The Dakota. The Apthorp. The San Remo. The names of these legendary New York apartment buildings evoke images of marble-lined lobbies, uniformed doormen, and sunlit penthouses with sweeping Central Park views. Built from the 1880s through 1930s, classic prewar apartments were designed to lure townhouse dwellers reluctant to share a roof with other families. Billed as private mansions in the sky, they promised a charmed Manhattan lifestyle of elegance and luxury. Manhattan Classic takes readers on a lavishly illustrated guided tour of eighty-five of the most coveted buildings in New York. Author Geoffrey Lynch provides capsule histories—equal parts architectural and social history— of the most celebrated examples, with anecdotes about well-known residents and essential information about notable features.
