Top Prewar Condos

Barbizon/63 is a full-service Romanesque-style building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It first opened as a residential house for women in 1927 and was subsequently converted into apartments in 2005. Barbizon 63 – formerly known as the Barbizon Hotel for Women – contains 65 residences that range from one-bedroom condominiums to duplex penthouse units, with the latter offering residents more than 5,300 square feet of living space. Apartments feature rosewood floors, crown moldings and French casement windows; some units boast private outdoor space.

Residents have access to a wide array of amenities including a 24-hour doorman and concierge, live-in resident manager, residential lounge and dining room, catering kitchen, library, 20-seat screening room and conference room, not to mention a private residential entrance to Equinox Gym & Spa (with original Barbizon indoor pool) on Lexington Avenue and 63rd Street.

It is situated on a tree-lined townhouse block between Third and Lexington Avenues and is close to Central Park, the many shops and restaurants in the Upper East Side, and the recently remodeled F and Q train station. Liza Minnelli, Joan Crawford and Sylvia Plath are among the famous personalities who have resided at 140 East 63rd Street.

The Silk Building stands as one of NoHo's most culturally significant residential landmarks, originally constructed in 1908 as a silk garment factory in the Italian Renaissance palazzo style by Clinton & Russell Architects. The 12 story building was converted to a luxury condominium in the early 1980s, retaining beautiful historic friezes in its lobby that pay homage to its industrial origins. The building gained legendary status when Tower Records occupied its entire ground floor retail space from 1983 until the company's eventual closure, becoming a cultural epicenter during the height of MTV's influence and helping establish this stretch of Broadway as a destination for music lovers worldwide.

The Silk Building has attracted an impressive roster of celebrity residents, most notably in Penthouse 1109, a spectacular quadruplex that was owned successively by Russell Simmons, Keith Richards and Britney Spears. This penthouse featured a 54 foot wide living room, private terraces, and multiple levels spanning floors 10 through 12. Other notable residents have included Cher and fashion designer Charlotte Ronson, cementing the building's reputation as a magnet for entertainment industry figures and cultural tastemakers.

The building's 56 apartments showcase distinctive loft style layouts, with many units configured as duplexes and triplexes featuring soaring 10 to 12 foot ceilings, oversized windows, and wood burning fireplaces. Kitchens typically include premium appliances from Sub-Zero, Wolf, Viking, and Miele, while hardwood floors and open concept designs emphasize the building's industrial heritage. Many units offer both north and south exposures, with some penthouses featuring private terraces and panoramic city views.

Located at 14 East 4th Street, the full service building offers 24 hour doorman service, a live-in superintendent, laundry facilities on every floor, and a landscaped roof deck with sweeping skyline views. The prime NoHo location sits at the crossroads of Greenwich Village, SoHo, Union Square, and the East Village, providing residents with easy access to multiple subway lines, New York University, Washington Square Park, and some of downtown Manhattan's finest dining and shopping destinations.

Trump Park Avenue, the distinctive 32-story tower at 502 Park Avenue and 59th Street, was designed by Goldner & Goldner and constructed in 1929. Originally opened as the Viceroy Hotel, it later became the Cromwell Arms and then the famous Delmonico's. The building has served various purposes throughout its history, including hosting notable guests like The Beatles in 1964, before being acquired by Donald Trump in 2002 for $115 million.

The pre-war building features a three-story limestone base, brown-brick façade, and pitched red-tile roof, marking the northern end of Park Avenue's commercial section. In 2005, the property underwent an $80 million conversion to luxury condominiums, designed by architect Costas Kondylis. The renovation included glass-clad additions to several tower floors on the north and west sides.

The building contains approximately 120 residences, ranging from one to seven bedrooms. Notable configurations include former hotel ballrooms on the third and fourth floors with 15-foot ceilings, full-floor residences starting on the 20th floor spanning 4,000 to 7,000 square feet, and a spectacular penthouse duplex on the 31st and 32nd floors featuring 17-foot vaulted ceilings and 42 arched windows.

Residents enjoy comprehensive white-glove services including 24-hour doorman and concierge, valet parking, daily maid service, laundry service, and a fitness center. The building's location at Park Avenue and 59th Street provides convenient access to Central Park, Madison Avenue shopping, and various cultural attractions, though its position near the Queensborough Bridge means considerable traffic in the immediate area.

The Carl Fischer Building at 62 Cooper Square faces Cooper Square, a green plaza and promenade at the confluence of some of Manhattan’s most exciting neighborhoods - NoHo, the Bowery, East Village, Greenwich Village and Union Square. The property consists of three pre-war buildings - a 12-story loft and two four-story buildings next door. The loft holds a shared roof deck with dramatic skyline views, with a private penthouse with a hot tub taking up the roof of one of the smaller buildings.

