Building Spotlight: PROSPECT HILL APARTMENTS

Continuing our survey of Tudor City Historic District buildings, here's a look at the Prospect Hill Apartments on E. 41st Street, which predate Tudor City by one year. Construction commences in July, 1925, when Fred French's planned community is still on the drawing board.

Entrance of 333 E. 41st St.

➼ Opens May, 1926. Six floors, with 36 apartments, a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom units. 

➼ Designed and constructed by the Toensfeldt-Boughton architectural firm, the simple brick structure features a Tudor Revival entrance, adorned with a pointed arch, shields and pelicans, all rendered in limestone (at left). The rest of its facade is rather nondescript, most memorable for its numerous fire escapes.

➼ Some say that the Tudor ornament on this building inspires Fred French to design his community in the same style, but we don't buy it. Tudor-style architecture ‒ meant to suggest genteel 'country' living ‒ was very much in vogue in 1920s Manhattan. We believe that Tudor City's architect, H. Douglas Ives, made the call.

Below, the Prospect Hill Apartments in 1941, nestled between Essex House (left) and The Woodstock (top). The ice skating rink was a tennis court in warmer weather, and today is the site of No. 2, Tudor Gardens.

Building-wide typical floor plan.

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Improbably enough, this modest structure is currently home to one of the biggest ticket listings in all of Tudor City ‒ ground-floor apartment 1E, on the market for a cool $900,000.

Apt. 1E's mod living room, with south-facing windows overlooking 41st Street.

The two-bedroom, two-fireplace pad is the largest unit in the building, and comes with an interesting backstory: originally built as the home of the building's developer, it has had only two owners since 1926.

UPDATE: Apt. 1E sold for its asking price in February, 2018.