a fireplace.