The Beresford a coop building so vast it contains three separate lobbies fronting both Central Park West and West 81st Street.
It has three addresses 211 Central Park West, 1 West 81st Street and 7 West 81st Street. The building was completed a month prior to the stock market crash in 1929.
The Beresford is a master piece of architect Emory Roth. The building has 175 apartments on 23 floors with a limestone base and brick-clad upper floors.
The courtyard contains a fountain and a garden. Italian Renaissance in design, the Beresford is executed in brick with limestone and terra cotta trim. Animating the walls is a distinctive blend of late-Renaissance sculpture: winged cherubs, angels, dolphins, rams' heads and rosettes.
The Beresford is where Rock Hudson had his "classic six" home away from Hollywood. After the star died of AIDS in 1985, most of the contents of his Beresford apartment were auctioned off at William Doyle Galleries in New York, bringing prices that far exceeded the auction house's expectations.
Fans fought over many of the items from his apartment including the footstool that 5-foot -4 inch Elizabeth Taylor used to reach the 6-foot -5-inch actor's Beresford bathroom sink while staying in the apartment in 1981. Written on the stool in lavender ink are the lines "E.T. stood here (she had to because she couldn't reach the sink) R.H. is a love, and I thank him always --even tho he is one foot taller. Your always friend, Elizabeth."
The Beresford has many famous former and current residents. Current resident Jerry Seinfeld had extensive major renovations to his apartments at The Beresford. His renovations went on for a very long time annoying the other neighbors and famous residents. Because of his lengthy renovations NYC coops enacted a new coop regulation called the "Seinfeld Rule." For every day that a renovation continues after it's scheduled completion date the apartment shareholder must pay the coop fines of $500 a day.
Jerry Seinfeld also bought a Townhouse on West 82nd Street for $3.95 million adjacent to his Beresford apartment for his cars. In that townhouse real estate transaction his broker wasn't available to show him the townhouse on Saturday because of religious observance. Jerry negotiated directly with the seller and tried to cut his broker out of her commission. A judge ordered Seinfeld to pay her the commission.
Built in 1929 The Beresford converted to a Co-operative in 1962. The Beresford has six (6) Attended Elevators, A Fitness Room, Laundry Room, Private Storage, Washer/Dryers and Pets are Allowed. Maximum financing allowed is 50%. There is a 2% "transfer fee" paid by the seller. Residential Street, Block: 1195, Lot: 29, Community Board: 7, School District: 3. Prices in The Beresford range from $2.5 million to $31 million.
For more information about The Beresford or any other Manhattan building please contact me.
Manhattan real estate in history/ today
A blog series by Mitchell Hall
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Mitchell, Thank you for your wonderful Blog!! What wonderful history and background on this impressive building. You are so very lucky to be selling and being around all those wonderful apartments in the capital of the world. I think you can tell that I LOVE NEW YORK! I will have to take a look at all your blogs.
I used to spend a lot of time in your spectacular city but have not been back for a while. I miss it terribly.