The Fontaine, 353 East 72nd Street: Review and Ratings
between Second Avenue & First Avenue View Full Building Profile
When this tall building between Second and First Avenues was erected in 1975, this section of the Upper East Side was still fairly non-descript and midblock towers were fairly rare. The building appears even taller than its 36 stories because of the strong vertical emphasis of its piers separating its large picture windows that took advantage of the midblock site for unusually open views from the upper floors.Setback on its own small plaza to take advantage of existing zoning regulations, the building unfortunately creates a break in the building line of this important cross-town thoroughfare. Subsequently, however, a proliferation of even taller towers and more plazas in the area came about as a high-rise enclave arose in the vicinity of Sotheby's, the auction house, on York Avenue and 72nd Street. As a result of the considerable amount of new construction, the neighborhood has substantially improved since this building was finished.{C}
The 137-unit building was converted to a cooperative in 1982. Close to the center of the Upper East Side, this building is not far from many restaurants on Second Avenue, many "magnet" stores on Third Avenue, and the newly opened Second Avenue subway stop. Amenities include full-time doorman, gym, bike room, storage, laundry room, and a rooftop deck with panoramic city views.
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