Walk past the corner of 73rd and Broadway, and it hits you. This isn’t just another New York building. It's the Ansonia Upper West Side. A massive, limestone "wedding cake" that looks like it drifted over from a Parisian boulevard and decided to drop anchor in Manhattan.
Most people see the turrets and think "luxury." They aren't wrong, but they’re missing the weirdness. Honestly, the Ansonia is probably the only landmark in the world where you could once find a live seal in the lobby, a farm on the roof, and a world-famous swingers' club in the basement—all within the same century.
It’s a survivor.
The Ansonia Upper West Side: A Dream That Got Out of Hand
William Earl Dodge Stokes was a man with too much money and zero chill. He was the heir to a copper fortune, and in 1899, he decided to build the greatest residential hotel the world had ever seen. He hired a French architect, Paul Emile Duboy, and basically told him to go nuts.
The result? The Ansonia.
It was fireproof. It had thick walls—so thick that opera singers could belt out high Cs without the neighbors calling the cops. This is why it became a magnet for people like Enrico Caruso and Igor Stravinsky.
But Stokes was eccentric. Kinda weird, actually. He kept a small farm on the roof with hundreds of chickens, ducks, and even goats. He’d sell the fresh eggs to the tenants at a discount. The Health Department eventually shut that down (because, you know, goats on Broadway), but it set the tone for a building that never quite followed the rules.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
You might think a building from 1904 would be a museum piece by now. Not even close.
The Ansonia Upper West Side is currently a luxury condominium with over 380 units. But it’s not just a place where people live; it’s a character in the story of New York. You’ve probably seen it in movies like Single White Female or The Paper.
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In the current 2026 real estate market, a one-bedroom here will still set you back roughly $800,000 to $900,000, while the sprawling multi-bedroom suites go for millions. People pay for the history. They pay for the circular parlors and the 10-foot ceilings.
The Basement: From Opera to Plato’s Retreat
If the roof was for the birds, the basement was for the sinners.
In the late 60s and 70s, the Ansonia’s underbelly became legendary. First, there were the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse where a young Bette Midler (nicknamed "Bathhouse Betty") got her start singing to men in towels. Barry Manilow was her accompanist. Think about that next time you’re walking your dog past the building.
Then came Plato’s Retreat.
This was the 70s at its most chaotic. It was a heterosexual swingers' club that basically defined the "sexual revolution" in New York. Larry Levenson, the owner, was a regular fixture there until the city finally shut the whole operation down in the mid-80s during the height of the AIDS crisis.
Today, the basement isn't nearly as spicy. It’s mostly storage and mechanicals.
The Babe Ruth Connection
You can't talk about the Ansonia Upper West Side without talking about Babe Ruth.
The Bambino lived here when he first joined the Yankees. He used to treat the entire hotel like his living room. There are stories of him riding the elevator in nothing but a scarlet silk bathrobe to get a shave in the basement barbershop.
It was also the site of the infamous 1919 Black Sox Scandal meeting. A group of Chicago White Sox players reportedly met in a room at the Ansonia to plot throwing the World Series.
The building is literally soaked in baseball lore.
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What to Look for When You Visit
If you’re just passing by, don’t just look at the front door. Look up.
- The Mansard Roof: It’s one of the most complex in the city.
- The Corner Turrets: They give the building that "castle" vibe.
- The Recessed Courts: Stokes designed the building with deep "U" shapes to make sure every room got light and air. This was radical at the time.
Most people don't realize that the building was almost torn down in the 70s. It had fallen into total disarray. It was a "decaying shell," according to some reports from the time. A massive petition with over 25,000 signatures eventually saved it, leading to its landmark status in 1972.
Actionable Tips for Ansonia Enthusiasts
If you're obsessed with the history or looking to buy in, here's what you actually need to do:
- Check the LPC Archives: If you're a real architecture nerd, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has the original 1970s hearing notes. They describe the ironwork and terracotta in detail that puts modern buildings to shame.
- Walk the Perimeter: Don't just stay on Broadway. The 73rd and 74th street sides show the recessed light courts that were revolutionary for 1904 urban planning.
- Watch the Market: Units at the Ansonia Upper West Side vary wildly. Some are "time capsules" with original moldings; others have been gutted into modern white boxes. If you're buying for history, ask for the "un-renovated" units.
- Visit Zabar's After: You're on the Upper West Side. It's a three-minute walk. Get the lox.
The Ansonia is a reminder that New York used to be weirder, bolder, and a lot more ornate. It’s a Beaux-Arts masterpiece that survived the swingers, the seals, and the developers. It’s still here, and honestly, it’s still the coolest building on the block.