When season 3 of Only Murders in the Building hit our screens this month, we were glued to the screen as usual, as Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin delved into the latest murder to take place in their Upper West Side apartment building, the Arconia. Joined this season by Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd, and revolving around a farcical Broadway show, the trio are at their most entertaining. The building itself, however, is also one of the stars of the show, and, although the eventful story may have been based on the Ansonia some 15 blocks south, many scenes are filmed at the equally grande-dame-ish Belnord on Broadway and West 86th Street.
Whether you're a fan of the show or not, the Belnord would be a splendid place to live. Built in 1908, it occupies a full city block, as New York's grandest buildings tended to do in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, though many have since been demolished to make way for towers. It's just a couple of blocks from Central Park, a short stroll across which will bring you to the Met or the Guggenheim, while heading south on the UWS takes you to legendary delicatessen Zabar's.
Within the building, there is some serious grandeur to be found. Residents enter through the beautiful vaulted and frescoed porte-cochère above, heading through the landscaped courtyard for one of the six lobbies where lifts (which have featured prominently in Only Murders in the Building) carry them upwards. In 2018, renowned architects Robert A.M. Stern began a complete renovation of the building. The black and white public spaces were inspired by Dorothy Draper's original design for The Carlyle, and the renovated apartments now all bear the same sleek, modern signature style.
The apartment currently for sale is a three-bedroom space, fully renovated by Robert A.M. Stern. The 2,263 square foot open-plan space features soaring 10-foot ceilings, white oak floors and a double east-west aspect. The fittings are deeply luxurious: the kitchen was designed by Molteni&C in partnership with the architects with Calacatta Gold countertops and Gaggenau appliances, and the bathrooms are similarly decked out in marble with heated floors. Unlike most of its humbler neighbours in Manhattan, the apartment has its own generous utility room and plenty of closet space.
If the space within the apartment isn't enough, living at the Belnord grants access to the Belnord Club, where there is a gym and sports court, a Club Lounge, dining room, children's playroom and dedicated room for teens. And then there's always the tantalising thought that you might run into some of the world's most famous actors filming the show. If you want to make this your pied-à-terre in Manhattan, then there's truly something here for everyone.
View the full listing with Knight Frank.
