Carter's Review

One of the more interesting designs along Park Avenue, this apartment building at 940 Park Avenue on the northwest corner at 81^st Street was erected in 1925 and converted to a cooperative in 1951.

The 15-story building has only 29 apartments, two of which are duplex penthouse units.

It was designed by George and Edward Blum, whose other Park Avenue buildings include 555, 791, 830, 840, 875 and 1075.

The developer was William G. Waters, who operated two hospital equipment supply companies and he  lived in the  building that  was originally a rental that Christopher Gray described in his  March 6, 1994 “Streetscapes” column in The New York Times as  the “Hansel and Gretel  House.”

Bottom Line

Park Avenue’s most delightful and astonishing building in terms of its exterior decoration has children watering flowers on its balconies and a handsome lady gracefully dancing above its entrance canopy.  

Description

It has a three-story sandstone base with a decorative balcony at the third floor and a very fine, decorative bandcourse, a nice sandstone top with arched windows on the top floor and an octagonally shaped, red, rooftop watertank enclosure.

Its most fascinating feature, however, are some wrought-iron balconies on the next to top floor that depict men planting, or picking, flowers. In his article, Mr. Gray noted that “the notched  balconies at the 14^th floor and the  warm variegated  yellow-orange and terra cotta  are memorable.”

“The 14^th-floor balconies carry iron railings in the form of silhouette figures of a child watering flowers.  It has not been established whether these are works by a particular artist, or simply designs by the architect, but they are especially distinctive.” 

The 14^th-floor balcony failings are actually quite dainty, albeit marvelously charming, and they contrast dramatically with the buildings three-side “bucket” balconies that are very dramatic and  rise above highly detailed lintels and beneath the  bracketed and large  frieze  above the third  floor.

The  Blums, of course, were never  satisfied with just a few marvelous flourishes and the canopied entrance on the side-street has fine  wrought-iron detailing including three very handsome decorative  panels above the canopy  and a very nice railing with a gilded dancing lady above the entrance.

The building has two-story window surrounds on its top  two  floors with arched windows on the  top floor beneath very striking and large  triangular friezes.  The roof-top watertank enclosure has tall arched windows and a large balcony.

The building has consistent new fenestration, protruding air-conditioners and an entrance on the side-street. 

Amenities

The building has a doorman and sidewalk landscaping.

Apartments

An apartment on the 10^th floor has three bedrooms, and a small entry foyer that leads to a 13-foot-long study, a 16-foot-wide den, a 24-foot-long living room with fireplace and a 22-foot-long enclosed dining room that leads to a 11-foot-long breakfast area and a 21-foot-long kitchen.  The apartment also has a 15-foot-long laundry room, two large dressing rooms, a 24-foot-long bedroom with a fireplace next to an elliptical, 16-foot-long bedroom.

Apartment 8B is a two-bedroom unit that has a long entry hall that leads to a 22-foot-long living room with a fireplace across from a 16-foot-long dining room next to an 18-foot-long kitchen.

Apartment 11A is a three-bedroom unit that has an 11-foot-wide entry foyer that leads to a 25-foot-long living room with a wood-burning fireplace that opens onto a 20-foot-enclosed dining room that leads to a 21-foot-long eat-in kitchen and a maid’s room.

Apartment 7A is a three-bedroom unit that has an entry foyer that leads to a 23-foot-long  living room with fireplace and a 20-foot-long dining room that leads to a 5-foot-long pantry, a 14-foot-long kitchen, and two maids’ rooms.

Location

The building is not far from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many boutiques and art galleries along Madison Avenue. Cross-town buses run on 79th Street and one of the city’s best schools, PS 6, is on the same block at Madison Avenue.