A rooftop farm in Manhattan. Can you believe it? That’s the story of The Ansonia. This magnificent building at 2109 Broadway between 73rd and 74th Streets isn’t just a luxury residential property. It’s a legend. The Ansonia holds a unique place in New York City history. Built between 1899 and 1904 by William Earle Dodge Stokes it was designed by the French architect Paul Emile Duboy in the Beaux-Arts style. Stokes named The Ansonia after his grandfather.
The Ansonia was meant to be more than just a hotel. It was meant to be a self-sufficient utopia. Stokes’s audacious vision included a real farm on the roof. Chickens ducks goats dairy cows and even a bear! The Department of Health shut it down in 1907. What a bunch of narcs. But the story of The Ansonia doesn’t end there.
This wasn’t just any hotel. The Ansonia housed a remarkable array of people. Famous and wealthy people lived here. Babe Ruth lived here. So did Angelina Jolie and Macaulay Culkin. But The Ansonia attracted more than just celebrities.
The 1919 Black Sox Scandal started right here. Chick Gandil a Chicago White Sox first baseman held a meeting in his Ansonia apartment. He conspired with his teammates to throw the World Series. Whoa. Heavy stuff. The Ansonia’s legendary status also extends to its nightlife. In 1968 it housed a luxurious gay bathhouse. This bathhouse had palm fronds a discotheque and candy machines dispensing lubricants. Bette Midler known as Bathhouse Betty frequently performed there. Half-naked people frolicking and dancing to Bette Midler’s voice. Legendary.
The Ansonia has seen it all. A rooftop farm a baseball scandal a luxurious gay bathhouse. Today it stands as a testament to its vibrant past. A luxury residential property The Ansonia continues to captivate. Its legacy lives on. The Ansonia is a true New York City icon. A place where history and legend intertwine.