Can you identify these posh NYC apartment buildings just by their ornate entrances?

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New York City is known for its iconic buildings – but can you identify these posh apartment buildings just by their ornate entrances?

  • New book highlights the lavish entrances and doorways of New York City’s most exclusive and iconic apartment buildings  
  • Can you guess the building based using our clues? Answers below 

By Tate Delloye For Dailymail.com

Published: | Updated:

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A new book by architectural historian, Andrew Alpern highlights the opulent entrances of New York City’s most exclusive apartment buildings.  

Behind the stunning cast-iron gates, segmented archways, regal awnings, hand-carved flourishes, ruffle-topped columns and gold-tasseled doormen are the stratospherically expensive domiciles of America’s wealthiest and most influential families.   

Having lived in Manhattan since 1938, Alpern is an expert on historic houses in New York. From Beaux Arts to Art Deco, Posh Portals Elegant Entrances and Ingratiating Ingresses to Apartments for the Affluent in New York City  examines how elegant living has changed over time from the nineteenth century to today.

The colossal 440-page photo book offers a glimpse into the cloistered lives of the rich and very powerful by taking the reader on a tour of 140 different entrances in Manhattan and Brooklyn. 

Question remains, can you guess these iconic buildings just by their lavish entrances? Answers below. 

1) Once known as 'the world’s largest and most complete apartment house,' this Italian-Renaissance complex is one of the few buildings that occupies an entire city block. It contains 175 apartments ranging in size from six to 14 rooms. The building is constructed around a large, landscaped interior courtyard which is one the largest in the city. The building was also at the center of an infamous 16-year- long rent strike against its landlord who eventually sold it to an investor that renovated it into luxury condos

1) Once known as ‘the world’s largest and most complete apartment house,’ this Italian-Renaissance complex is one of the few buildings that occupies an entire city block. It contains 175 apartments ranging in size from six to 14 rooms. The building is constructed around a large, landscaped interior courtyard which is one the largest in the city. The building was also at the center of an infamous 16-year- long rent strike against its landlord who eventually sold it to an investor that renovated it into luxury condos

2) 'The Dowager Queen Mother of all luxury apartments in New York' this ornate Gilded Age complex is festooned with turrets and gables. The entrance is a barrel-vaulted arch that leads to a huge interior courtyard where carriages dropped off residents at one of four corner lobbies. The edifice was completed in 1884 for Edward Clark, Singer Sewing Machine president; it's name stems from the developers fondness for Western names and territories. Home to many celebrities over the years, the complex was also setting for the 1968 film, Rosemary's Baby and the location where a world-famous rock star was assassinated in 1980 while leaving his apartment

2) ‘The Dowager Queen Mother of all luxury apartments in New York’ this ornate Gilded Age complex is festooned with turrets and gables. The entrance is a barrel-vaulted arch that leads to a huge interior courtyard where carriages dropped off residents at one of four corner lobbies. The edifice was completed in 1884 for Edward Clark, Singer Sewing Machine president; it’s name stems from the developers fondness for Western names and territories. Home to many celebrities over the years, the complex was also setting for the 1968 film, Rosemary’s Baby and the location where a world-famous rock star was assassinated in 1980 while leaving his apartment

3) This stunning 12-story limestone facade building sits pride of place in Manhattan's Museum Mile. It was designed by McKim, Mead & White, the same architectural firm that planned the main campus of Columbia University and the original Pennsylvania Station. The Italian Renaissance edifice was built by developer James T. Lee (Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis' grandfather) and completed 1912

3) This stunning 12-story limestone facade building sits pride of place in Manhattan’s Museum Mile. It was designed by McKim, Mead & White, the same architectural firm that planned the main campus of Columbia University and the original Pennsylvania Station. The Italian Renaissance edifice was built by developer James T. Lee (Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis’ grandfather) and completed 1912

4) This turreted showstopper overlooks Central Park and was completed at the height of the Great Depression which caused the building to go into foreclosure. It was the fictional address in Herman Wouk's novel, Marjorie Morningstar and the real address of celebrities like Alex Baldwin, Ron Howard, Bruce Willis and Sinclair Lewis who chose a tower apartment because it had views of every bridge in the city

4) This turreted showstopper overlooks Central Park and was completed at the height of the Great Depression which caused the building to go into foreclosure. It was the fictional address in Herman Wouk’s novel, Marjorie Morningstar and the real address of celebrities like Alex Baldwin, Ron Howard, Bruce Willis and Sinclair Lewis who chose a tower apartment because it had views of every bridge in the city

5) This Art Deco stunner on Manhattan's 'Gold Coast' has been one of New York City's richest and most lusted-after addresses. Completed in 1930 by James T. Lee (Jacqueline Kennedy's grandfather), this 19-floor complex has been home to America’s wealthiest dynasties: Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Bouvier, Chrysler, Niarchos, Houghton, and Harkness—and some modern titans as well: David Koch, Edgar Bronfman, Ron Perelman, Steve Mnuchin, Woody Johnson and the CEO of Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman. So exclusive they have denied Barbara Streisand, Neil Sedaka and multiple Russian billionaire oligarchs. Of the many amenities offered, the building refrigerates garbage to contain the odor

5) This Art Deco stunner on Manhattan’s ‘Gold Coast’ has been one of New York City’s richest and most lusted-after addresses. Completed in 1930 by James T. Lee (Jacqueline Kennedy’s grandfather), this 19-floor complex has been home to America’s wealthiest dynasties: Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Bouvier, Chrysler, Niarchos, Houghton, and Harkness—and some modern titans as well: David Koch, Edgar Bronfman, Ron Perelman, Steve Mnuchin, Woody Johnson and the CEO of Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman. So exclusive they have denied Barbara Streisand, Neil Sedaka and multiple Russian billionaire oligarchs. Of the many amenities offered, the building refrigerates garbage to contain the odor

6) This 19-story Grand Dame was completed in 1929 and features a grandiose carved limestone entrance that extends to the middle of the fifth floor. Equally elaborate are the floral-paneled parapets and the corner carving of a ram’s head. Past and current pennants include Samuel Newhouse, owner of Conde Nast Magazines, Lyman Bloomingdale, founder of Bloomingdale's department store and TV broadcaster, Mike Wallace

6) This 19-story Grand Dame was completed in 1929 and features a grandiose carved limestone entrance that extends to the middle of the fifth floor. Equally elaborate are the floral-paneled parapets and the corner carving of a ram’s head. Past and current pennants include Samuel Newhouse, owner of Conde Nast Magazines, Lyman Bloomingdale, founder of Bloomingdale’s department store and TV broadcaster, Mike Wallace

7) This distinctive low-rise building stands out among its high-rise neighbors. The Tudor style complex was designed and constructed by the Fred French Company in 1918. The French Company went on to build 'Tudor City' in the East 40s and became a 'pioneer in penthouse living' having successfully designed palatial apartments for his family atop 1010 Fifth Avenue  and 1140 Fifth Avenue

7) This distinctive low-rise building stands out among its high-rise neighbors. The Tudor style complex was designed and constructed by the Fred French Company in 1918. The French Company went on to build ‘Tudor City’ in the East 40s and became a ‘pioneer in penthouse living’ having successfully designed palatial apartments for his family atop 1010 Fifth Avenue  and 1140 Fifth Avenue

ANSWERS 

1) The Belnord at 225 West 86th Street

2) The Dakota at 1 West 72nd Street 

3) 998 Fifth Avenue 

4) The Eldorado at 300 Central Park West

5) 740 Park Avenue 

6) 730 Park Avenue 

7) 370 Central Park West