Architectural Investigator: Barbizon Hotel for Women, Famous Place, now Condos....140 East 63rd Street

Many years ago, I swear I knew what this building was, and I think it was a hotel...have to check what it is really now...main floor on Avenue side is given over to Equinox...entrance on East 63rd  has forbidding air to it, with doorman peering out suspiciously...

 Well, let's go to City records first...well, what you know, this used to be the Hotel Barbizon, I remember it well,  I remember when I met people who were staying here back in its hotel days..

Now a condominium

Borough:ManhattanBlock:1397Lot:7505
Police Precinct:19
Owner:BARBIZON/63 CONDOMINI

Address:140EAST 63 STREET,NEW YORK10065
Lot Area:13137 sf
Lot Frontage:112.33'Lot Depth:120Year Built:1927(estimated)
Number of Buildings:1
Number of Floors:23
Gross Floor Area:175,623 sf (estimated)
Residential Units:86Total # of Units:88
Land Use:Mixed Residential and Commercial Buildings
Zoning:C1-8XR8B
Commercial Overlay:
Zoning Map #:8c
Landmark Building:Yes
Historic District:No

So let's just see what we call find on Barbizon/63 Condominium

First, this from Wikipedia

Barbizon 63

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Barbizon Hotel for Women
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Barbizon Hotel for Women, July 2007
Location:	140 E. 63rd St., Manhattan, New York City, New York
Coordinates:	40°45′52.79″N 73°57′58.46″WCoordinates: 40°45′52.79″N 73°57′58.46″W
Area:	less than one acre
Built:	1927
Architect:	Palmer H. Ogden, Everett F. Murgatroyd
Architectural style:	Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Late Gothic Revival
Governing body:	Private
NRHP Reference#:	82001186 [1]
Added to NRHP:	October 29, 1982

The Barbizon Hotel for Women, now known as Barbizon 63, was symbolic of the cultural change as women began to come to New York City for professional opportunities, but still wanted a "safe retreat" that felt like the family home.^[2] It is located at 140 East 63rd Street, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, New York State, USA.

Contents

History

It was built in 1927 incorporating a blend of Italian Renaissance, Late Gothic Revival, and Islamic decorative elements. It is a 23-story steel frame building encased in concrete and faced in salmon-colored brick with limestone and terra cotta decorative elements.^[3]
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.^[1]
For most of its existence, it operated as a residential hotel for women, with no men allowed above the ground floor, and strict dress and conduct rules were enforced. The hotel became a more standard hotel when it began admitting men as guests in 1981.^[4] In 2002, a $40 million renovation was completed and the name was changed to The Melrose Hotel. In 2005 the hotel closed and the building was gutted and rebuilt for condominium use and renamed Barbizon 63.
Even after the condo renovation, there are still 13 women living under the old arrangements at the hotel due to rent control.
The building includes a large indoor pool which is today part of an Equinox Fitness club, and air rights to adjacent properties were purchased when the building was constructed, ensuring plenty of light and unimpeded views for the upper floors.

Famous residents

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2013)

Female

• Edith Bouvier Beale
• Lauren Bacall
• Ann Beattie
• Barbara Bel Geddes
• Candice Bergen
• Margaret Brown
• Peggy Cass
• Joan Crawford
• Linda Cuddy (now Linda Murray)
• Joan Didion
• Luella Hurd
• Kelle James
• Camille Keaton
• Grace Kelly
• Cloris Leachman
• Ali MacGraw
• Dorothy McGuire
• Liza Minnelli
• Sylvia Plath
• Phylicia Rashad
• Cybill Shepherd
• Mona Simpson
• Elaine Stritch
• Eudora Welty
• Gene Tierney

 Madlyn Rhue

Male

• Ricky Gervais

In popular culture

• In the television series Mad Men, the Barbizon is noted as the place of residence of one of Don Draper's post-divorce love interests, Bethany Van Nuys. Don drops her off at the Barbizon in the 1st and 8th episodes of Season 4. Also, this is where Don Draper's first wife, Betty, lived as a young model.^{[clarification needed]}

Now let's see if we can find a real estate company's listings for this place....Expensive! Millions of dollars for THIS place, (Oh, I see it has TERRACES etc) which is still listed even though it was sold two years ago

 

140 East 63rd Street #12AE in Lenox Hill

Condo
Lenox Hill

3,543 ft²
$2,170 per ft²

8 rooms
4 beds
5 baths

Common Charges: $4,914
Monthly taxes: $2,969

The Barbizon/63 Condominium has all the Technology and Full Service Amenities of a new building with Prewar and European Elegance. This is an amazing opportunity to combine two high floor apartments to create a majestic interior space of over 3500 square feet, plus 5 TERRACES! The combined unit would create 4-5 bedrooms, 4 baths and 2 powder rooms. The home features state of the art communication for audio visual and data capabilities, Rosewood Bolivian floors, Meile Washer/Dryer, Marble Baths with fixtures by Waterworks, oversized French casement windows and a modern Valcucine Eat-In, Kitchen with top of the line appliances. The full service building amenities are extensive with a concierge, doorman, onsite resident manager and building staff, a separate entrance for Equinox with Spa and Pool, a 20 seat Screening Room, Library, 50 seat Dining Room, Storage and is pet friendly.

Building Amenities

Doorman	Gym	Swimming Pool
Elevator	Pets Allowed

Outdoor Space

Balcony

Additional Details at www.corcoran.com

Listed at Corcoran by Meghan Kelly Gefaell