HATFIELD HOUSE, THE CLOISTER, and THE HERMITAGE. . . almost

A return to the collaboration of the Works Progress Administration and the New York City Tax Department to compile a photographic record of all the buildings in the five boroughs. This group of photos shows part of Tudor City's buildings, and only just a part.

This first photograph depicts the awning of 304 E. 41st Street ‒ Hatfield House ‒ as well as two buildings to its west. Today, this anonymous duo has been replaced by Turken House, sponsoring Turkish students in New York.   

We now move to E. 43rd Street. The Cloister (far right) is overshadowed by the four-story building next door that takes up most of the picture. It was eventually demolished and replaced by the headquarters of the Consulate General of Malaysia.      

Then there is The Hermitage, which plays second fiddle to the 43rd Street rowhouses and the huge trunk of a car.

In this second shot, the camera has moved up the street for a more pleasing composition. At the top is the Tudor City sign.

The sequence ends with a shot of the other rowhouse on the western side of The Hermitage. It went away ‒ along with the adjoining Hospital for Special Surgery ‒ when the Ford Foundation headquarters replaced it in 1967.

TUDOR CITY, circa 1940

A couple of months ago, we came upon a collaboration of the Works Progress Administration and the New York City Tax Department, a photographic record of all the buildings of the five boroughs in 1940. Although its purpose was quickly forgotten, the indecipherable numbers remain in every picture.

Here are all the buildings that were part of the original Tudor City. Though some got short shrift ‒ hello No. 25 ‒ all were recorded. 

No. 45, Prospect Tower

The Cloister and The Manor

The Hermitage

No. 25, Tudor Tower and No. 5, Windsor Tower

No. 5, Windsor Tower

The 3-Hs: Haddon Hall, Hardwicke Hall and Hatfield House 

Hotel Tudor and Essex House

Hotel Tudor

The Woodstock

REAL ESTATE REPORT: What's Your Apartment Worth?

  Recent Tudor City sale prices via Streeteasy.

Sign in No. 5 Lobby

The Cloister 

$795,000, Apt 812, two bedroom

$710,000, Apt 310, two bedroom

Essex House

$962,500, Apt 701, two bedroom

$962,000, Apt 601, two bedroom

Haddon Hall
$785,000, Apt 1101C, one bedroom
$781,000, Apt 703C, two bedroom

Hardwicke Hall
$740,000, Apt 702B, two bedroom
$325,000, Apt 303B, studio 

Hatfield House   
$335,000, Apt 408A, studio
$338,120, Apt 1103A, studio

The Hermitage 
The Hermitage is a rental-only building. Recent monthly rentals:
$6,395, Apt 805, three bedroom

$4,998, Apt 1004, two bedroom

The Manor  

$475,000, Apt 206, one bedroom

$450,000, Apt 315, one bedroom

Prospect Tower, No. 45
$550,000, Apt 707, one bedroom
$487,500, Apt 1807, one bedroom

Tudor Gardens, No. 2
$1,225,000, Apt 9HS, two bedroom

$950,o00, Apt 15ES, one bedroom

Tudor Tower, No. 25
$435,000, Apt 1205, one bedroom
$425,000, Apt 1519, one bedroom

Windsor Tower, No. 5
$475,000, Apt 1125, one bedroom
$450,000, Apt 1920, one bedroom

Woodstock Tower

$745,000, Apt PH-3206, one bedroom

$465,000, Apt 2310, one bedroom

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The entrants for best million-dollar listing include a two bedroom unit at $1,199,000 or a three bedroom spread with a terrace at $1,900,000, both of which are in No. 2. There is also a three bedroom in the Essex House for a cool $1,580,000.

And then there is this one bedroom at $1,950,000 in No. 5. Yes, it's a penthouse. And one of the least expensive ones because of its smaller size ‒ around 1,000 square feet. But it's arranged over three floors, one of which is a swell little terrace. 

PH5: Entry level main room with 18-foot-high ceiling.

PH5: Top level garden terrace.

We wrote about this same penthouse back in 2017, when it was off the market; more about it here. And its up-to-the-minute listing here from Compass.

Artifact: PROMO BOOKLET, circa 1987

We have spent a considerable amount of time of late examining Tudor City's early days, so today we'd like to look at another occurrence that happened more recently, thirty-five years ago. This was the announcement that the complex was to be turned into cooperative apartments. 

There was a lot of hubbub, and a promotional booklet was produced as a free give-away. Here it is, without comment for a change.

 

ANATOMY OF A PHOTO: Tudor City Vista

 

Welcome to another edition of Anatomy of a Photo, in which we search for clues in ordinary photographs. Today, we are examining a view of the complex made in 1931. 

A view of the East River properties bordered by The Cloister, The Manor and No. 45. Although their signs are difficult to read, Wilson & Co. and United Dressed Beef represent a sample of what's happening on Slaughter House Row. 

But it's the sign atop a new apartment building on 44th Street that captures our attention: Beaux Arts Apartments. Tudor City was not the only newcomer on the scene.

No. 45 in all of its glory. 

A closer look at the North Park and Middle Park. There is not much in the way of trees yet. Left of center are five umbrellas providing shade on what must be a sun porch of the Hospital for the Ruptured and Crippled. The Hotel Tudor is at bottom right with a painted sign ‒ the electric one will come later.

