655 Park Avenue

Overview of 655 Park Avenue

655 Park Avenue is one of Manhattan's most distinctive prewar cooperatives, built in 1924 and designed by the renowned architectural team of J.E.R. Carpenter and Mott B. Schmidt. This Georgian style, 11 story building spans the full block between East 67th and 68th Streets, featuring an unusual and elegant design with two projecting bays framing a landscaped courtyard garden that faces Park Avenue. Unlike typical apartment buildings of its era, the entrance is located on 67th Street rather than through the courtyard, creating a unique architectural statement that reflects the building's fascinating origins as a compromise between mansion development and apartment living.

The building's history is particularly noteworthy, as it emerged from a 1919 syndicate of wealthy Park Avenue mansion owners including Harold I. Pratt (a Standard Oil founder), Percy Pyne, William Sloane, and Arthur Curtiss James, who purchased the site from Hahneman Hospital to prevent the construction of a tall apartment building that would cast shadows on their properties. Their original plan for 12 triplex apartments by Delano & Aldrich failed to find buyers, leading to the current design with height restrictions that preserved the neighborhood's scale. Notable early residents included William K. Vanderbilt Jr., who took a maisonette after separating from his wife, Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes (author of the seven volume "The Iconography of New York"), Congressman Hamilton Fish, and art dealer Carman H. Messmore of Knoedler's gallery. More recently, Deborah Norville has been a resident.

The building's 50 apartments are characterized by exceptionally generous proportions and classic prewar details, with some featuring expansive galleries (often 34 feet long), wood burning fireplaces, herringbone floors, and high ceilings. Many apartments have been thoughtfully renovated with modern kitchens featuring top tier appliances, updated bathrooms with marble finishes, and central air conditioning, while preserving original architectural elements. The building includes some particularly impressive units, such as a duplex penthouse spanning the 8th and 9th floors with a 73 foot terrace.

Residents enjoy white glove service including 24 hour doormen, elevator operators, and a live-in building manager, along with the building's signature landscaped courtyard garden. The co-op is pet friendly, permits up to 50% financing, and charges a 2% flip tax to buyers. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side, the building offers proximity to Central Park, the Park Avenue Armory directly across the street, Madison Avenue shopping, and the neighborhood's renowned restaurants and cultural institutions.