370 Riverside Drive

History

The building at 370 Riverside Drive was erected in 1922 and 1923 for approximately $800,000. The architects were Simon Schwartz and Arthur Gross. It is located on a hill overlooking the Hudson River, and the Riverside Park. As a pre-war building its floor plans included a number of Classic Six apartments with high ceilings, a roof deck with views of the river, the park and George Washington Bridge. It is close to Columbia University campus. The 16 story building was completed in 1922 and converted to a cooperative in 1973.

The building changed ownership a number of times. On September 4, 1944 Samuel Knepper acquired 370 RSD from Pasquale Ferri. The price was not disclosed, but the building had a mortgage of $530,000 and was assessed at $650,000. On November 1, 1944, an investor bought 370 Riverside Drive still assessed at $650,000. On January 27, 1949, it was reported that the US Attorney's office had brought involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against Samuel Bronxmeyer, who was the owner of 370 Riverside Drive. He was charged with milking bankers and other parties by use of his many properties, including the building where he lived. By August 11, 1949, Henry Payson purchased 370 Riverside Drive from H. B. Management Corporation for cash above a $489,000 mortgage. The property was assessed at $605,000. H. B.Management acquired the parcel through foreclosure proceedings on August 3 against Samuel Bronxmeyer. On January 9, the Jason Realty Company bought the rent-controlled 75-apartment 370 Riverside Drive from the estate of Joseph Ross for an undisclosed amount of cash over a $600,000 mortgage. The building sits on an irregular 160 by 71 foot plot with an assessment of $625,000.

The building was incorporated as a cooperative apartment building in 1973.

The building is particularly notable, being mentioned in The New York Times 63 times.

Gallery

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Notable residents

• Hannah Arendt, political theorist, lived in the building from 1959 until her death in 1975.
• Lawrence Blochman, American detective story writer and translator
• Seymour C.Y. Cheng, diplomat
• Grace Zia Chu, culinary figure and cookbook author advertised "Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking Classes" as listed at 370 Riverside drive, 6B.
• Shelby Millard Harrison, director of the Russell Sage Foundation and also in charge of the Babe Ruth Foundation, and an author
• C. J. Lebel, held 10 patents, including a patent on fluorescent lamp
• Morris Lichtenstein, rabbi, co-founder of the Society of Jewish Science, husband of Tehilla Lichtenstein, also co-founder of SJS
• Henry Pfeiffer, president of William R. Warner & Co. (later known as Warner-Lambert), pharmaceutical manufacturer and philanthropist
• Norman Mills Price, American illustrator, lived in the building as well
• Evelyn John Strachey, British Secretary of State for War, writer and British politician, circa 1935
• Robert G. Thompson, received Distinguished Service Cross for valor in World War II and the chairman of the Communist Party in New York State
• Frank H. Warder, New York State Superintendent of Banks
• Robert Kurt Woetzel, professor of international law (circa 1961)
• Ernest Hunter Wright, professor at Columbia, a chairman of English Institute at Columbia (1942–1946)
• Martin Gutzwiller, quantum and particle physicist

References

References

1. "370 Riverside Drive".
2. "370 Riverside Drive, New York City". SkyscraperPage.com.
3. (2012-10-26). "370 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025 | Apartments & Review". CityRealty.
4. "New York Times coverage". The New York Times.
5. "Hannah Arendt: Biographical data". Hannaharendt.nt.
6. "New York Times:Obituary". Select.nytimes.com.
7. (1987). "Who lived where: a biographical guide to homes and museums - John Eastman - Google Books".
8. (1947). "Who's Who in Foreign Correspondence - Overseas Press Club of America - Google Books".
9. (1975). "The New York Times Biographical Service - Google Books".
10. (2012-06-10). "DR. SEYMOUR C. Y. CHENGi - Obituary - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com.
11. (2005-03-08). "Contemporary Authors: Biography - Chu,Grace Zia (1899-1999): Amazon.com: Books".
12. "Chu, Grace Zia. Papers of Grace Zia Chu, 1941-1986: A Finding Aid". Oasis.lib.harvard.edu.
13. "The Pleasures of Chinese Cooking. Illus. by Grambs Miller. Foreword by Craig Claiborne: Grace Zia Chu: Amazon.com: Books".
14. Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School. (15 April 1978). "Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School: G chu: 9780671242091: Amazon.com: Books".
15. (2012-06-10). "Cooking Schools in the City - It's a Mouth-Watering Array - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com.
16. (2012-06-10). "Those Proliferating Cooking Schools - A Selection of the Best - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com.
17. (1970). "Harvard Alumni Directory - Google Books".
18. "CJ LeBel obituary". Aes.org.
19. (2012-06-10). "C. J. LeBel, Sound Specialist i And Inventor, Is Dead at 59 - Obituary - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com.
20. (1962). "Official gazette of the United States Patent Office - United States. Patent Office - Google Books".
21. "Guide to the Pfeiffer-Merner Family Collection". Library.pfeiffer.edu.
22. (1939). "Druggists' Circular - Google Books".
23. (1930). "American art directory - American Federation of Arts - Google Books".
24. (October 2012)
25. (2012-06-10). "STRACHEY TO LEAVE FOR CHICAGO TODAY - Hays, Who Will Defend Him at Deportation Hearing, Says Free Speech Is Issue. - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com.
26. (2012-06-10). "STATE SAYS WARDER GOT BRIBE IN PERSON - Prosecutor Tells Jury Bank Head Received $10,000 From Ferrari Agent in Home. TRACES COURSE OF CASH Also Promises to Prove That Gratuity Won Immunity for Books of City Trust Co. DEFENSE SPEECH WITHHELD Former Aide of Accused Man on Stand Tells of Failure to Make Examinations. Describes Transfer of Money. Defense Speech Withheld. Traces Bank Reports". Select.nytimes.com.
27. [https://www.nytimes.com/1937/06/17/archives/jacklewarder.html?sq=Frank%2520H.%2520Warder%2520riverside&scp=3&st=cse New York Times:Jackle-Warder]
28. (1961). "Proceedings of the American Society of International Law at its annual meeting - American Society of International Law - Google Books".
29. "Ernest Hunter Wright Collection, 1892-1968 (Bulk Dates: 1924-1968)". Columbia.edu.
30. New York Times:ERNEST WRIGHT, TAUGHT ENGLISH; Ex-Chairman of Department at Columbia Dies at 86
31. [http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/itamp/quantumnonintegrability.html Harvard: Workshop on Quantum Nonintegrability: Molecular Systems and General Theory April 30 - May 2, 1998]