Fancy Living on the Upper East Side

Photo by myself at Fifth Avenue and 73rd Street, on the Upper East Side.

The lobby of 912 Fifth Avenue is lofty and gorgeous, with polished stone floors and floor-to-ceiling marble walls.

Antique furnishings decorate the space. In the corner to the right is a small cabinet below the house phone. Further into the lobby where I was sitting, were a couple elegant sofas and lamp tables.

The steps off to either side lead to offices that occupy the first floor. This is a common feature in large apartment buildings. The first floor spaces are not so desirable in terms of privacy from the sidewalk.

When people say 'white glove building', they're referring to the uniformed doormen who hold the door open for you and hail you cabs. And announce your visitors, call the elevators, and receive your packages and dry cleaning.

Most of the buildings along Fifth Avenue north of 59th Street have such lobbies, each beautifully decorated in its own way. There are also many large fancy buildings lining Park Avenue and Central Park West.

Related posts: Sixth Avenue, in the Rain, On Rainy Nights and Busy Days, and The MetLife Tower, in the Rain.