London Terrace
Circa 1929-1931 // ARCHITECT: Farrar & Watmaugh // BUILDER: Henry Mandel
London Terrace is a West Chelsea landmark taking up a full block bordered by 23rd & 24th Streets, Ninth to Tenth Avenues. This location has only grown more desirable over the last decade with the proliferation of art galleries and the High Line. Consisting of 14 contiguous buildings with 1,670 apartments, the complex covers the entire over-sized city block. The four corner buildings, 405 & 465 W. 23rd Street, and 410 & 470 W. 24th Street are the cooperative buildings, the six mid-block buildings are rentals.
There are numerous amenities in the complex, including a fantastic roof deck, and a landmark half-Olympic sized indoor pool adjacent to the on-site health club (located in the 465 building). The pool shimmers in all it’s 1929 splendor, with Palladian windows looking out onto the interior landscaped courtyard of the complex.
The architecture style, as one would expect, is Tudor/Jacobean in style, but subtle. The upper floors have set back terraces, and they offer some incredible views. The architectural detailing up at the top is really quite stunning, and the coop buildings are in excellent condition. The units themselves are mostly studio and one-bedroom units, with some two-bedrooms on the higher floors. There have, also, been numerous combination apartments.
Speaking of combination apartments, I had the opportunity to show a customer of mine a great corner combo of a one bedroom and studio. He wanted it, but — ultimately — the owners just couldn’t part with it. He was passionate about open south and west exposures one experiences in the 465 Building. Once you get above the 10th floor in the 23rd Street buildings, the open views to the south, east, and west are amazing.
I have a soft spot for London Terrace — about a decade ago, I lived in the 405 building. I combined two studios, which created a very charming and interesting space. Like myself, fans of LT love the prewar details: 9’ beamed ceilings, original oak floors, plaster moldings, and subway tile bathrooms (which never go out of style, but in some cases are just too beaten up to save).
WHAT A BUYER CAN EXPECT TO PAY: A renovated one bedroom with light and views will cost over $1M. Combos and penthouses can cost several million.
Hello! My name is David Lubell. This is my personal blog, a forum for me to talk about my passion for prewar buildings in NYC and related subjects. If any views are expressed here, they are mine, unless clearly presented as coming from someone else. You can read a little bit more 
Follow Prewar Passion