The west blockfront of Amsterdam Avenue between 92nd and 93rd Streets was acquired last year from Forest Hills Associates LLC of which Carla Bell is a principal by Swig Equities of which Kent Swig is a principal.

The blockfront consists of two 6-story apartment buildings separated above the first floor in the middle of the block where opposing north and south facades feature fire escapes.

These two beige-brick buildings containing a total of 134 units of which 68 are one-bedroom units, 56 are two-bedrooms and 10 are three-bedroom units. Of the units, 15 are rent controlled, 20 are "free market" and 9 are vacant.

Swig Equities filed plans with the Department of Buildings July 27, 2005 to enlarge both buildings by adding 9 stories.

The plans were approved March 31, 2006 and call for constructing the 9-story editions to each building by extending existing elevators and interior stairs,.

The plans were submitted by Alfredo G. Carballude of CMA Design Studio, PC, the firm that also designed somewhat similar additions adding 40 units to 203 West 90th Street.

According to Swig Equities's website, the property at 201 West 92nd Street was erected in 1922 and had about 150,000 square feet of unused air rights, "which could be utilized to create spectacular apartments, with partial park views."

"Both of the properties are pre-war construction. As is evidence in prewar buildings of these vintage, apartments are very large with high ceilings. The buildings are reminiscent of an age of opulence where large apartment living was in vogue.

The building expansion plans on file indicate 99 units, which presumably would be condo apartments in addition to the existing 134 rental apartments in the base.

Swig Equities is a major real estate concern on both coasts of the United States. In San Francisco, it owns 450 Sansome Street, the Mills Building and the Russ Building, among others, and controls the Fairmont Hotel, that city's equivalent of the Plaza Hotel here.

In New York, Swig Equities owns office buildings at 110 William Street, 80 Broad Street, 5 Hanover Square, 44 Wall Street, 48 Wall Street, 770 Lexington Avenue.1114 Sixth office, 1411 Broadway, 711 Third Avenue, 1460 Broadway, and 7 Hanover Street and its residential properties include 25 Broad Street, the Sheffield at 322 West 57th Street, 401 East 89th Street, 406 East 63rd Street and 264 West 21st Street.

The building at 201 West 92nd Street also has an entrance at 200 West 93rd Street, which is adjacent to a very handsome, mid-block synagogue.

Mr. Swig did not return a call from CityRealty.com for information about when construction might begin, more details about the project, how existing tenants would be affected by the construction, what the new addition's would look like and how much the new units might cost.

The addition to the Manhattan Tower Condominium designed by CMA Design at 203 West 90th Street kept to the same stylistic vernacular of the low-rise buildings on the site.