Written by Jaden Parker
When I saw the Ansonia listed as one of New York’s spectacular architectural must-sees, I understood why. The inspiration for the Arconia, the apartments from Only Murders in the Building, the Ansonia is a condo in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. A studio apartment there costs you $325,000! (What in the whole wide world?!) If you’re interested in spending money just for the sake of it, they are currently selling a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom apartment for $3.5 million.
The architect Paul E. Duboy designed the Ansonia, which finished its construction in 1904 with the help of developer William Earl Dodge Stokes. It was built in the French Beaux Arts style, which means it has a symmetrical facade, rustic stonework of the first floor, and columns around the entrance. The most interesting feature of the Ansonia would be its rounded turrets. It has seventeen stories and roughly 400 suites. When it was built, it actually had amenities no one had dreamed of for a hotel at the time: shops in the basement, two swimming pools, and a rooftop garden. It was also the first hotel to be air-conditioned.
A lot of famous faces have stayed at the Ansonia, including Igor Stravinsky, Babe Ruth, and Angelina Jolie. According to the Ansonia’s website, Stokes wanted to make the hotel as tall as possible but stopped at the 17th floor because he “liked the view.” To build the entirety of the Ansonia, it cost about the same price as that aforementioned 4-bedroom apartment, and Stokes made sure that each suite’s supply of toiletries was refreshed three times a day. Talk about a life of luxury!
