316 West 85th Street House

History and architecture

Situated on the south side of West 85th Street between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive, the distinctive three-story 316 West 85th Street House — one house in a row of six houses — was planned by the noted architect Clarence True and was constructed for speculator-builder Charles G. Judson in 1892, at a time when the blocks in the West Eighties between West End Avenue and Riverside Drive were first developed. The overall design composition of this house is part of the A-B-A-A-B-A facade pattern of the row, and the 316 West 85th Street House represents a refined example of the Italian Renaissance style adapted to the requirements of the American basement plan, popularized on the Upper West Side by its architect Clarence True.

This facade is a well-conceived and finely executed design. Its spare and well-cut ornament demonstrate great respect for the inherent quality of its exterior fabric — Maynard red sandstone, light orange Roman brick, and red pantiles. Indeed, the polychroiny of these materials is an essential element of the facade's design. No. 316 West 85th Street has been changed very little since 1892 and retains much of its original ironwork and decorative door hardware.