The Woodstock and No. 25.

 

No. 5 offers industrial-chic views. 

Lastly, a blow-up of the tennis courts. The hold-out building that is keeping the plot from being developed can be seen at center right. The tennis office lies to its left.

REAL ESTATE REPORT: What's Your Apartment Worth?

  Recent Tudor City sale prices via Streeteasy.

Sign in No. 5 Lobby

The Cloister 

$636,406, Apt 304, one bedroom

$298,000, Apt 515, studio

Essex House

$920,000, Apt 1002, two bedroom

$695,000, Apt 105, two bedroom

Haddon Hall
$999,000, Apt 202C, two bedroom
$900,000, Apt 501C, two bedroom

Hardwicke Hall
$999,000, Apt 202C, two bedroom
$875,000, Apt 205B, two bedroom 

Hatfield House   
$359,000, Apt 1403A, studio
$339,000, Apt 1103A, studio

The Hermitage 
The Hermitage is a rental-only building. Recent monthly rentals:
$5,395, Apt 501, two bedroom

$2,495, Apt 406, studio

The Manor  

$1,100,000, Apt 814, tw0 bedroom

$675,000, Apt 1022, two bedroom

Prospect Tower, No. 45
$575,000, Apt 901, one bedroom
$519,000, Apt 1511, one bedroom

Tudor Gardens, No. 2
$690,000, Apt 6JN, one bedroom

$522,500, Apt 6FN, one bedroom

Tudor Tower, No. 25
$459,000, Apt 1512, one bedroom
$436,500, Apt 1519, one bedroom

Windsor Tower, No. 5
$665,000, Apt 1838, one bedroom
$450,000, Apt 805, one bedroom

Woodstock Tower

$399,000, Apt 1616, studio

$395,000, Apt 1508, studio

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The most expensive apartment for sale in Tudor City at the moment is this one bedroom unit in No. 2. It features two terraces if that is your thing, and the asking price is $995,000. See the full Douglas Elliman listing here. 

TUDOR CITY as seen by TUDOR CITY VIEW

Today, a look back at the archives of the monthly magazine given free to all residents. Begun as Tudor City Service in 1934, it changed its name to Tudor City View in 1938. The selection of covers here ran in 1938 and 1939.

We begin with a look at The Sign, lit at night.

A photo of children's playground. The fine print under the picture reads: "No wonder the Tudor City juveniles like it here in the Playground, which has all the play equipment that any child could long for."

The Cloister gets a cleaning. The fine print: "The Cloister, as other Tudor City buildings, comes in for its spring cleaning, with good old elbow grease and soap doing a twin job that brightens facades in tune with the flowering parks." 

A doorman awaits you at No. 25.

From an issue promoting the Tulip Festival, a picture of some students from Miss Traver's Private School posed in Dutch costumes.  

• 

We conclude with an eerie image of the enclave, replete with a out-of-focus sign. 

Even More INSTAGRAMS

It's time once again to call upon our talented camera people for this week's content. Over to you, Instagrammers.

            No. 5 by scentlovr          

43rd Street by gregmorago                   

Trouble in the West by nastasiaspassport                    

No. 5 taller than the Chrysler Building by testanyc    

 The Sign by pamelaberkovic                              

REAL ESTATE REPORT: What's Your Apartment Worth?

 Recent Tudor City sale prices via Streeteasy.

The Cloister 

$572,500, Apt 1008, one bedroom

$555,000, Apt 302, one bedroom

Essex House

$975,000, Apt 902, two bedroom

$585,000, Apt 608, one bedroom

Haddon Hall
$930,000, Apt 802C, two bedroom
$900,000, Apt 501C, two bedroom

Hardwicke Hall
$875,000, Apt 205B, two bedroom
$328,000, Apt 1303A, studio

Hatfield House   
$330,000, Apt 306A, studio
$329,000, Apt 903A, studio

The Hermitage 
The Hermitage is a rental-only building. Recent monthly rentals:
$5,895, Apt 505, three bedroom

$5,495, Apt 604, three bedroom

The Manor  

$1,250,000, Apt 808, three bedroom

$440,000, Apt 316, one bedroom

Prospect Tower, No. 45
$550,000, Apt 910, one bedroom
$495,000, Apt 1211, one bedroom

Tudor Gardens, No. 2
$1,100,000, Apt 8BS, tw0 bedroom

$660,000, Apt 5GN, one bedroom

Tudor Tower, No. 25
$482,500, Apt 1712, one bedroom
$465,000, Apt 505, one bedroom

Windsor Tower, No. 5
$3,200,000, Apt PH 4, two bedroom
$435,000, Apt 720, one bedroom

Woodstock Tower

$599,000, Apt 2418, one bedroom

$435,000, Apt 1810, one bedroom

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Penthouse 4 in Windsor Tower has sold for its asking price, $3.2 million (see our coverage here) and the nearly-million dollar studio has not sold yet (see more here). Such is the nature of the real estate market these days. 

The biggest ask at the moment is Apartment 9HS in Tudor Gardens, a two-bedroom priced at $1.35 million. 

The dining room of Apt 9HS with windows facing south.

Brown Harris Stevens is handling the sale. More details, here.