Architect Robert A. M. Stern has characterized The Belnord as the grandest of New York’s 20th-century, full-block courtyard apartment buildings. Imposing. Elegant. Prewar. Such great lengths were taken in the restoration of The Belnord on the Upper West Side that the team of architects, preservationists, and designers who helmed its reinvention are not referred to as “the design team” but rather as “the Conservators.” Originally built in 1908, The Belnord’s Italian Renaissance traits have been carefully protected, from its private palazzo-style landscaped interior courtyard spanning 22,000 square feet to its frescoed exterior details and elaborate entryway. The interiors have been completely reinvented, opened up to allow easy appreciation of the building’s dramatic breadth, scale, and volume, bringing the Gilded Age into the modern day.
Developed By HFZ Capital Group and Westbrook Partners
Website
www.thebelnord.comBroker
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Photo Credit: DBOX
About The Belnord
Hiss and Weekes designed The Belnord, an iconic full-block apartment house whose storied grandeur earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1908. More than a century later, a team comprising BP Architects (Architect of Record), Page Ayres Cowley Architects (historic preservation), and Hollander Design Landscape Architects (courtyard and garden) made way for Robert A.M. Stern Architects and Rafael de Cárdenas to seamlessly blend history with contemporary design. A pair of two-story archways with gilded wrought-iron gates welcome homeowners into the vaulted porte-cochère, where original frescoes and arabesques honor the building’s Italian Renaissance aesthetic. The circular driveway once meant for horses and carriages has been retrofitted for SUVs, and the courtyard’s showpiece fountain has been restored. A light gray Indiana limestone facade keeps the building as commanding as ever.
At the center of the Upper West Side, in an enviable location between Central Park and Riverside Park, The Belnord complements its graceful surroundings. The Upper West Side is brownstone New York, punctuated by beauties like The Belnord; it’s Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet, and the Metropolitan Opera; it’s smoked fish from Barney Greengrass and Zabar’s. This is a neighborhood with deep roots, glorious architecture, and celebrated cultural institutions. And then there’s Central Park, the 843-acre National Historic Landmark that spans 51 blocks from north to south and three avenues from east to west and includes fountains and lakes, playgrounds and walkways, wide-open green spaces, and manicured gardens.
Inside, Robert A.M. Stern and Rafael de Cárdenas, who focused, respectively, on the residences and the furnishings of common areas, kept a clean, contemporary aesthetic, allowing The Belnord’s history to speak for itself. Interior architectural details include white lacquer surfaces, mosaic marble floors, black-lacquered residence entrances, and a mix of Nero Marquina and Statuarietto White marble floors and moldings. Staircases were restored, cerused-wood paneling placed in the elevators, and floor plans opened up to accommodate modern-day entertaining. Whether it’s the views from room to room or outside to the courtyard or city skyline through oversized windows (with their weighted sashes and, in some cases, copper-clad bays), every detail was meticulously considered. Molteni kitchens in cerused oak or white lacquer feature Calacatta Gold marble countertops.
Prewar meets contemporary splendor with more than 30,000 square feet of amenities, including a 24-hour attended lobby, expansive porte-cochère, and meticulously landscaped courtyard and garden, evoking total privacy and tranquility. The light-filled Belnord Club further offers a wealth of options for relaxation and entertainment, including a state-of-the-art fitness center, a yoga/Pilates studio, an impressive double-height sports court, a gracious residents’ lounge with a fireplace, a separate dining room with an adjacent chef’s kitchen, a children’s playroom, and a teen lounge.
- 24hr Doorman
- Basketball Court
- Bike Storage
- Children's Playroom
- Cold Storage
- Concierge
- Conference Room
- Fitness Center
- Game Room
- Garden
- Library
- Lounge
- On-Site Parking
- Outdoor Space
- Porte-Cochère
- Private Dining
- Spa
- Swimming Pool
- Terrace
- Valet Parking
- Wine Storage
- Yoga Studio
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