Top 10 Fifth Avenue Apartment Buildings
Fifth Avenue has exemplified luxe living ever since opulent mansions rose along Central Park in the 19th century. Between 1910 and 1930, many of the manses made way for grand high-rise apartments, which continue to offer some of the finest urban living anywhere on Earth. CityRealty’s list of Fifth Avenue’s best apartment buildings collects the crème de la crème of the city’s most prestigious address.
#1 - 998 Fifth Avenue
The Italian Renaissance-style palazzo, designed by the esteemed firm of McKim, Mean, and White, rose at 998 Fifth Avenue across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1912. The 12-story landmark holds just 17 units, many of which are duplexes with double-digit room counts and fireplaces. Limestone cladding extends to the interior courtyard, an uncommon luxury for all but the most rarified apartment buildings.
#2 - 1040 Fifth Avenue
The arches, curves, and urns atop the limestone pinnacle of architect Rosario Candela’s 1040 Park Avenue leave an unmistakable mark on the Fifth Avenue skyline. Its 27 apartments feature spacious entrance galleries, fireplaces, and staff rooms in certain units. Front windows face the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the co-op’s longtime resident, helped relocate the 2,000-year-old Temple of Dendur from Egypt during a dam-building project.
#3 - 834 Fifth Avenue
The 1931 co-op, designed by one of New York’s greatest architects Rosario Candela, has housed various members of the Rockefeller family among other elites. The 16-story high-rise holds only 24 units, many of which are duplexes and triplexes. Even the smallest apartment measures 4,000 square feet, while the largest spans a whopping 12,000 square feet. All units boast 11-foot ceilings, and many feature fireplaces.
#4 - 960 Fifth Avenue
Architect Rosario Candela teamed up with Warren & Wetmore, the firm behind Grand Central Terminal, to produce the limestone-clad edifice at 960 Fifth Avenue. Many of the units within the 15-story building rise to duplex heights, some with double-height living rooms. An ornate metal marquee adds gravitas to the Fifth Avenue entrance.
#5 - The Pierre, 795 Fifth Avenue
The iconic mansard roof atop The Pierre adds Parisian romance to classic Central Park views. Gold-trimmed entry marquees complement the elegant Renaissance façade, designed by esteemed architecture firm of Schulze & Weaver. The hotel has ranked among New York’s premier since its 1930 opening, and the 1959 conversion of the upper floors to co-ops only added to the building’s cachet. White-glove service is synonymous with the building’s amenities.
#6 - The Sherry Netherland, 781 Fifth Avenue
The Sherry-Netherland, which rose above Central Park in 1927, channels elegance from the barrel-vaulted lobby to the tip of the copper spire. The Grand Army Plaza-adjacent building has hosted residents such as pilot and entrepreneur Howard Hughes, musician Diana Ross, director Francis Ford Coppola, Jim Henson of The Muppets, and TV host and judge Judy Sheindlin, better known as Judge Judy.
#7 - The Plaza, 1 Central Park South
Since 1907, the Plaza has reigned as the world’s most famous hotel, having attracted a who’s who of global elites over the decades. A century later, the upper floors at the legendary chateau transformed into luxury condominiums, where residents can take advantage of the hotel amenities while enjoying pre-war opulence and splendid Central Park views.
#8 - Aman New York Residences, 730 Fifth Avenue
The Crown Building, an ornate tower topped with an iconic copper-clad pyramid, has graced the corner of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street since 1921. Almost exactly 100 years later, a renovation transforms the former office building into The Aman, a bespoke addition to Billionaires’ Row. Residents of the 20 upper-floor condos have access to the services of the in-house hotel, which include a pool-equipped spa, a subterranean jazz club, a piano bar, a cigar bar, and a wine library. The penthouse offers a terrace with an outdoor pool and views of Central Park.
#9 - 820 Fifth Avenue
The imposing, 13-story palazzo at 820 Fifth Avenue, built in 1916 between East 62nd and East 63rd streets, holds just 12 apartments, which offer an exclusive lifestyle on every floor. Sprawling units feature private elevator landings, grand galleries, libraries, fireplaces, multiple bedrooms, and direct views of the next-door Central Park Zoo.
#10 - 927 Fifth Avenue
The crisp limestone facade of 927 Park Avenue was designed by Warren & Wetmore, the firm that designed Grand Central Terminal. The apartments average just one per floor and feature private elevator landings, sprawling layouts, and multiple fireplaces. The building has attracted a sizable roster of celebrity owners, yet its most famous resident is Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk that has nested upon the building’s Renaissance-style facade since the 1990’s.
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