The Carl Fisher Building offers a 24-hour doorman/concierge, an on-site superintendent, and resident storage. A Life Time Fitness gym is located in the base of the building. Some of the city’s liveliest dining and nightlife abounds on the surrounding blocks; the campus of Cooper Union, one of the country’s most prestigious art and architecture universities, sits next door and across the square; up the block, the Astor Place station of the 6 train puts both Downtown and Midtown within a ten-minute commute.

The American Thread Building at 260 West Broadway stands as one of TriBeCa's most distinguished residential conversions, with a fascinating history that spans over a century. Originally constructed in 1894-1896 as the Wool Exchange Building by architect William B. Tubby in Renaissance Revival style, the 11-story structure was designed to help New York overtake Boston as the nation's wool trade center. When that venture failed, the American Thread Company occupied the building from 1901 to 1964, giving the building its enduring name. The building gained additional cultural significance when a Keith Haring mural was discovered in 2007 during renovations—painted by the then 20-year-old artist in 1979 when the space served as an exhibition area.

Converted to 52 condominium apartments by Rose Associates in 1980, the building was among the first luxury loft conversions in TriBeCa and has since housed notable residents including models Gisele Bundchen and Naomi Campbell, and actress Isabella Rossellini. The building's distinctive curved façade overlooks TriBeCa Park, and its placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 underscores its architectural importance. The structure features imposing limestone banding on the first two floors, arched ground-floor windows, and a grand staircase entrance with two-story columns, though it has lost its original cornice over time.

The building's 52 residences showcase the grandeur typical of pre-war loft conversions, with many units featuring soaring ceilings up to 26 feet, oversized arched windows, and original architectural details like cast-iron columns. The apartments range from traditional two-bedrooms to spectacular multi-level penthouses and a remarkable 8,000-square-foot triplex maisonette that includes the Keith Haring mural. Common features throughout units include hardwood floors, working fireplaces, central air conditioning, and chef's kitchens equipped with high-end appliances from brands like Sub-Zero, Miele, and Liebherr. Many apartments are configured as duplexes, taking advantage of the building's generous ceiling heights and loft-like proportions.

Residents enjoy full-service building amenities including a 24-hour doorman, live-in superintendent, rooftop gym, landscaped roof deck with city views, bicycle storage, and basement storage units. The building's prime location at the northern edge of TriBeCa, adjacent to SoHo and near multiple subway lines, provides easy access to the neighborhood's renowned dining and shopping scene. While the building lacks a garage and sidewalk landscaping, its historic character, spacious apartments, and prestigious address continue to make it one of downtown Manhattan's most coveted residential buildings.

260 Park Avenue South stands as a distinguished example of adaptive reuse in Manhattan's coveted Flatiron District. Originally constructed in 1917 as an 8-story neo-Classical building, it served as the headquarters for the United Federation of Teachers for 30 years before being sold in 2003 and expertly converted into an 86-unit luxury condominium by Karl Fischer Architects in 2004. The developers added four floors to the original structure and ingeniously combined it with an adjoining 12-story building at 48 West 21st Street, creating a unique residential complex with a carved-out niche and rock garden that provides enhanced light and air to rear apartments.

The building's 86 residences showcase impressive architectural details, with many units featuring soaring ceilings ranging from 10 to 15 feet, and some boasting dramatic double-height spaces up to 22 feet. Apartments are outfitted with luxury finishes including Calacatta marble countertops, top-tier appliances from Sub-Zero, Viking, and Bosch, and spa-like bathrooms with deep soaking tubs and rain showers. Notable units include duplex lofts with mezzanine levels and corner apartments with expansive living spaces up to 37 feet wide. Many residences offer private terraces, custom built-ins, and the building's signature beamed ceilings that reflect its pre-war heritage.

Residents enjoy white-glove service with a 24-hour doorman and concierge, live-in superintendent, and an impressive array of amenities including multiple landscaped roof decks, a state-of-the-art fitness center, bicycle storage, and parking for approximately 100 cars. The building's prime location at the intersection of Park Avenue South and 21st Street places residents at the heart of one of Manhattan's most dynamic neighborhoods, with immediate access to Union Square's Greenmarket, Madison Square Park, and the area's renowned dining scene, while multiple subway lines provide seamless connectivity throughout the city.

The North Moore is a noteworthy cast iron and brick warehouse originally erected in 1881 for the estate of John Castree, a prominent grocer and developer, and initially operated as a papermill. Converted to a 49 unit condominium in 2001, this 8 story building sits on one of Tribeca's most coveted cobblestone blocks at the corner of North Moore and Hudson Street in the heart of the Tribeca Historic District. The pet friendly building offers full service amenities including a 24 hour doorman, live-in superintendent, skylit lobby, three elevator banks, and furnished roof decks with breathtaking views.

