Building: Chester Court

Chester Court is a handsome product of the 1920s transformation of the Upper West Side into a neighborhood of major apartment houses. Designed by famed apartment-house expert Emery Roth for developer Sam Minskoff, Chester Court combines a solid, economical, efficient plan with Italian Renaissance-inspired ornament, including some remarkably beautiful multi-colored glazed terra-cotta on its façade, and a handsome lobby including elaborate Adamesque plasterwork on its ceiling.

Chester Court’s interior public spaces continue the façade’s classical inspiration, in what the building’s original brochure calls “a unique and artistic design.” A small vestibule leads into a long lobby with “two imposing marble staircases forming the central feature and enriched with elaborate bronze work.” Particularly handsome is the ceiling, whose geometric panels – large rectangles and smaller octagons – continue the “grotteschi” of the building’s façade, in a style also known as Adamesque.

Just as Chester Court’s design and construction grew out of the early 20th-century redevelopment of the Upper West Side, so its co-op conversion and ongoing cleaning and restoration belong to the story of the neighborhood’s resurgence over the past couple of decades. Inside, consultants retained by the building’s devoted residents have carefully restored the lobby ceiling, based on an analysis of its original colors, while outside, contractors have steam-cleaned the façade and replaced missing pieces of ornament. Today, Chester Court’s glazed terra-cotta once again shines with the optimism of 1920s New York. Emery Roth would be proud.

Chester Court was converted to cooperative ownership in 1981 with 114 units. The building now enjoys a 94% owner occupancy rate. Over the years, the cooperative has boldly created superb amenities and facilities that greatly enhance the quality of life of each of its residents. Because of the cooperative’s strong financials, during its entire history no shareholder has ever been assessed even one penny for the construction of any of the building’s amenities, or for any other reason. Yet, Chester Court’s maintenance is still considerably lower compared to other similarly sized cooperatives.

Description attributed to Anthony Robins and www.chestercourt.com

The building has a doorman, a roof garden, a fitness center, a meeting room, a children’s playroom, pet friendly, bike room, basketball court and basement storage.
Pet allowed
sublet allowed with board approval
Tax deductibility 37%

Building Description Provided by Kay Moon