The Corinthian (Manhattan)

The building is located on a {{convert|81173|sqft|m2|0|sing=on}} land lot that occupies a full city block between First Avenue and Tunnel Entrance Street and between East 37th and 38th Streets, adjacent to the Manhattan entrance to the Queens–Midtown Tunnel. The block is the former site of the East Side Airline Terminal, a passenger terminal for buses to LaGuardia and JFK airports via the adjacent tunnel. The terminal closed in 1984 and was auctioned off by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority the following year. Initially expected to sell for $50 million, a bidding war drove up the price of the real estate to $90.6 million; the site was attractive to developers as it was already zoned to permit high-density use and there would be no occupants to relocate after the terminal's remaining leases expired in 1986. The winning bidder was a joint venture consisting of Bernard Spitzer, Peter L. Malkin, and two privately held corporations—International Energy Corporation and Kriti Exploration Inc.{{cite news |title=Airlines Terminal on East Side Sold for $90.6 Million |first=Joseph |last=Berger |authorlink=Joseph Berger (author) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/14/nyregion/airlines-terminal-on-east-side-sold-for-90.6-million.html |newspaper=The New York Times |at=Sec. A, p. 1 |date=February 14, 1985 |accessdate=2022-09-03}}{{cite news |title=About Real Estate; Zone Shift Spurs Housing on East Side |first=Alan S. |last=Oser |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/12/business/about-real-estate-zone-shift-spurs-housing-on-east-side.html |newspaper=The New York Times |at=Sec. A, p. 24 |date=September 12, 1986 |accessdate=2022-09-03}}{{cite news |title=For M.T.A., Land Sales Often Come With Tension |first=Sewell |last=Chan |authorlink=Sewell Chan |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/27/nyregion/for-mta-land-sales-often-come-with-tension.html |newspaper=The New York Times |page=36 |date=February 27, 2005 |accessdate=2022-09-03}}

The development team had originally planned to tear down the entire East Side Airline Terminal, but after discovering that it was very well constructed they decided to save a significant portion of the terminal and incorporate it as offices in the base of the structure, adding columns to support the new residential tower above. The remaining 35 percent of the terminal along First Avenue was demolished to create a landscaped plaza, fountain, and porte-cochère.{{cite news |title=Postings; New Departure |first=Philip S. |last=Gutis |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/08/realestate/postings-new-departure.html |newspaper=The New York Times |at=Sec. 8, p. 1 |date=June 8, 1986 |accessdate=2022-09-03}} The residential tower was constructed on solid earth, avoiding a tube from the Queens–Midtown Tunnel that runs underneath the eastern portion of the site.{{cite news |date=November 11, 2014 |url=https://rew-online.com/28846/ |title=Engineer, developer Bernard Spitzer dead at age 90 |work=Real Estate Weekly |access-date=February 11, 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/bc8def60-4694-0132-ef93-58d385a7bbd0 |title=(cartographic) Plate 68, Part of Sections 3 & 5, (1955 - 1956) |author=Digital Collections, The New York Public Library |access-date=February 11, 2024 |publisher=The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations}}

File:The Corinthian 645 First Ave from below.jpg

The Corinthian was designed by Der Scutt, design architect, and Michael Schimenti.{{cite AIA4}}, pp. 219-220.{{cite news |last=Shaman |first=Diana |date=April 29, 1988 |title=About Real Estate; 2 Blocks of First Avenue Become a Neighborhood |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/29/business/about-real-estate-2-blocks-of-first-avenue-become-a-neighborhood.html |access-date=2021-09-11 |work=The New York Times |at=Sec. B, p. 14}} Its fluted towers with bay windows are unusual compared to the traditional boxy shape of buildings in the city, and it bears a resemblance to Marina City and Lake Point Tower in Chicago.{{cite web |last=Horsley |first=Carter |url=https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/murray-hill/the-corinthian-330-east-38th-street/review/3353 |title=The Corinthian, 330 East 38th Street: Review And Ratings |website=CityRealty |access-date=February 13, 2024}} According to Bernard Spitzer, the building was named the Corinthian because "we think we have the contemporary version of the Corinthian column, the most lavish of the Greek columns." The semicircular windows provide a 180-degree view from every apartment. Many of the apartments include private balconies, which are located between the fluted towers.{{cite web |url=http://www.thecorinthiancondo.com/highrise.html |title=The Corinthian Condo Highrise |website=The Corinthian Condominiums |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422220130/http://www.thecorinthiancondo.com/highrise.html |archive-date=April 22, 2016}}

