Landmarked artists’ housing building on Billionaires’ Row is reborn as luxury condos

A landmarked building on Billionaires’ Row has been transformed into 47 luxury condos. Sales launched this week at Parc Beaufort, a 14-story tower at 140 West 57th Street originally built in 1908 as housing for artists. Led by the Feil Organization and MdeAS Architects, the conversion of the luxury condo preserved the building’s historic pre-war character while adding contemporary interiors by AD100 firm Stephen Sills Associates. Residences, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, start at $955,000.

Designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by Pollard & Steinam, the property was built to provide live-work space for artists, with its high ceilings and oversized windows.

The building’s duplex arrangement created seven double-height stories facing the street, with 12 stories at the rear. Its tall projecting bay windows are set in “geometrically ornamented” cast iron frames, drawing in the northern light prized by artists, according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s 1999 designation report.

This type of housing emerged as a model for both artists and non-artists, addressing a long-standing shortage of live-work spaces suitable for creative professionals. The neighborhood, home to the Art Students’ League and Carnegie Hall, was a prime location.

In 1944, the building became rentals. Macklowe, which purchased the building in the 1980s, converted the tower into offices in 1998. The Feil Organization acquired the Beaufort in 2009 for $57 million.

The building’s limestone and brick facade is being carefully restored by MdeAS, preserving its historic character and detailing. According to the New York Times, the architects are recreating the cornice, which had been removed years ago.

“Working with a historic landmark requires a deep respect for its original design,” Dan Shannon, principal at MdeAS Architects, said. “We sought to preserve the qualities that made it exceptional—unique volumes and double height spaces that permit extraordinary natural light —while adapting it for modern residential use.”

“The result is an architecture that feels both enduring and relevant, rooted in history but designed for how people live today,” he added.

As a residential building once again, the apartments feature soaring ceilings that now define dramatic living spaces measuring nearly 20 feet in height, while the original double-height windows bring in abundant natural light.

Each residence features a custom kitchen designed by Stephen Sills, with rift-sawn, wire-brushed oak cabinetry and honed Emperador marble countertops and backsplashes.

Primary bathrooms include honed travertine flooring and walls, custom white oak vanities, and bronze Gessi fixtures, all selected for their timeless aesthetic.

Amenity spaces include a double-height, vaulted 24-hour attended lobby with marble flooring, white oak paneling, blackened bronze metalwork, and custom crown moldings.

Other perks include a fitness center with an infrared sauna, a residents’ lounge overlooking West 57th Street, and a 1,600-square-foot landscaped roof deck with seating and an outdoor kitchen. Bike storage and private storage units are also available.

Residences at Parc Beaufort are priced from $995,000 for a studio, $1.2 million for a one-bedroom, $3.15 million for a two-bedroom, and $4.5 million for a three-bedroom.

Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group is handling marketing and sales for Parc Beaufort.

“The opportunity to own a prewar condominium atelier on Billionaires’ Row has galvanized the market,” Beth Fisher, senior managing director at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, said.

“The historic character of these homes, including signature bay windows and double-height spaces, is breathtaking,” she added. “We are so pleased to represent Parc Beaufort—a one-of-a-kind piece of New York history.”

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