“Classic six” is one of the most frequently used, yet least understood, terms in the New York real estate lexicon. “Classic” nods to the prewar era when apartments of this ilk were built, and “six” refers to the total number of rooms, which must include a living room, a formal dining room, a kitchen, two full bedrooms, and a maid’s room typically located near the kitchen and with its own bath. These apartments are also home to other architectural touches that were especially popular during that time: hardwood floors, thick walls, spacious rooms, high ceilings, eye-catching moldings, grand entrance galleries, gracious hallways to separate the spaces, and, in some cases, wood-burning fireplaces and private terraces.
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While the size of a classic six is a popular one, this type of apartment isn't necessarily for everyone. They are most likely to be found in prewar cooperatives on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, which means those hoping to live in an amenity-rich new downtown condo are out of luck. Clearly defined rooms are also clearly divided, which detracts from the open, airy atmosphere the modern buyer has come to expect and enjoy. The kitchens were designed with servants in mind and are thus smaller than today's cook might appreciate. The maid's room can certainly be used as a third bedroom, albeit one with significantly less space, grandeur, and privacy than the others. And then there is the question of the co-op board: Even if a buyer gets past this formidable body, any changes or updates to the apartment must first be approved.
Nevertheless, the model has not only endured but enjoyed a new appreciation in recent times. After months of whole families trying to live, work, play, study, and exercise in one apartment, a clear division of rooms can be quite welcome. Some modern developments have incorporated the layout into new buildings while putting a contemporary stamp on it, but there is no denying the architectural, historic, and aesthetic value of the apartments that define the classic six. Availabilities in New York's most prestigious prewar buildings are few and far between, which gives today’s buyer an undeniable status symbol in addition to a new home.
Notable Classic Six Listings
The Victorian, #14A (Compass)
138 East 36th Street, #9C (Compass)
955 Lexington Avenue, #5C (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
125 East 63rd Street, #4B
$1,250,000 (-16.4%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths | 1,500 ft2
125 East 63rd Street, #4B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
430 East 57th Street, #12A
$1,475,000 (-3.3%)
Beekman/Sutton Place | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
430 East 57th Street, #12A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Creston, #6E (Wohlfarth & Associates Inc)
430 East 57th Street, #5D
$1,595,000 (-14.9%)
Beekman/Sutton Place | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 3 Baths
430 East 57th Street, #5D (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
1065 Lexington Avenue, #6B
$1,775,000 (-4.1%)
Lenox Hill | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,632 ft2
1065 Lexington Avenue, #6B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Stanton, #13G
$1,895,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 1,865 ft2
The Stanton, #13G (Compass)
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119 East 84th Street, #2A (Coldwell Banker Warburg)
969 Park Avenue, #7A (Platinum Properties)
29 East 64th Street, #7C (Sothebys International Realty)
285 Riverside Drive, #11G
$2,100,000 (-23.6%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 1,968 ft2
285 Riverside Drive, #11G (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
390 Riverside Drive, #15F
$2,200,000 (-8.1%)
Morningside Heights | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
390 Riverside Drive, #15F (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Victorian, #PHA (Compass)
1230 Park Avenue, #9E (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
1235 Park Avenue, #3B (Compass)
845 West End Avenue, #6D
$2,695,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 2 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 1,954 ft2
845 West End Avenue, #6D (Compass)
135 East 74th Street, #11A
$2,800,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths
135 East 74th Street, #11A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The White House, #14D (Weichert Properties)
53 East 66th Street, #3D (Sothebys International Realty)
24 Central Park South, #3W (Sothebys International Realty)
875 Fifth Avenue, #9A (Compass)
1070 Park Avenue, #15E (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
880 Fifth Avenue, #2D (Keller Williams NYC)
10 Gracie Square, #8D (Corcoran Group)
The Ramondo, #12C
$5,750,000 (-7.3%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 4 Baths | 2,500 ft2
The Ramondo, #12C (Modlin Group LLC)
The Dorchester, #6CD (Compass)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
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