If there is a more storied place to live in New York City than the Plaza, we don’t know what it is. Since its debut in 1907, the Henry Janeway Hardenbergh-designed building on Central Park South has played host to global leaders, Hollywood A-listers, famous musicians, literary legends, wealthy dowagers, and, of course, the fictional Eloise. Its world-famous restaurants and bars have been the scene of soirees and scandals and everything in between. Of note for condominium seekers, in 2008, the chateau-like hotel emerged from a $400 million restoration that converted most of its rooms and suites into luxury residences. Featuring period details, towering ceilings, and Juliet balconies, the condominiums have their own private entrance as well as a European-style garden with fountains and reflecting pools. The hotel still exists, to be sure—which means residents have access to five-star amenities, including the posh Palm Court and a sumptuous spa by Guerlain.
About The Plaza Residences
Originally designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986, the chateau-like Plaza is one of the most recognizable buildings in all of New York. Its elegant marble and brick facade with balustrades and balconies, columns and arches is inspired by French Renaissance architecture and topped by a distinctive, green-tiled mansard roof with copper trim. Over the past century, the Plaza has undergone extensions, restorations, and renovations, but its grandeur has remained.
Midtown East is home to historic landmarks like Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building, the United Nations and many embassies, and Fifth Avenue, New York’s destination for high-end shopping, art galleries, and a spate of Michelin-starred restaurants. The neighborhood is also the epicenter of New York City’s 21st-century supertall building boom. Midtown East has cozy residential corners, too, including Tudor City, which was New York City’s largest residential complex when it was first planned in 1925. Radio City Music Hall, the Museum of Modern Art, and Central Park are nearby.
A side effect of the Plaza’s many renovations and restorations is that residences vary greatly from one to the next. What they all have in common: high ceilings with period moldings and mantels, walnut-bordering herringbone parquet floors, and glass-fronted cabinets. Kitchens have Nero Marquina stone countertops and Calacatta marble backsplashes, while fixtures and finishes throughout are by Kohler and Lefroy Brooks. In other words, the vibe is historic but updated, with all the grandeur of the Plaza and all the conveniences of modern living.
With a butler on every floor, babysitters on standby, and limousine service at your beck and call, life at the Plaza really is five-star. Add to that a shopping mall and some of New York’s toniest drinking and dining establishments at your disposal, and you may never need to venture outside. Though, of course, if you do, Central Park is literally at your doorstep.
