Building: 34 Gramercy Park East

Built in 1883 as an apartment house, this 9-story red brick building was the first coop in New York City, and was home to many famous people, including James Cagney and Margaret Hamilton, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Described as “A craggy, mysterious red brick and red terra-cotta pile whose Queen Anne forms are among the city’s most spectacular,” by Elliot Willensky and Norval White in the book, “The A.I.A. Guide to New York City,” (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988), the building was designed by George W. DaCunha, and developed by Charles A. Gerlach.
The Gramercy’s elevator was one of the last hydraulic elevators in operation in New York City until the mid 1990’s, when it was converted to electric. Before then the elevator only went to the 8th floor (the 9th floor was the servant’s quarters, and they didn’t get the luxury of using the elevator)

Building Description Provided by Jessica Huff