An illustrated tour of the elegant entrances to New York City's most celebrated apartment houses.


This
handsome, oversized book introduces us to the grandest entrances of New
York City's residential buildings. These posh portals come in an array
of forms and styles, such as the porte cochere, with a passage
to admit carriages or motor cars; the classic awning, originally meant
to be retracted in good weather; and Neoclassical, Romanesque, and
Gothic revivals.


Architectural historian Andrew Alpern highlights
approximately 140 entrances, from the 19th century to the present,
including those of the Dakota, the first true luxury apartment house in
New York; San Remo, one of Central Park West's most impressive apartment
houses; and the Ansonia, at one time the largest hotel in the world.
Each entrance is accompanied by a description of its signal features and
the history of the building that surrounds it. All are represented in
splendid colour photographs, and many by charming watercolour drawings.


These
ornate entrances offer a glimpse into New York's past, as well as its
future - for today, once again, entryways have begun to feature heavily
in the marketing of residential buildings. Posh Portals: Elegant Entrances and Ingratiating Ingresses to Apartments for the Affluent in New York City will be an inspiration for architects and a delight for city dwellers.