535 Park Avenue

40°45′51″N 73°58′07″W / 40.76429°N 73.96848°W / 40.76429; -73.96848Year(s) built1910Technical detailsFloor count15Design and constructionArchitect(s)Herbert Lucas

535 Park Avenue is a pre-war cooperative apartment building at the northeast corner of 61st Street and Park Avenue, in the Lenox Hill section of the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City.^[1] It was constructed in 1910 and was designed by architect Herbert Lucas.^[1]

Architecture

Its architectural design and decoration was described as both Georgian and Colonial style at the time of its completion.^[2][1] Herbert Lucas used similar architectural features from 24 Gramercy Park South, a building he designed, including the splayed lintels, simple brick and half-oval balconies.^[1]

A characteristic feature of this particular building is the white glazed terra-cotta of the two lower floors that contrasts with the red brick from the upper floors.^[1] Some critics were offended by this contrast, denouncing the terra-cotta as “cheap finery” and qualifying the building as “Palazzo Spotti.”^[1][3]

History

The project started when the site at the corner of 61st Street and Park Avenue was acquired in early 1909 by a corporation known as Number 535 Park Avenue.^[4] The project was viewed as a step to reimprove the north section of Park Avenue.^[4]

The construction project was unusual at the time in the sense that it was led by a corporation of its future owners instead of being led by a real estate developer.^[4] The future owners were organized as a housing cooperative, which was uncommon at the time. Unlike contemporary co-op buildings where most of their units are owned, in early co-op buildings half of its units were being rented by the owners.^[1]

Residents

Notable residents include American painter Lydia Field Emmet.^[1]

References