The loft style apartments range from 1,083 to over 2,450 square feet, featuring the classic warehouse conversion elements of soaring ceilings from 9 to 13 feet, oversized windows, and open floor plans. Most units include in-unit washer/dryer, central air conditioning, hardwood floors, and abundant custom built in storage. The building's corner units are particularly sought after, offering multiple exposures and exceptional natural light. 

The location places residents in the epicenter of Tribeca's dining scene, with Mr. Chow directly downstairs and Michelin starred restaurants like Jungsik and Bâtard within blocks. The building provides easy access to Hudson River Park and Piers 25 and 26, while multiple subway lines (1/2/3, A/C/E, N/Q/R/W, J/Z, and 6) ensure excellent transportation connectivity throughout Manhattan. One notable unit was even featured in Luxe Magazine, highlighting the building's reputation for sophisticated urban living in one of New York's most prestigious neighborhoods.

Originally constructed in 1912 as the Hawley & Hoops chocolate factory, 285 Lafayette Street underwent a complex conversion in 1999 that transformed it into one of SoHo's most distinctive luxury condominiums. The ambitious renovation, led by developer Allied Partners, required building a fireproof structure over the existing non-fireproof base—a three-year engineering feat that involved hanging steel beams from tubular grillage spanning up to 70 feet. The 10-story building now houses 31 apartments above 30,000 square feet of retail space occupied by the New York Public Library and Ralph Lauren.

The building's loft-style residences showcase authentic industrial details including original cast iron columns, exposed wooden beams, and soaring ceilings that reach up to 26 feet in the eight penthouses. Apartments range from approximately 2,100 to over 4,000 square feet, featuring Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, chef's kitchens with high-end appliances, wine refrigerators, and luxurious bathrooms with six-foot soaking tubs. Many units boast private terraces, and the penthouses include wood-burning fireplaces. The building's design, crafted by architect Costas Kondylis, seamlessly blends prewar architectural elements with modern luxury finishes.

285 Lafayette Street gained considerable cachet through its celebrity residents, most notably David Bowie and his wife Iman, who purchased one of the penthouses. Other notable residents have included Courtney Love, Studio 54 co-founder Ian Schrager, actor Saul Rubinek, tennis player Patrick McEnroe, and members of the Murdoch and Nederlander families. The building's full-service amenities include 24-hour doorman and concierge service, a professionally landscaped rooftop garden, and two entrances—one on Lafayette Street and a more discreet entrance on Mulberry Street for enhanced privacy.

Strategically positioned just south of the iconic Puck Building at the intersection of SoHo and NoLiTa, the building offers residents immediate access to world-class dining, shopping, and cultural attractions. The 800-square-foot lobby features a striking 10-foot white onyx countertop, setting the tone for the building's sophisticated aesthetic. With its combination of historical significance, architectural distinction, and prime location, 285 Lafayette Street represents one of downtown Manhattan's most coveted residential addresses.

With 354 condominium apartments, the Chelsea Mercantile is one of the largest residential conversions in Chelsea. 

Apartments range from studios to four-bedroom lofts and vary in size from 856 to 3,069 square feet. Many units have exposed brick walls with nine-foot beamed ceilings and walk-in closets. Some penthouses have ceilings that rise between 11 and 13 feet as well as fireplaces, skylights and terraces. All apartments have state-of-the-art wiring and gourmet kitchens with stainless-steel appliances, black granite countertops, cherry wood cabinets and built-in garbage disposals. Master bathrooms have limestone walls and floors, deep soaking tubs and separate stall showers.

Amenities at the Chelsea Mercantile include a 24-hour doorman and concierge, valet and maid service, a fitness center with children’s playroom, an expansive planted roof deck with beautiful city and river views, a garage and a Whole Foods Market on the corner.

Located between West 24^th and 25^th Streets, 252 Seventh Avenue is in the heart of Chelsea. There is very good public transportation in the area and it is convenient to the Flatiron District to the east and Greenwich Village to the south.

521 Park Avenue was designed by William Boring, an American-born architect who studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts before returning to New York and joining the firm of McKim, Mead and White. The limestone building has been honored with numerous international design awards, including a gold medal for architecture from the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900.

521 Park Avenue was constructed as a cooperative in 1911, converted to a condominium in 1987, and currently has 24 units. The building has a full-time doorman, a live-in superintendent, a fitness center, and private storage that transfers with each unit. It also benefits from a location near Central Park, world-renowned restaurants, and top shopping. Pets, pied-a-terres, and flexible financing are allowed.