History and architecture
The Beresford Apartments, completed in 1929 and designed by Emery Roth, then at the pinnacle of his career as a specialist in apartment house design, is one of the largest and grandest of the apartment buildings along Central Park West. Prominently located at the corner of 81st Street across from the American Museum of Natural History, it takes full advantage of its site, with two monumental facades crowned by corner towers. Executed in brick with limestone and terra-cotta detailing, the Beresford is distinctively ornamented with a sculptural program of Late Renaissance inspiration which features winged cherubs, angels, dolphins and rams' heads, along with elaborate cartouches, festoons, rosettes and finials.
Its vast scale and dramatic profile make the Beresford one of the most important elements on the Central Park West skyline, as well as a reminder of the heyday of luxury apartment building in New York.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.