Have you heard about the "Osborne"?

Thomas Osborne was the Irish-born owner of a successful stone-cutting business on the east side of Manhattan. With a nearly unlimited supply of stone at cost, the construction of a huge, stone apartment building made perfect sense.

For $210,000, Osborne purchased from John Tayolor, a restauranteur, the large lot of land at 57th Street and 7th Avenue. In 1883 the neighborhood still consisted of small commercial buildings and stables. The concept of upper-class apartment buildings was in its infancy and he knew he had to pull out all the stops to make his project attractive to wealthy residents.

It was on the interiors, however, that Ware lavished his attention. It was essential that the lobby impress even the most jaded New Yorker. Working with Tiffany Studios, artists J. A. Holzer, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and John LaFarge fashioned mosaics, multi-colored marble, gold-leafed details, and murals into a palatial common space. Under a coffered ceiling, carved stone niche benches sat on the mosaic and inlaid marble floors.

To ensure up-to-the-minute conveniences and luxuries the building was outfitted with four Otis elevators, steam heating, and modern plumbing, fireproof construction with staircases being constructed of iron and marble, and – incredibly – electricity. The apartments, some of which were duplexes, had parquet floors, Tiffany windows, oak and mahogany woodwork, tiled fireplaces, and built-in cabinetry. Some apartments had bronze mantelpieces and crystal chandeliers. Secret passageways slipped domestics from the front door to the kitchen unseen.

And to keep the tenants fit, an all-weather croquet ground was installed on the roof to permit year-round exercise. For residents’ convenience, the basement level was to house a florist, doctor, and pharmacy.

The Osborne Flats was completed in 1885, two years after its groundbreaking. The $1,209,00 cost drove Osborn into bankruptcy and, ironically, the building was sold to John Taylor who had originally owned the land. Taylor’s estate lost the building to foreclosure in 1888 when it was purchased by William Taylor, another relative, for $1,009,250 -- $200,000 less than the cost of construction.

In 1889 Ware was called back to add another story to the rear, leveling the roofline. Only seven years later the demand for more space in The Osborne necessitated architect Alfred S. G. Taylor to add a 25-foot extension to the west side. Taylor (also a relative of John Taylor and a part-owner of the building) was sympathetic to the original Ware designs so that his addition is nearly unnoticeable.

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Would you like to own a piece of history? If so, all of the apartment photos featured in this article are of an amazing off-market apartment at the Osborne.

This apartment is one of the most unique and special apartments to have come on the market. As you enter through the foyer, you are greeted with 14-foot ceilings facing south bringing in great natural sunlight, and direct views of Carnegie Hall. The grand room is about 35 feet long and features rich wood finishes throughout and 8ft long windows, as well as two fireplaces on the West and East sides of the apartment. The ceilings are finished with rich deep mahogany. The home also includes a home office area and a large deep bath soaking tub along with a separate shower.

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