Beaux-Art and French-Renaissance-style buildings and spaces in NYC
July 14 marks the celebration of Bastille Day, or the national day of France. The day is the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, a significant moment during the French Revolution and now celebrated as a national holiday. National events traditionally feature a military parade and fireworks, and this year’s procession is set to include the Olympic Flame, which arrives in Paris on the day of the parade. The parade will also commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings and the liberation of France during World War II. There will also be firemen’s balls, concerts, picnics, and less formal celebrations all across the country.
Bastille Day is also celebrated across the pond, where New York’s French restaurants, retailers, and cultural institutions pay tribute to the holiday. L'Alliance New York (formerly FIAF) will host a massive street fair on Madison Avenue on Sunday, July 14, and other festivities will take place throughout the boroughs.
In this article:
(CityRealty)
To celebrate France's local influences, we took a look at the grandest Beaux-Arts residential buildings in the city. The name of the artistic style is taken from Paris’s L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts, one of the world’s most prestigious architecture schools at the turn of the twentieth century. The aesthetic is loyal to the tenets of Classicism, but goes further in slathering on layers of ornamentation. The 1893 Chicago World's Fair introduced America to Beaux-Arts architecture, and wealthy Americans appreciated it as a mark of European sophistication.
Many noted American architects studied at the L'Ecole des Beaux-Arts and brought their newly learned talents to beautify our cities and become patrons of the country's growing upper class. Our best-known examples were constructed at the turn of the 20 century, resulting in what some call the City Beautiful Movement and the Gilded Age. Iconic examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in New York include Grand Central Terminal, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building that houses the main branch of the New York Public Library. With the surge of wealth and 'robber barons' at this time, the style made its mark in residential architecture with rows of opulent mansions lining Fifth Avenue and some of our grandest apartment houses ever built. See our list of favorite Beaux-Arts and French Renaissance-style apartment buildings below.
Completed in 1912 | Converted in 2018
4 availabilities from $2,595,000
All images of 49 Chambers Street via Douglas Elliman
Around the block from City Hall Park, the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank was converted to 99 luxury condominiums, though not at the expense of the Beaux Arts architecture that was instrumental in its designation as a New York City Landmark. This meant that Hall des Lumieres, an immersive art museum operated by the firm behind Atelier des Lumieres in Paris, could not proceed without the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission ("Landmarks"), but it was unanimously approved the project in July 2020 and it opened two years later.
49 Chambers Street, #PHB
$16,900,000 (-13.3%)
Tribeca | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 3,924 ft2
49 Chambers Street, #PHB (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Completed in 1897 | Converted in 2009
1 availability for $5,950,000
141 Fifth Avenue (Corcoran Group)
In the late 19th century, 141 Fifth Avenue was built in the Beaux Arts style as the Merchants Bank of New York. More than 100 years later, the building in the heart of the Ladies Mile Historic District was painstakingly restored to its original glory amidst a residential conversion. The apartments are located on the top 10 floors and remain rich in original architectural details.
141 Fifth Avenue, #4AB
$5,950,000
Flatiron/Union Square | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,962 ft2
141 Fifth Avenue, #4AB (Corcoran Group)
180 West 58th Street
Completed in 1910 | Converted in 1980
1 availability for $1,195,000
Designed in the style of King Francis I, The Alwyn Court has been described as "one of the finest buildings of its type in New York City" by the Landmarks Preservation Commission and "the city's most ornate building" by architecture critic Carter Horsley. Stylized fire-breathing crowned salamanders, the King's royal symbol, stand guard over the building's entrance, and nearly every square inch of the facade is covered with elaborate terra cotta ornamentation in the shape of cherubs, flowers plants, and animals.
The Alwyn Court, #7C (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
1 Central Park South
Completed in 1907 | Converted in 2007
30 availabilities from $1,000,000
From Central Park
Designed in the French Renaissance style, The Plaza is one of New York City's most iconic buildings in one of its most iconic locations - on Fifth Avenue, directly across from Central Park. Its white marble base, ornate entrances, and mansard roof make it a must-see for architecture enthusiasts and wealthy tourists alike. Following the partial conversion to condos, residents have access to all the hotel's amenities and services, including The Palm Court.
The Plaza, #801 (Compass)
795 Fifth Avenue
Completed in 1930 | Converted in 1959
2 availabilities from $2,200,000
The Pierre Hotel was completed in 1930, and became an architectural icon in New York almost immediately. The hotel's slanted roof was inspired by the Royal Chapel at Versailles, and the apartments on top were designed to make the most of direct views of Central Park and the New York City skyline.
The Pierre, #2315 (Corcoran Group)
26 East 63rd Street
Completed in 1901 | Converted in 1983
1 availability for $10,500,000
The Leonori (Douglas Elliman)
Located one block from Central Park, and a stone’s throw from the Bastille Day festivities, The Leonori was originally constructed at the turn of the 20th century as a hotel with a rooftop dining room. Today the upper levels house the building’s penthouses, and the elegant building has attracted the likes of Samuel L. Jackson.