At the residential entrance to the building facing First Avenue is a cascading, semicircular waterfall fountain and a {{convert|10|ft|m|adj=on}} high Aristides Demetrios bronze sculpture, "Peirene" named after the Fountain of Peirene in Corinth. Its lobby is {{convert|90|ft|m}} long and {{convert|28|ft|m}} high and includes a {{convert|7|ft|m|adj=on}} high bronze sculpture by Bill Barrett, "Step for Two" and a {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} high wood relief by John A. Kapel called "Totem."{{cite news |last=Lyons |first=Richard D. |date=July 24, 1988 |title=New Look in Lobbies: Glitzy Eclectic |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/24/realestate/new-look-in-lobbies-glitzy-eclectic.html |access-date=September 11, 2021 |work=The New York Times |at=Sec. 10, p. 1}}

A {{convert|26,920|sqft|m2|adj=on}} public plaza with trees and benches is located on east side of the site adjacent to First Avenue.{{cite web |title=330 East 38th Street - Corinthian |url=https://apops.mas.org/pops/m060021/ |access-date=February 10, 2024 |website=Privately Owned Public Space in New York City |publisher=Municipal Art Society}} The landscaped plaza was designed by Thomas Balsley Associates, the same firm that designed other nearby public spaces including the plaza for Manhattan Place, the East River Esplanade Park from East 36th to 38th streets, and renovations to St. Vartan Park.{{cite magazine |date=March 1999 |title=East River Esplanade Park |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-G1cEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA91 |access-date=February 10, 2024 |magazine=Landscape Design |page=91 |number=15}}

At {{convert|1100000|sqft|m2}} it is the largest project of Bernard Spitzer. It has 863 apartments, {{convert|125000|sqft|m2}} of commercial space on the first through third floors and a {{convert|48000|sqft|m2|sing=on}} garage. The fourth floor of The Corinthian—the former roof of the East Side Airline Terminal—serves as the building's amenity level and includes a health club and a setback roof terrace with a {{convert|50|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} glass-enclosed swimming pool, sun deck, and {{convert|1/4|mi|km|spell=in}} outdoor jogging track. Residential units are located on the fifth floor and above.{{cite news |last=McCain |first=Mark |date=April 19, 1987 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/19/realestate/commercial-property-mixed-use-buildings-rocky-marriages-offices-apartments.html |title=Commercial Property: Mixed-Use Buildings; The Rocky Marriages of Offices and Apartments |work=The New York Times |at=Sec. 8, p. 19 |access-date=February 11, 2024}}{{cite news |date=October 23, 2015 |title=Corinthian stamps its cachet on condo offering|url=https://rew-online.com/corinthian-stamps-its-cachet-on-condo-offering/ |work=Real Estate Weekly |access-date=September 3, 2022}}

The Spitzer family sold off the building's parking garage in 2009 for $10.3 million and the office condominiums in 2011 for $31 million. The office units were later renovated to attract more high-end medical practices given its proximity to NYU Langone Medical Center.{{cite news |last=Rubinstein |first=Dana |date=October 7, 2009 |title=Eliot Spitzer Personally Sells Murray Hill Garage for $10.28 M. |url=http://therealdeal.com/blog/2009/10/08/former-governor-eliot-spitzer-is-selling-real-estate/ |work=Observer |access-date=September 3, 2022}}{{cite news |date=July 8, 2011 |title=Spitzer family sells $31M medical condo |url=http://therealdeal.com/blog/2011/07/08/spitzer-family-sells-31m-medical-condo-at-the-corinthian-at-345-east-37th-street/ |work=The Real Deal |access-date=September 3, 2022}}

