WOOLWORTH
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Take a tour of four iconic NYC structures that went from derelict to dazzling.
By MATTHEW PHENIX
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The mansion at 11 East 93rd was born in opulence, and reborn in obsession. Built at the turn of the century as one of the city’s most stately homes, all five stories (and a basement) have lately been restored and transformed by world-renowned architect and interior designer Reza Nouranian. From the lowest step of the front stoop to the ingenious rooftop deck, there’s not a square inch of its 7,714 square feet that has not held his artistic attention.
We begin, as you must, with the neighborhood, one of the most desirable townhouse blocks in the city for more than a century. Just off Fifth Avenue and Central Park, it’s the center of mansions that never gave up their Gilded Age glory, though few have attempted this scale of restoration and reinvention.
The staircase is the heart of this house, a gleaming spiral of mahogany handrail that runs from one luxurious level to the next. Built on Nantucket and assembled on-site, it is pure hand-hewn artistry, with every spindle as perfectly turned as the staircase itself. That attention to craft is carried throughout the home, with custom-designed and hand-fabricated plaster and woodwork, and Christopher Peacock bespoke cabinetry for the kitchen spaces and bathroom vanities. The floors are rift and quarter-sawn white oak, and they are separated by a series of soaring ceilings defined by custom millwork. At the top of staircase, a majestic skylight brings sunlight deep into the house.
One enters at the garden level through a landscaped forecourt into an entry parlor with storage for coats and shoes, and a bicycle elevator that secrets your trusty townie into the basement. An elegant, shelf-lined library (with a working fireplace, one of six) looks out over the street to the front. A large eat-in kitchen with the finest appliances — as well as a dumbwaiter and butler’s pantry — takes up the rear of the floor and leads to a dining room for eight. The back wall is all window, with a French door that leads to a 420-square-foot garden perfect for al fresco entertaining, or just your own elegant breakfast.
The parlor floor, just above, maintains the airy feel of 10-foot-9-inch ceilings. Here, the hospitality stretches from a landscaped terrace in the back, through three French doors into the living room, and then into a formal dining room overlooking the street. In between is a fully outfitted serving kitchen that rivals any in beauty. Thoughtfully gracious entertaining details include a second entrance direct from the front stoop, a powder room, and two coat closets.
Cathy Franklin
Licensed Associate RE Salesperson
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PICTURE-PERFECT No. 11 is the jewel of this grand block on East 93rd Street.
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Among the 3.5 million residences in New York City, few — if any — can approach the grandeur and attention to detail of 11 East 93rd Street.
HEART OF THE HOME The splendid kitchen at 11 East 93rd manages to merge classical opulence with cutting-edge culinary convenience.
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Climbing the stairs again (or, if this is getting tiring, the home has a hydraulic elevator that runs from basement to 5th floor), we find the master suite. With 10-foot ceilings and expansive glass, it’s infused with light from fore and aft. To the rear is the bedroom, and overlooking the street is an elegant study. This floor has two master baths, both suitably extravagant, as well as a dressing room with eleven closets.
The fourth and fifth floors house two more oversized bedroom suites each, with large closets, copious built-ins, and fully appointed en-suite bathrooms.
When you have reached the top of the stairs, and are standing beneath the sparkling skylight, you will find one more door. This is the entrance to the roof garden, because opulence needn’t stop when the masonry does. This 1,055-square-foot deck is fully landscaped and includes a complete outdoor kitchen, two lounge areas, an ingenious swimming pool, and views of Central Park.
We have forgotten the basement in our tour, though Nouranian didn’t forget it in his design. The brand-new building mechanicals are here, as are the brains of the home, including a Crestron Total Home Technology system integrating the extensive audio/video components, the multi-zone central air conditioning, a Lutron lighting system, etc. There’s also plenty of room for a windowed bedroom suite and a media room. Throughout, we’re sure we’ve neglected to mention additional powder rooms, closets, custom light fixtures, integrated technology, and a thousand other details — but rest assured they are all exactly where they need to be, and are perhaps unnecessarily beautiful.
Step by glorious step, Reza Nouranian’s vision has taken a mansion built to be extraordinary and turned it into the finest example of rowhouse elegance to come to market in years. These six stories of an architect’s obsession add up to a home that’s not just perfect, but perfect for you.
SOCIAL CLIMBER The townhouse's five expansive floors meet along a dazzling central staircase with a hand-hewn mahogany handrail.