Modernist Upper East Side loft hits the market for the first time in 40 years for $4.9M
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Modernist Upper East Side loft hits the market for the first time in 40 years for $4.9M

March 27, 2019

In 1979, accessories designer Reva Ostrow asked artist and designer Ward Bennett to redesign her Upper East Side apartment. Located in the Rosario Candela-designed 955 Fifth Avenue, Bennett responded by gutting the classic pre-war apartment and transforming it into a stylish, industrial loft with exposed beams, terrazzo floors, stainless-steel accents, and iconic furniture. Over the past 40 years, Ostrow has kept the apartment in pristine “museum-like” condition, with every object still precisely where Bennett placed it. “Hiring him was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she once said. Now, in order to spend more time with her family, Ostrow has placed the one-of-a-kind residence on the market for $4,900,000.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

The living room is almost 30 feet wide and has oversized windows that look out onto Central Park. The space features a wood-burning fireplace and furniture selected by Bennett, like a pair of iconic Corbusier LC4 chaise longues, though Bennett removed the extra leather padding to expose their sculptural form. As architect Lee Mindel, a longtime fan, says of Bennett’s work, “You can’t add or take anything away—it’s reduced to its essence.”

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

Even the windows were custom designed by Bennett, featuring rounded corners and Venetian blinds between two panes of glass.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

Frosted glass, glossy terrazzo floors, wall-to-wall carpeting in some areas, and quilts hanging on the walls add a variety of textures to the minimal yet eclectic space.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

The dining room is defined by an original Candela curved wall and can be closed off with a pocket door. The dining table was cast out of the same terrazzo as the floor. The chairs are a cane-backed version of Bennett’s Landmark Chair, still available through Herman Miller.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

The kitchen is clad in stainless steel, with hidden cabinets offering many storage options and a dining nook.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

A red column provides a pop of color in the entryway to the bedroom, which doesn’t have a door. The bathroom features a sleek custom vanity and Josef Hoffmann chair. The residence is currently configured as a one bedroom withtwo full bathrooms and a powder room, but there is a possibility of transforming it to add multiple bedrooms.

955 Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side, Ward Bennett

955 Fifth Avenue is a full-service boutique co-op with two apartments per floor, 24-hour doormen and a resident manager. Amenities include a stunning roof garden, a large gym, laundry, and a private storage room for each apartment.

[Listing: 955 Fifth Avenue, 7A by Laurie Stolowitz and Iris Klatsky of Stribling]

[At CityRealty]

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Listing images courtesy of Stribling

 

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All information furnished regarding property for sale, rental or financing is from sources deemed reliable, but no warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy thereof and same is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price, rental or other conditions, prior sale, lease or financing or withdrawal without notice. All dimensions are approximate. For exact dimensions, you must hire your own architect or engineer and for no listing shall the number of bedrooms listed be considered a legal conclusion.

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