The Majestic (apartment building)

The Majestic
View from 71st Street and Central Park West
Alternative names	Majestic Apartments
General information
Type	Housing cooperative
Architectural style	Art Deco
Address	115 Central Park West
Town or city	Manhattan, New York
Country	United States
Coordinates	40°46′34″N 73°58′35″W / 40.77611°N 73.97639°W / 40.77611; -73.97639
Construction started	1929
Completed	1931
Height	346 ft (105 m)
Technical details
Structural system	Steel superstructure
Floor count	31
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Irwin S. Chanin, Jacques Delamarre
New York City Landmark
Designated	March 8, 1988
Reference no.	1518
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Designated	November 9, 1982
Reference no.	82001189
References
"Emporis building ID 115842". Emporis. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022.

The Majestic (also known as the Majestic Apartments) is a cooperative apartment building at 115 Central Park West, between 71st and 72nd Streets, adjacent to Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. It was constructed from 1930 to 1931 and was designed by the firm of Irwin S. Chanin in the Art Deco style. The Majestic is 30 stories tall, with twin towers rising from a 19-story base. The building is a contributing property to the Central Park West Historic District, a National Register of Historic Places–listed district, and is a New York City designated landmark.

The base surrounds an internal courtyard to the west, and two towers rise from the eastern portion of the base above that level. There are several cantilevered terraces with Art Deco balustrades. The first three stories are clad in cast stone, and the remainder of the facade is made of tan and brown brick with multi-paned windows. The floor slabs are cantilevered from a central core, permitting the inclusion of enclosed solariums at the northeast and southeast corners. There are vertical piers on several parts of the facade, contrasting with the horizontal solariums. When the building opened, it operated much like a short-term hotel with housekeeping and catering services. There were originally 235 apartments with two to eleven rooms, but several apartments have been split or combined over the years.

The Chanin brothers bought the site in April 1929 and constructed the building from November 1930 to May 1931. The building officially opened on October 1, 1931, and the Chanins lost the Majestic to foreclosure two years later. The New York Majestic Corporation took over the building in 1937 and operated it for twenty years, when the Majestic became a housing cooperative. The Majestic remained an upscale development after its conversion, and it has undergone several renovations throughout its history. The building's residents have included artistic personalities as well as criminals.