The Apthorp
William Waldorf Astor's full-block palazzo, built around one of the grandest courtyards in the city.
The Apthorp is a landmark condominium at 390 West End Avenue, occupying the full block between Broadway and West End Avenue from 78th to 79th Streets. Built between 1905 and 1908 for William Waldorf Astor and designed by Clinton & Russell, it is a Renaissance Revival palazzo wrapped around a private interior courtyard, and was converted to condominiums in the years after 2007.
The building
The Apthorp fills an entire city block, organized around a large interior courtyard entered through grand iron gates and barrel-vaulted carriage passages, with fountains at its center. Modeled in spirit on Florence's Pitti Palace, the limestone facade carries deep cornices, sculpted detail, and oversized windows. Apartments are among the largest prewar layouts on the Upper West Side, with high ceilings, hardwood floors, and original detail, and the condominium offers a fitness center, spa, and residents' lounge alongside the historic courtyard.The story of the Apthorp
William Waldorf Astor built the Apthorp as a grand rental, naming it for the colonial-era Apthorp Farm that once covered the land. For most of the twentieth century it was one of the Upper West Side's most coveted rental addresses, known for its enormous apartments and its courtyard. A condominium conversion beginning in 2007 brought the building's residences to market for individual ownership for the first time, after a restoration of the landmark exterior and public spaces.Notable residents
The Apthorp has been home to a long line of cultural figures, with reported residents including filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron, Al Pacino, Cyndi Lauper, choreographer George Balanchine, author Joseph Heller, Lena Horne, and Jennifer Hudson. Nora Ephron wrote memorably about her years at the building and her eventual departure from it, helping make the Apthorp's courtyard one of the most famous in New York.The neighborhood
The Apthorp sits on West End Avenue at 79th Street, a few blocks from both Riverside Park and Central Park. The Upper West Side is a prewar, co-op-heavy market where the building and the address drive value, and the Apthorp is one of its rare full-block condominiums. Read the full picture in our Upper West Side real estate guide.Why buyers choose the Apthorp
Scale and ownership. It offers some of the largest prewar apartments on the Upper West Side, the drama of a landmark courtyard, and the flexibility of condominium ownership, for buyers who want prewar grandeur without a co-op board.Transaction history at The Apthorp
The Apthorp has produced some of the Upper West Side's most notable sales. The figures below reflect public records. In a building this tightly held, the advantage comes down to access and relationships, exactly what does not show up in a public listing.
Notable sales at The Apthorp
Among the building's highest recorded sales. Each links to its Compass listing. Figures reflect public records.
Sale figures via public records. For off-market activity and current availability, contact our team.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Apthorp a condo or a co-op?
The Apthorp is a condominium, converted from rentals beginning in 2007, which makes it more flexible than the surrounding co-ops for pied-a-terre and non-resident buyers.
Who designed and built the Apthorp?
It was designed by Clinton & Russell and built for William Waldorf Astor between 1905 and 1908, named for the colonial-era Apthorp Farm.
Who has lived at the Apthorp?
Reported residents have included Nora Ephron, Al Pacino, Cyndi Lauper, George Balanchine, and Joseph Heller, among other cultural figures.
What have residences at the Apthorp sold for?
Sales vary by line and size, generally ranging from the mid seven figures into the low and mid teens of millions for the largest layouts. For off-market activity and current pricing, get in touch.
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