Inspired by the Pitti Palace in
Florence, William Waldorf
Astor’s Beaux Arts vision of The
Apthorp was brought to life by
architects Clinton & Russell
more than a century ago, at the
peak of the Gilded Age. Since
then, the apartments within succumbed to the varying tastes of
individual renters and some to
the effects of time. Today,
however, the crown jewel of the
Upper West Side is being
reincarnated as historic condominium residences under the
watchful eye of Prudential
Douglas Elliman and by the
skillful hand of BP Architects.
Architects Ingrid Birkhofer
and Fernando Papale have had a
passion for historic restoration
and preservation since their
early careers, and they now
bring their enthusiasm and
imagination to The Apthorp.
They are employing an artful
approach to restore, redesign
and, ultimately, reintroduce this
architectural wonder.
Ingrid and Fernando, who
are both professionally and
intimately involved with the
building’s restoration and
renovation, think of Apthorp
residences as homes, not apartments. “An apartment means
cookie cutter. This building was
designed as large, individual
residences,” Fernando says. “All
of them have different layouts,
finishes, moldings—everything
was custom-made for the
specific residence. That’s
basically what a house is.”
Apthorp homes, each ranging from four to twelve rooms,
are characterized by sheer
volume of space, grand entry
foyers and ceilings soaring
from 11 to 12 feet, as well as
unique architectural flourishes
that include wood paneling and
hand-carved mantels. Ingrid,
Fernando and their team are
lovingly restoring each unit, at
times stripping away more than
15 coats of paint to reveal long
forgotten plaster moldings. The
This is a home
to all kinds of people—and
an ideal place to raise a family.
Those who live here appreciate
their quiet oasis right in the
middle of the city.
