Rent Retail 200 East 66th Street

History of 200 East 66th Street, Manhattan (Manhattan House)

200 East 66th Street, known as Manhattan House, is a landmark modernist residential building located in the Lenox Hill neighborhood of Manhattan's Upper East Side. It was constructed between 1947 and 1951 on the site of a 19th-century car barn acquired by New York Life Insurance Company in 1946. After initial planning delays, construction began in April 1949, and the first residents moved in by October 1950.

The building was designed by the prominent architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with Mayer & Whittlesey as associated architects, and is credited to master architect Gordon Bunshaft, a leading proponent of modern design. Manhattan House was one of the earliest large-scale "white brick" residential developments in New York City, embodying the International Style's emphasis on clean lines, light, and air. The design features a central "spine" with five wings projecting north and south, which allows for abundant light and air flow in apartments and eliminates dark courtyards common in earlier buildings.

New York Life had initially planned a larger project including a public parking garage with a rooftop park, but this plan was halted. The final complex occupies about 40% of the lot, set back from 65th and 66th Streets, and includes low-rise retail podiums on Second and Third Avenues. The facade is clad in pale white brick with large windows and glass balconies, many of which were part of the original design and some apartments included fireplaces.

Manhattan House was conceived as a modernist manifesto of vertical urban living, inspired by Le Corbusier's postwar principles and comparable to his Unité d'Habitation in Marseilles. It was built as middle-class rental housing with amenities such as a glass-enclosed lobby, rooftop garden (solarium), basement parking garage, and large private gardens. The building originally had approximately 582 apartments of various sizes.

Throughout the mid- to late-20th century, Manhattan House attracted notable residents including architect Gordon Bunshaft, jazz musician Benny Goodman, and actress Grace Kelly. New York Life managed the building until it sold it in 2005 to developers who converted it into condominiums. The conversion, completed around 2010, was one of the most costly in New York City history, costing approximately $1.1 billion.

In 2007, Manhattan House was designated a New York City Landmark in recognition of its architectural significance as a pioneering example of modernist residential design. Renovations since then have respected its heritage while updating infrastructure and amenities for contemporary living. The building remains notable for its elegant floor plans, multiple exposures, expansive views, and one of the largest private gardens in Manhattan.

The building’s innovative design includes two porte-cochère entrances leading into the glass-enclosed lobby, and the overall form is a modified "H"-plan promoting light and air circulation. Its impact on New York architecture has been described as "a genteel manifesto for architecture's brave new world," affirming the International Style’s role in shaping mid-century urban housing.

Manhattan House is located at 200 East 66th Street in the Lenox Hill area of the Upper East Side, Manhattan, NYC. This 21-story condo building was completed in 1951 and designed by Gordon Bunshaft along with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It was designated a New York City landmark in 2007. The building features 491 units and includes amenities such as a 24-hour doorman, concierge, on-site parking garage, rooftop entertainment space, and a children’s playroom.