The Master Apartments is a historic residential building located at 310 Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Constructed between 1929 and 1930, the twelve‑story structure was designed by architect Harvey Wiley Corbett in a style that incorporates elements of Art Deco and early modernist architecture.
The building was originally commissioned by the Master Institute of United Arts, a nonprofit cultural organization founded by John D. Rockefeller Jr. The institute aimed to promote interdisciplinary artistic education and housed a gallery, lecture hall, and studio spaces within the lower levels of the building. Residential apartments occupied the upper floors, offering long‑term rentals to tenants.
Architectural features of the Master Apartments include a limestone and brick façade, a recessed central entrance, and an interior lobby notable for its decorative plasterwork and sculptural ornamentation. The structure’s design reflects the transition in New York City architecture from traditional historicist styles to the streamlined forms that characterized the early 20th‑century skyscraper movement.
The building was designated a New York City Landmark in 1974, recognizing its architectural significance and its role in the city’s cultural history. It was subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Since its construction, the Master Apartments has remained a primarily residential building, with the former cultural facilities having been repurposed for other uses. The building continues to be occupied and is managed as a cooperative housing complex.
