20 distinguished Manhattan co-op buildings
The Prasada offers an earlier chapter of Central Park West apartment living at West 65th Street, close to Lincoln Center.
- Address
- 50 Central Park West
- Location
- Central Park West
- Ownership
- Cooperative
- Architect
- Charles W. Romeyn and Henry R. Wynne
- Completed
- 1904–1907
Architecture and building history
Built between 1904 and 1907, the Prasada predates the towered apartment houses farther north on Central Park West. Charles W. Romeyn and Henry R. Wynne designed a substantial building with French architectural influences and a recessed, columned entrance.
Its original mansard roof was removed in later alterations. That history is useful when reading the building today: the present exterior records both the initial design and subsequent changes. The entrance, projecting bays and relationship to the park remain important parts of its character.
What to compare in the apartment
The building's earlier apartment-house plan makes the individual layout particularly important. Look at how the main rooms connect and whether the existing arrangement gives enough privacy between entertaining and sleeping areas.
Compare bay windows, room depth and the direction of the bedrooms. An apartment facing the park is not interchangeable with one oriented toward the side street or interior court. When original detail has survived, establish what is included in the sale and what a proposed renovation would need to preserve.
The location
West 65th Street puts the Prasada near Lincoln Center and the southern portion of the Upper West Side. For a buyer comparing it with the Beresford or Eldorado, the difference in daily location deserves as much attention as the difference in architecture.
Services, maintenance and purchase requirements
Request the current service schedule and maintenance breakdown for the apartment. Establish which services are included, which carry separate charges and whether storage or other ancillary space transfers with the shares.
A co-op purchase involves shares in the building corporation and a proprietary lease. Have your attorney review the financial statements, minutes, insurance and any assessment notices. Confirm the current requirements for financing, liquidity, intended occupancy, ownership structure, subletting and renovations with the managing agent. Published summaries can lag the governing documents.
Compare the complete cost of ownership with the apartment’s condition and the work you intend to do. A recognizable address does not establish the condition of the home or the co-op’s finances.
Where it fits on a shortlist
Early apartment-house proportions, bay-window exposures and the existing condition of historic interior detail.
Compare this building with The Majestic, 720 Park Avenue. The top-20 co-op guide explains the wider selection.
For purchase steps, read buying an apartment in NYC and the co-op versus condo guide. For market-wide inventory, use the 100 newest Manhattan co-op listings.
Discuss an apartment in this building
Tell us the space you need, your timing and how you intend to use the home. We can help assess relevant availability and compare the building with other co-ops on your shortlist.
Architecture and image sources
Image author and license are credited with the photograph. Building descriptions cover architecture and purchase considerations; current availability and co-op policies require individual confirmation.