116 E 68th St

A courtyard seemingly from another place and time enjoyed by noted residents

“Milan House comes complete with carved monsters, grotesques, florid capitals atop colonettes and wonderful multipaned steel casement windows, one of the few distinguished apartment buildings to retain this elegance,” Norval White writes in the AIA Guide to New York City Fifth Edition. “The midblock Italian garden court between the wings, barely visible through the entry doors, is an urban dream.” Thomas wasn’t a fan of classicist or historicist styles and so translated his love of Italian architecture through a far more pared-back Art-Deco lens here. The grand lobby resembles a Tuscan villa with brown marble floors, hexagonal pattern plasterwork ceilings and an intricately detailed glass door that leads out onto an arched semi-enclosed gallery, patio and a split staircase framing the verdant garden. The same configuration is repeated on the other side. There are entrances on both East 67th and East 68th streets. Over the years, 116 E. 68th St. has been home to noted businesspeople including Chemical Bank chairperson Frank K. Houston, as well as revered scientists such as Simon Flexner, the first director of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research

Sprawling classic six and seven residences and a few combined duplexes

While two-bedrooms range from $1.9 million to $2.3 million — depending on condition and square footage — three-bedrooms go for upwards of $3 million. On the market for that price with Katzen in fall 2024, unit 2C is a cleverly outfitted, triple-exposure residence with a careful interplay of eclectic furnishings and finishes but also restored prewar architectural elements: high ceilings with beamed detailing, elaborate crown molding and parquet de Versailles flooring. The oversized living room is punctuated by a wood-burning fireplace wrapped in antique French marble and a mirror-clad hearth. The bookcase-enclosed dining room overlooks the picturesque courtyard garden below. “The current owners restored the usability of an eat-in kitchen with the elegance of old-school black and white tile and kept the bones of the space classic,” Katzen adds. This separate space is also equipped with the latest stainless-steel appliances. Though there’s a sizable laundry room in the basement, the residence is outfitted with an in-unit washer/dryer.

The building also incorporates a handful of combined duplexes with grand staircases. These fetch $5.5 million on average and sometimes feature setback-anchored terraces. The massive full-floor, five-bedroom penthouse — last sold for $8.7 million — features a wrap-around balcony. There’s a $43.71 per-share assessment in place for exterior restorations being carried out through 2025. Windows were recently replaced for better acoustic buffering. The co-op permits 50% financing. Each residence comes with a basement-level storage unit.

Ideal location in the center of prestigious Lenox Hill

The complex is right across the street from the Park Avenue Armory, a multipurpose venue with a robust annual program of art fairs, performances, installations and other events. Hunter College is also right next door, which can sometimes account for additional noise at odd hours and overcrowding at the adjacent 68th Street subway, served by the local 6 train. Residents that keep cars at nearby garages can access the Queensboro Bridge at East 59th Street and the FDR Drive highway from onramps at the end of East 62nd and East 63rd streets.

Though 116 E. 68th St. is in a quieter, less commercial pocket of the Upper East Side, there are several long-established restaurants and bars in proximity. They include a number of upscale Italian eateries such as Avena, Barbaresco and slightly more low-key Mediterraneo. Le Charlot is a locally beloved French bistro. While Madison Avenue — starting from East 70th Street and moving north — abounds with premium fashion boutiques and blue-chip galleries, Third and Second avenues are lined with big-box stores and essential service businesses. The closest grocery store is Whole Foods, two blocks east. The main draw of the area, undoubtedly, is Central Park and its 843 acres of activity-rich green space. The Central Park Zoo and historic Mall promenade are nearby. Residents can access the park’s especially rigorous bike and jogging loop road from East 72nd Street.