3 West 73rd Street
3 West 73rd StreetÂ
Date:Â 1902-1903
NB: 699-1902
Type: Â Townhouse
Architect: Â Welch, Smith & Provot
Developer/Owner/Builder: William W Hall & Thomas M Hall
NYC Landmarks Designation:Â Historic District
Landmark Designation Report: Central Park West- 73rd-74th Street Historic District; Upper West Side/Central Park West Historic District
National Register Designation:Â N/A
Primary Style: Â Beaux-Arts
Primary Facade: Â Â brown brick
Stories:Â 5
Window Type/Material: See Structure
Basement Type: English
Structure:These five brick townhouses were built as a row by the prominent architectural firm Welch, Smith I Provot, In 1902-1903. Built on speculation, the houses were originally owned by William W. and Thomas H. Hall, builder-developers who were responsible for many residences In the city, Like the other rows In the Historic District, certain unifying features tie the Individual houses together as a group. These features Include limestone ground floors,with wrought Iron areawey railings, the alignment of each of the stories, and common cornice and roof lines. All of the buildings are five stories In height with English basements. Although the houses reflect the fashionable Beaux-Arts style at their ground stories, each Is Individualized at the upper stories by a variety of classically Inspired ornaments and details, Nos. 7,9. and II, for example, although of similar composition, are differentiated by ornamental details. A variety of color and texture In the brickwork of this row echoes the treatment found In the Hardenbergh row.
No.3. The plan of this five-story brown brick townhouse, with a projecting bay at the eastern end of the building, was determined by the restrictive covenant of 1902 which specified that the first ten feet of the structure closest to Central Park West was to be at least four feet from the street line and that the remaining fifteen feet of the facade must be set at least one foot ten Inches further back. This arrangement, characteristic of much residential development during the period, was intended to set off the row of townhouses on the side streets, lending an essential cohesiveness to the block. Welch, Smith, & Provot used these restrictions to create a bold curved bay, with entrance set In the curve at the ground floor and with two windows on each story above. Wrought Iron area way railings and window grilles ornament the smooth faced limestone ground floor. Panels, with rosettes at the centers, adorn the window lintels and a modillioned lintel over the doorway further enhances this floor. A limestone pseudo balcony, Interrupted by curvilinear wrought Iron railings beneath the windows, provides a transition between the limestone ground floor and the brick stories above. These upper stories are animated by the contrast between the dark colored brick and the crisp limestone trim of the facade. All the windows above the ground floor are articulated by splayed flat arches of brick with limestone keystones and vertical end blocks. Limestone transom bars at the second story and corbelled sills at the third and fourth stories provide further accents. A bold cornice carried on the keystones of the fourth story windows continues the cornice line of the neighboring townhouses. The fifth story keystones above the windows support a frieze embellished with evenly spaced medallions under a sheet metal dentiled cornice. Until the 1920s, this house was owned by W.W. and T. H. Hall, who leased it to Individual families.
Historic District: Central Park West - West 73rd-74th Streets HD