The Towne House, 108 East 38th Street: Review and Ratings
between Lexington Avenue & Third Avenue View Full Building Profile
This very distinguished and handsome rental apartment tower at 108 East 38th Street was designed by Bowden & Russell and erected in 1930.
The mid-block building, which is called The Towne House, is highly visible because it is just to the east of, and forms a fine backdrop for, the Roman Catholic Church of Our Saviour at 59 Park Avenue, an attractive edifice designed by Paul W. Reilly.
"An unsung Art Moderne apartment house in a reddish-black brick that sports rippling spandrels, also in brick," noted Elliot Willensky and Norval White in their fine book, "The A. I. A. Guide to New York City, Third Edition," (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988).
"The cubistic composition is crowned with brilliant glazed terra-cotta panels in a broad and wondrous spectrum that can be enjoyed as a special colorful cresting from a distant skyline view," they added.
The bold use of color and the very dark masonry are quite unusual in New York and very effective. The form of its tall tower is reminiscent of that at One Fifth Avenue.
The 22-story building has 250 apartments and a doorman.
It is located in the heart of the Murray Hill district and is close to the Morgan Library, the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal and many of the world's most famous Art Deco skyscrapers.
There is excellent public transportation in this area and convenient shopping.
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