257 West 86th Street
rarely available southwest-corner duplex at 257 west 86th street. spanning nearly 2,800 square feet, this legacy home combines dramatic scale, preserved craftsmanship, and three luminous exposures—a unique opportunity for a discerning buyer to create a landmark-quality residence on the upper west side.
the centerpiece is a double-height living room with 20-foot ceiling, wood-burning fireplace, and enormous 9-bay window, with brand-new transparent glass panes that bathe the interior in even north light. overlooking the living room are a pair of original galleries with wood balustrades, carved in the cross-braced lattice motif that recurs throughout the building. a west facing corner window gives the living room a charming view over the neighboring church′s spanish tile roofline.
original hardwood pocket doors slide open to reveal the 20-foot corner dining room that is an entertainer’s dream. light pours through a trio of south-facing windows, with another large west-facing window provides open views over the church on west end ave, down west 86th street, to leafy riverside park and the hudson river. the adjacent fourth bedroom could easily be used as a large home office, or potentially annexed by the adjacent kitchen and butler′s pantry to form a truly grand 20x20-foot eat-in kitchen.
perched upstairs on the southwest corner and illuminated by 5 windows, the primary bedroom offers perhaps the most impressive and enchanting bedside views in the entire neighborhood. second and third bedrooms both include south exposures and generous closets. a pair of charming galleries overlook the centerpiece living room, while a quiet home office with original wood cabinetry is discretely positioned atop the home′s staircase.
7-8b is currently configured as 3-4 bedrooms with a formal dining room and 2 full bathrooms, although the building’s other a and b-line duplexes typically have 3-bathrooms. the building allows expansive bathroom and kitchen layout improvements on approval. private laundry is located off the kitchen, with new washer/dryer installations are also permitted. adding further versatility, the sale includes a private, windowed room on the building’s ground floor—originally one of several staff rooms located just off the lobby—now perfectly suited as a secure personal archive or family collection space.
257 west 86th street is a boutique cooperative, designed in 1906–07 by pollard & steinam, architects of the hotel des artistes and other landmark studio residences. at 257, they blended beaux-arts scale with arts & crafts detailing: soaring double-height living rooms framed by classical entablature and simplified, geometric ornament—a fusion unique to the pre-wwi era in new york architecture. the building offers a 24/7 lobby attendant/elevator operator, landscaped roof deck, a new gym, basement laundry, deeded storage for every unit, bike storage, and a full-time resident manager.
this is a rare chance to create a lasting pre-war home with scale, light, and architectural character at an attractively compelling value.
