Condo pick of the week

A one-bedroom condo in the former hotel where Joan Didion, Liza Minnelli, and Sylvia Plath once stayed

By Alanna Schubach  | June 22, 2017 - 12:45PM
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For the 1920s through the 60s, the Barbizon Hotel on East 63rd Street was a female-only residence that attracted an impressive number of young women who went on to become famous writers and performers. Sylvia Plath modeled The Amazon, where the protagonist of The Bell Jar lives during a summer internship on NYC, after her stay here; Phylicia Rashad, Lauren Bacall, Eudora Welty, and others also called The Barbizon home. (Vanity Fair has an in-depth look at the hotel's history--and celebrity guests--here.) 

The Barbizon was converted to condos in 2005, and this one-bedroom, 1.5-bath unit bears some traces of its building's past. Listed by Fox Residential for $1.35 million, the newly-renovated apartment is the result of two studios being combined, and has new fixtures and finishes along with prewar details. 

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The open living room (see main image) has a corner position, which means lots of light coming through south and east-facing casement windows. The open kitchen offers enough space for a dining area and is equipped with new, upscale appliances; there's also a half-bath just off the space. 

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The bedroom is spacious, with impressive views of the city and a shared garden below, a walk-in closet, and en suite bath. 

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One attractive perk of this particular apartment is that it's on the fourth floor, and all residents at this level have access to a terrace that's landscaped and set up with seating already—a solid spot for summer entertaining. The property boasts several more amenities, including 24-hour staff, a gym with the original Barbizon Hotel swimming pool, and screening area. You'll also be steps from the F and Q trains at the Lexington-63rd Street station, and three blocks from Central Park.

 

Alanna Schubach

Contributing writer

Contributing editor Alanna Schubach has over a decade of experience as a New York City-based freelance journalist.

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