810 Fifth Avenue is a luxury residential housing cooperative located on the northeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 62nd Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City. It is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious and exclusive apartment addresses in the city.
Overview
The building was completed in 1926, designed by architect James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter Jr. (J.E.R. Carpenter) for the Bricken Construction Company. It was built on the site of a house formerly owned by Mrs. Hamilton Fish. The structure rises 13 stories and is clad in limestone in the Italian Renaissance palazzo style. It contains only 12 apartments: a ground-floor maisonette, ten full-floor apartments, and a multi-floor penthouse. Each full-floor apartment measures approximately 5,000 square feet (460 m²) and features four bedrooms and four servants' rooms. The elevator opens into a private entrance foyer on each floor, and every apartment has windows overlooking Central Park. The lobby features bronze torchieres and an elaborate carved plasterwork ceiling. The New York Times once speculated that 810 Fifth Avenue might be the only apartment building in the city to have "more employees than apartments."
Notable Residents
- Nelson Rockefeller — The former New York Governor and U.S. Vice President lived in a triplex apartment with his first wife, Mary Todhunter Clark. The 30-room apartment was renovated by Wallace Harrison and decorated by Jean-Michel Frank. After his divorce and remarriage to Happy Rockefeller, his ex-wife retained the two top floors while Nelson and Happy kept the 12th floor. The apartment was later expanded by purchasing a floor of adjacent 812 Fifth Avenue.
- Richard Nixon — The former U.S. Vice President and future President bought an apartment in the building in 1963. During the 1968 presidential campaign, Nixon and Rockefeller (who was also a candidate) used different elevators. Nixon held campaign meetings in his fifth-floor apartment, including an early meeting with Spiro Agnew.
- David Geffen — The entertainment mogul moved into 810 in 2006 but relocated to 785 Fifth Avenue in 2010.
- Felix Rohatyn — Investment banker and former U.S. Ambassador to France.
- Dwayne Andreas — Former CEO of Archer Daniels Midland.
- William von Mueffling — Hedge fund manager.
- Charles Bronfman — Businessman and philanthropist, who sold his apartment in 2014.
Architecture
The building is a 13-story, limestone-clad structure designed in the Italian Renaissance palazzo style. The detailing of the exterior is described as "elegant... limestone-clad, Italian Renaissance-palazzo style." The four-story base includes pediments, arches, and balustrades set against a rusticated limestone-block wall. The upper section is marked by double cornices and a balustrade along the roofline. The building is located directly across the street from the Knickerbocker Club, preserving its open views of Central Park and Midtown.
Building Operations
810 Fifth Avenue operates as a full-service white-glove cooperative with 24-hour doorman and concierge, multiple elevator operators, a live-in resident manager, and comprehensive security. The building was converted to cooperative ownership in 1941. It is owned by 811 5th Ave Corporation. The building is part of the Upper East Side Historic District.
Recent Sales
Notable recorded sales include the penthouse for $31.5 million (2006), the 13th floor penthouse for $37.8 million (2007), the 12th floor for $23.9 million (2013), the 6th floor for $19 million (2014), the 11th floor for $22 million (2019), and the 8th floor for $14.5 million (2023).