The Leonori, #12BCDG
$10,500,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Condominium | 4 Bedrooms, 5.5 Baths | 2,700 ft2
The Leonori, #12BCDG (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Completed in 1906 | Converted in 1987
1 availability for $5,700,000
Originally known as the Fred Leighton Building, this opulent exterior features a French Renaissance style design, attractive red masonry, a rounded corner, and Elizabethan and Flemish Gothic details throughout the facade. Ten years after it was declared a New York City Landmark, it was converted to a luxurious cooperative.
Fred Leighton Building, #10W
$5,700,000
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Cooperative | 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths
Fred Leighton Building, #10W (Sothebys International Realty)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Completed in 1911 | Converted in 1987
1 availability for $2,495,000
521 Park Avenue via Sotheby's International
521 Park Avenue was designed by William Boring, an American-born architect who studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts before returning to New York and joining the firm of McKim, Mead and White. The limestone building has been honored with numerous international design awards, including a gold medal for architecture from the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1900.
521 Park Avenue, #2A
$2,495,000 (-15.4%)
Park/Fifth Ave. to 79th St. | Condominium | 1 Bedroom, 1.5 Baths | 1,911 ft2
521 Park Avenue, #2A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
171 West 71st Street
Completed in 1902 | Converted in 1984
1 availability for $11,800,000
(Brown Harris Stevens)
Architecture critic Carter Horsley describes The Dorilton as "one of New York's most spectacular architecturally." With its dramatic entrance gate, Beaux Arts facade, and marvelous sculptures, it is easy to see why. The building has been meticulously restored to its original splendor, and the apartments inside have received the same attention.
The Dorilton, #9A/10A
$11,800,000 (-8.5%)
Broadway Corridor | Cooperative | 6+ Bedrooms, 5 Baths | 4,950 ft2
The Dorilton, #9A/10A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
344 West 72nd Street
Completed in 1904 | Converted in 2014
3 availabilities from $1,500,000
The anchoring base of Riverside Park has been renovated to its former glory and updated with the features and amenities today's buyer has come to expect. The landmarked building is distinguished by its rusticated limestone base, red brick and limestone facade, and cherubs carved above the cornice.
The Chatsworth, #203
$2,795,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 3 Baths | 2,286 ft2
The Chatsworth, #203 (Engel & Volkers New York Real Estate LLC)
2109 Broadway
Completed in 1904 | Converted in 1990
2 availabilities from $1,075,000
Sotheby's
The Ansonia was originally designed as a luxury hotel; in the years that followed, it became a highly coveted residential building and a New York City Landmark. Many apartments retain original architectural details, yet have been modernized with new kitchens and renovated baths. The roof garden, corridors, staircases, and elevators have been beautifully restored.
The Ansonia, #1092/1093 (Christies International Real Estate Group LLC)
135 Central Park West
Completed in 1905
No current availabilities
With its limestone facade and French and English architectural influences, The Langham is considered one of the most beautiful buildings on Central Park West. Apartments boast features like high ceilings, gorgeous crown moldings, three decorative fireplaces, formal dining rooms, and windowed kitchens.
164 West 74th Street
Completed in 1901 | Converted in 2019
1 availability for $5,750,000
All images of The Marbury via Compass
In the process of transforming The Marbury from a hotel to a condominium, the interiors were brought up to contemporary standards while its historic Beaux Art facade was restored, much to the approval of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Gracious residences boasts high ceilings, oversized windows, top-of-the-line infrastructure, and peaceful primary suites.
The Marbury, #PHB
$5,750,000 (-7.3%)
Broadway Corridor | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,250 ft2
The Marbury, #PHB (Nest Seekers LLC)
151 Central Park West
Completed in 1908 | Converted in 1958
2 availabilities from $9,250,000
(Ajay Suresh for Wikipedia)
Located on the Gold Coast of Central Park, The Kenilworth is designed in the French Second Empire style. The building is surrounded by a dry moat, and architecture critics Elliot Willensky and Norval White describe it as a "cubical, russet-brick wedding cake topped by a grand convex mansard roof."
The Kenilworth, #3C (Sothebys International Realty)
100 West 80th Street
Completed in 1900 | Converted in 2014
No current availabilities
The Orleans (Brown Harris Stevens)
From the time it was constructed as a hotel, The Orleans has attracted attention for its Beaux-Arts style, soaring height, and views of Central Park and the Museum of Natural History. Following a 2014 conversion to condos, this New York City Landmark beautifully combines Old World grandeur on the outside with modern conveniences and amenities on the inside.
100 Amity Street
Completed in 1898 | Converted in 2019
No current availabilities
All images of Polhemus Residences via BKSK Architects/Douglas Elliman
On a cobblestone street in Brooklyn, the Polhemus Memorial Clinic has been transformed into Polhemus Residences, a collection of luxury residences beneath a limestone and brick facade. The French Renaissance-style limestone facade and narrow cornices were beautifully restored to its former glory, but the interiors have been renovated with high ceilings, grand proportions, and luxurious amenities.
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?
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
