370 Riverside Drive

In winter

370 Riverside Drive is a building on Riverside Drive and the north side of 109th Street, in Manhattan's Upper West Side where several notable people lived, including Hannah Arendt, Grace Zia Chu (culinary figure), Clarence J. Lebel (inventor of fluorescent bulb), and Evelyn John Strachey (British politician), among others.

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

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. In 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 68 times.^[3]

Gallery

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Notable residents

• Hannah Arendt, political theorist, lived in the building from 1959 until her death in 1975.^[4][5][6]
• Lawrence Blochman, American detective story writer and translator^[7][8]
• Seymour C.Y. Cheng, diplomat^[9]
• Grace Zia Chu, culinary figure and cookbook author^{[10][11][12][13]} advertised "Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking Classes" as listed at 370 Riverside drive, 6B.^[14][15]
• Shelby Millard Harrison, director of the Russell Sage Foundation and also in charge of the Babe Ruth Foundation, and an author^[16]
• C. J. Lebel, held 10 patents, including a patent on fluorescent lamp^[17][18][19]
• 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^[20][21]
• Norman Mills Price, American illustrator, lived in the building as well^[22][23]
• Evelyn John Strachey, British Secretary of State for War, writer and British politician,^[24] 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^[25][26]
• Robert Kurt Woetzel, professor of international law^[27] (circa 1961)
• Ernst Hunter Wright, professor at Columbia,^[28] a chairman of English Institute at Columbia (1942–1946)^[29]
• Martin Gutzwiller, quantum and particle physicist^[30]

References

1. "370 Riverside Drive, New York City". SkyscraperPage.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
2. "370 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10025 | Apartments & Review". CityRealty. 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
3. "New York Times coverage". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
4. "Hannah Arendt: Biographical data". Hannaharendt.nt. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
5. "New York Times:Obituary". Select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
6. Who lived where: a biographical guide to homes and museums - John Eastman - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
7. Who's Who in Foreign Correspondence - Overseas Press Club of America - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
8. The New York Times Biographical Service - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
9. "DR. SEYMOUR C. Y. CHENGi - Obituary - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
10. "Contemporary Authors: Biography - Chu,Grace Zia (1899-1999): Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. 2005-03-08. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
11. "Chu, Grace Zia. Papers of Grace Zia Chu, 1941-1986: A Finding Aid". Oasis.lib.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
12. "The Pleasures of Chinese Cooking. Illus. by Grambs Miller. Foreword by Craig Claiborne: Grace Zia Chu: Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
13. Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School. "Madame Chu's Chinese Cooking School: G chu: 9780671242091: Amazon.com: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
14. "Cooking Schools in the City - It's Mouth-Watering Array - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
15. "Those Proliferating Cooking Schools - A Selection of the Best - Article - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
16. Harvard Alumni Directory - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
17. "CJ LeBel obituary" (PDF). Aes.org. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
18. "C. J. LeBel, Sound Specialist i And Inventor, Is Dead at 59 - Obituary - NYTimes.com". Select.nytimes.com. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
19. Official gazette of the United States Patent Office - United States. Patent Office - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
20. "Guide to the Pfeiffer-Merner Family Collection". Library.pfeiffer.edu. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
21. Druggists' Circular - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
22. American art directory - American Federation of Arts - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
24. "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. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
25. "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. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
26. New York Times:Jackle-Warder
27. Proceedings of the American Society of International Law at its annual meeting - American Society of International Law - Google Books. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
28. "Ernest Hunter Wright Collection, 1892-1968 (Bulk Dates: 1924-1968)". Columbia.edu. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
29. New York Times:ERNEST WRIGHT, TAUGHT ENGLISH; Ex-Chairman of Department at Columbia Dies at 86
30. Harvard: Workshop on Quantum Nonintegrability: Molecular Systems and General Theory April 30 - May 2, 1998

Coordinates: 40°48′15″N 73°58′06″W / 40.8043°N 73.9684°W