In 2013, Gaia Real Estate purchased the 50th floor of the building for $14.6 million from Pfizer, which had bought the floor before the building opened and used the {{convert|16000|sqft|m2|sing=on}} layout consisting of 21 bedrooms and 25 bathrooms as a corporate executive suite for its nearby headquarters at Second Avenue and 42nd Street. The 50th floor was subsequently renovated and divided into separate apartments.{{cite news |last=Maurer |first=Mark |date=December 13, 2013 |title=Gaia pays $14.6M for Corinthian floor, plans condo conversion |url=https://therealdeal.com/2013/12/13/gaia-buys-corinthians-50th-floor-plans-condo-conversion/ |work=The Real Deal |access-date=September 3, 2022}} A year later, Gaia bought 144 more units in The Corinthian for $147 million, which were originally owned by the Spitzer family and had been rented out. These apartments were remarketed as The Corinthian Collection and sold in their original layout or as renovated units designed by Andres Escobar.{{cite news |date=May 15, 2014 |title=Eliot Spitzer sells off 144 units for $147M to development firm |url=https://therealdeal.com/2014/05/15/eliot-spitzer-sells-off-144-units-for-147m-to-development-firm/ |work=The Real Deal |access-date=September 3, 2022}}{{cite news |last=Clarke |first=Katherine |date=May 7, 2015 |title=Sprucing Up An Oldie: Apartments in one of Manhattan's most distinctive residential towers are getting a facelift |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/ghdddd-article-1.2213120 |work=Daily News |location=New York |access-date=September 3, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904034449/https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/ghdddd-article-1.2213120 |archive-date=September 4, 2022}}

A $3 million renovation to the building's amenity level on the fourth floor was completed in August 2014, which included the addition of a golf simulator, a dance studio, and an expansion of the fitness center.

The Corinthian has received mixed reviews from architecture critics.{{cite book |last1=Stern |authorlink1=Robert A. M. Stern |first=Robert A.M. |last2=Fishman |first2=David |last3=Tilove |first3=Jacob |year=2006 |url=https://archive.org/details/newyork2000archi0000ster |title=New York 2000: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Bicentennial and the Millennium |location=New York |publisher=Monacelli Press |page=397 |isbn=9781580931779 |access-date=February 13, 2024}} In its description of the newly completed apartment building, the 1988 AIA Guide to New York City noted, "Here Scutt has excelled—his best building by far."{{cite book |last1=White |first1=Norval |authorlink1=Norval White |last2=Willensky |first2=Elliot |year=1988 |url=https://archive.org/details/aiaguidetonewyor00will |title=AIA Guide to New York City |location=San Diego |publisher= Harcourt Brace Jovanovich |edition=3rd |page=220 |isbn=9780156036009 |access-date=February 13, 2024}} Architectural critic Carter Horsley wrote that the building "bursts with energy and has a palatial lobby."{{cite web |last=Horsley |first=Carter B. |url=https://www.thecityreview.com/midbest.htm |title=The Midtown Book: The List |website=The City Review |access-date=February 13, 2024}} In the 1996 book Der Scutt Retrospective, author Robert Metzger wrote that the semi-circular bay windows create "an unusual sculptural mass which heightens the visual drama of the building" and "The Corinthian is an enormous structure, and this sculptural effect diminishes the bulk visually."{{cite book |last=Metzger |first=Robert P. |year=1996 |url=https://archive.org/details/derscuttretrospe0000robe/ |title=Der Scutt Retrospective |location=Reading, PA |publisher=Reading Public Museum |page=55 |isbn=9780965459402 |access-date=February 13, 2024}} While The Corinthian was still under construction in 1987, Robert Campbell of the Boston Globe described the building's architectural design as "OK if unremarkable."{{cite news |last=Campbell |first=Robert |authorlink=Robert Campbell (journalist) |date=July 21, 1987 |title='Suburban' Tower is All Take and Very Little Give Standing Small in Manhattan |work=Boston Globe |page=57 |id={{ProQuest|294332016}}}} Architectural critic Philip Nobel said the building "looks like a bundle of sticks"{{cite news |last=Kuntzman |first=Gersh |authorlink=Gersh Kuntzman |date=January 9, 2000 |url=https://nypost.com/2000/01/09/10-buildings-we-love-to-hate/ |title=10 Buildings We Love To Hate |work=New York Post |access-date=February 13, 2024}} and other writers have characterized The Corinthian as "a stick of brick-covered dimes."

{{Reflist}}

• {{commonscat-inline|The Corinthian (Manhattan)}}
• [http://www.cityrealty.com/sell/building.cr?bid=3353 Cityrealty.com profile]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20220422171840/http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/MID006.htm NYC-architecture.com profile]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070218080132/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=streetcorinthian-newyorkcity-ny-usa Emporis profile]}}

{{Midtown East, Manhattan}}

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Category:Residential buildings completed in 1988

Category:Apartment buildings in New York City

Category:Residential skyscrapers in Manhattan

Category:Murray Hill, Manhattan

Category:1988 establishments in New York City

Category:First Avenue (Manhattan)